I'm always looking for new easy food recipes that don't take forever to make. With work and everything, I need something quick but still tasty. Lately I've been making a lot of sheet pan dinners and one-pot recipes, but I'm getting bored with my rotation.
What are your go-to easy food recipes when you're short on time but still want a proper meal? I'm especially interested in recipes that use pantry staples and don't require a ton of prep work.
Oh I feel you on the sheet pan dinner burnout. One of my favorite easy food recipes is what I call lazy chicken fajitas." Just slice chicken breasts, bell peppers, and onions, toss with fajita seasoning and a little oil, and roast on a sheet pan. Takes like 25 minutes total and you can serve with tortillas and whatever toppings you have.
Another one is pasta with canned tuna, capers, lemon, and red pepper flakes. Sounds weird but it's actually amazing and comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta.
For easy food recipes, I swear by my instant pot. Chicken and rice is my go-to - just dump chicken thighs, rice, broth, and whatever veggies you have. Set it and forget it for 20 minutes. Comes out perfect every time.
Also, breakfast for dinner is always a win. Scrambled eggs with whatever veggies need using up, maybe some toast or potatoes. Super quick and feels like a treat.
My current favorite easy food recipe is what I call pantry pasta." Saute garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil, add a can of chickpeas (drained) and cook until they're crispy, then toss with cooked pasta and a squeeze of lemon. Sometimes I add spinach if I have it.
Also, quesadillas are underrated. You can put literally anything in them - leftover chicken, beans, cheese, veggies. Cook in a dry pan until crispy. Takes 5 minutes.
I make a lot of bowl" meals for easy food recipes. Cook some grain (quinoa, rice, farro), roast whatever veggies I have, add a protein (canned beans, leftover chicken, tofu), and top with a simple sauce. My go-to sauce is just Greek yogurt mixed with lemon juice and herbs.
Also, frozen shrimp is a lifesaver. Thaws quickly and cooks in minutes. I do shrimp stir-fry with frozen veggies and bottled stir-fry sauce when I'm really pressed for time.
For easy food recipes, I've been making a lot of deconstructed" meals lately. Like instead of making a complicated curry, I'll roast chicken with curry spices and serve with rice and a simple cucumber salad. All the flavors without the fuss.
Also, soup is always easy. Saute onions and garlic, add broth and whatever veggies/protein you have, simmer. Freezes well too so you can make a big batch.