Quick One-Pan Dinners
There’s something very appealing about a one-pan dinner. It feels old-fashioned and comforting, not to mention easy—one pot for cooking means one pot for cleaning, and in the throes of holiday madness, we’re all for anything that will make life even a little bit easier. Here are four of our favorite go-tos—all relatively quick, relatively healthy, and always crowd-pleasing. Serve these with a big green salad and a bigger glass of wine and call it a day.
Chicken Pot Pie
We can’t think of anything more comforting than chicken pot pie on a winter night, but amidst the craziness of the holidays, roasting a chicken and making pastry from scratch are out of the question for most of us. For this “cheat’s” version, we use rotisserie chicken and frozen puff pastry—that way, you keep your sanity and put an impressive (and always very popular) dinner on the table.
Cioppino
Cioppino is a classic San Francisco fish stew made with tomatoes, fennel, oregano, white wine, and a mix of fish commonly found in the Pacific Ocean such as Dungeness crab, mussels, halibut, shrimp, and clams. We simplified with just halibut, clams, and shrimp in this version, but use whatever mix of seafood you like. We think it makes the perfect winter one-pot meal; warming, easy to make, but light enough that it won’t weigh you down.
Chicken with Herbs, Citrus & Capers
This chicken is dead easy and the mix of herbs, acidity, and sweetness balance perfectly. Add some couscous and a green salad and you’ve got yourself a perfect weeknight or dinner party meal.
Winter Minestrone
Full of vegetables, beans, and farro, this hearty soup is even better the next day. We like to make a big batch on Sunday and eat throughout the week.