It’s time to get a head start on your meal plan for next week. From a fancy one-pot chicken and rice that’s easy enough for weekdays to a four-ingredient chili, we’ve got five weeknight dinners that will get you through the week. So grab a pen, make your shopping list, and stock up before the weekend’s over.
Top: French Bread Pizza at Brooklyn Supper | Weeknight Fancy Chicken and Rice at The New York Times (photo byJessica Emily Marx) | Spicy Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli at Dinner with Julie
Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from a fall Carbonara to your new favorite meatballs.
For #MeatlessMonday this week, we’re trying something a little different. This Green Soba Bowl with Olive and Sesame Yogurt Sauce at Dolly and Oatmeal may not, at first glance, look like something that the kids will dig, but I think that it’s worth a shot. Soba noodles are a great way to nudge picky “pasta-only” eaters to something a little different. But then all that green: I know. It’s mostly herbs, which may make a difference (it would with my kids), and the recipe is pretty easily adapted if you want to play the green down. Either way, this is a super healthy, quick-cook meal that I think is worth a shot. Because if it goes over well, major score.
Weeknight Fancy Chicken and Rice | Photo by Jessica Emily Marx for The New York Times
My family is officially obsessed with this Weeknight Fancy Chicken and Rice at The New York Times. In fact, I was told that this is one of the best things I’ve made in ages (I’ll assume since working on my own cookbook, thank you very much, children). Don’t let the word fancy fool you: This is dead easy to cook and comes together in one pot. I serve it with my Curry Roasted Cauliflower for a very golden-hued, but well matched meal.
5-Ingredient Chili | Gimme Some Oven
When Caroline included the Five-Ingredient Chili at Gimme Some Oven in her roundup of 30-minute chili recipes, I nearly fell over. This cooks in a half hour and only requires five ingredients? I’m sold. Make a big batch of this on Wednesday for a hearty hump day meal and plenty of leftovers for Saturday too.
Related: Meal plan: 5 easy dinners from a vegan one-bowl meal to the most delicious pork chops.
Weeknight dinners don’t get easier than this Spicy Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli spied at Dinner with Julie. Toss shrimp and broccoli with oil and a cleverly curated combination of spices (that you can easily make not spicy), toss onto a baking sheet, and cook. Throw on a pot of rice while the shrimp and broccoli roast, and dinner’s done.
Sometimes the easier thing to cook isn’t just a compromise, but what you actually prefer to eat. This Brussels Sprout and Leek French Bread Pizza at Brooklyn Supper is a perfect example. No scratch pizza dough or even working rounds of store-bought. Grab a loaf of French or Italian bread and pizza’s in the making. I love the sound of topping my pizza with Brussels sprouts and leeks, but you can easily re-work the recipe to top this as you—or the kids—wish.
