Skillet dinners offer a convenient solution for busy nights when cooking time is scarce. These single-pan meals cater to various tastes and dietary preferences, transcending the usual suspects like casseroles or stir-fries. From comforting classics to bold international flavors, we’ve curated a diverse collection of skillet dinner recipes that prove one pan is more than capable of delivering exceptional results.
Mac & Cheese
Macaroni and cheese, a classic comfort food, typically requires a labor-intensive process involving boiling pasta, preparing a roux, baking the dish, and more. However, this easy skillet recipe simplifies the process, making it an ideal option for a quick weeknight meal that’s far from the boxed variety.
To make this creamy delight, you’ll need just a few ingredients: pasta, butter, flour, cheese, and cream. Simply cook the pasta and whisk together the cheese sauce in a skillet, then combine the two. The best part? This recipe is highly customizable, allowing you to add your favorite toppings, such as peppery arugula or juicy tomatoes, to give it an extra boost of flavor.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Imagine a culinary journey to the heart of Italy with this delectable Tuscan-inspired chicken dinner. The star of the show is tender boneless chicken breasts, delicately coated in an egg and flour mixture before being pan-seared to a golden crisp. A rich and creamy parmesan cheese sauce is then carefully poured over the top, infusing the dish with a deep flavor profile. To complete the meal, wilted spinach and sweet sundried tomatoes are added, providing a burst of freshness and color. This single-pan wonder can be prepared in under 30 minutes, making it the perfect solution for a quick yet satisfying dinner.
Ground Beef Pasta Shells
Satisfy your cravings for a hearty dish without the hassle of multiple steps or a mountain of dishes. Easy stovetop beef shells offer a comforting twist on traditional stuffed pasta recipes, delivering rich flavors in mere minutes on the stovetop. To make this crowd-pleaser, you’ll need medium pasta shells, lean ground beef, onion, and tomatoes. Simply cook your pasta, then quickly prepare the savory beef sauce in the same skillet before combining it with the pasta to create a mouthwatering fusion of flavors.
Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food experience with this mouth-watering skillet chicken parmesan recipe. This twist on traditional chicken parmesan ditches the high-fat, high-calorie content by pan-frying the chicken in a preheated cast-iron skillet and finishing it off in the oven. The result is tender, juicy chicken with a delightful crispiness.The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity – just three main ingredients are required: chicken cutlets, tomato sauce, and an abundance of cheese. Begin by breading the chicken, then bake until golden brown. Next, add the tangy tomato sauce and melted cheese for an irresistible flavor combination. This delectable dinner can be served with or without pasta, making it perfect for any occasion. And the best part? It’s ready in just 20 minutes!
20-Minute Sausage Pasta
We’re huge fans of this recipe because its simplicity belies a depth of flavor that’s hard to resist. What really sets it apart is the versatility – this sausage and pasta skillet can just as easily be enjoyed for breakfast as it can for dinner. The beauty of this dish lies in its ability to satisfy our cravings without requiring a significant time investment. In fact, you can whip up this recipe in just 20 minutes, making it an ideal solution for busy evenings when you need something quick and delicious.
Greek Shrimp, Pearl Barley and Kale with Feta
Skillet dinners offer a unique advantage – they eliminate the need to prepare individual side dishes. This is particularly evident in the case of this shrimp, barley, and kale Greek-inspired dish, which seamlessly combines protein-rich shrimp with nutrient-dense vegetables into one harmonious meal.
To create this culinary masterpiece, you’ll require deveined shrimp, juicy tomato, nutty pearl barley, curly kale, and crumbly feta. The ingredients are cooked on the stovetop before being finished under the warm glow of the oven, where the aroma of melted feta wafts through the air.
Mushroom Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
While lasagna is undoubtedly a culinary delight, its richness can be overwhelming. This roll-up recipe offers a satisfying alternative that’s not only quicker to prepare but also packed with fewer carbs. By substituting zucchini for traditional noodles, you’ll enjoy the same flavors without the guilt. To start, gather marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, sausage, and shredded cheese. Slice the zucchini into thin strips, then coat each piece with a ricotta-based mixture, shaping them into balls. Place these bundles in a skillet, cover them with marinara sauce, and let the oven work its magic. With this recipe, you’ll experience the same flavors as lasagna without feeling weighed down by its heaviness.
Poached Salmon in Coconut Lime Sauce
In a harmonious fusion of Thai flavors, this poached salmon in coconut sauce offers a one-pan meal that’s both accessible and rich. The key lies in the two-step cooking process: searing the salmon adds depth to its natural flavor, while the poaching step infuses it with the aromatic goodness of the coconut-based sauce.
To craft this culinary delight, you’ll need garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili garlic paste, coconut milk, and lemon zest. Begin by giving the salmon a sear, then caramelize the aromatics to create the foundation for the sauce. Finally, poach the salmon in its flavorful bath, allowing the tender fish to absorb every last drop of that delectable coconut sauce.
Apple Pork Chops
In this recipe for apple pork chops, a one-pan approach not only saves time on prep and cleanup, but also allows each ingredient to meld together harmoniously, embracing the warm spices of fall. To create this flavorful dish, you’ll need pork chops, cubed butternut squash, aromatics, sliced apples, apple cider, and herbs like rosemary. Begin by cooking the pork chops and squash separately, then bring everything together in a single skillet with the added sweetness of apples and tanginess of apple cider.
Herb Potato & Tomato Baked Egg
Eggs don’t have to be limited to breakfast or brunch – they can be a star of the dinner table as well. In fact, baking eggs with potatoes and other savory elements makes for a satisfying meal that’s sure to please even the pickiest eaters. The key to this recipe is simplicity, relying on just a few key ingredients like roasted potatoes, aromatic herbs, marinara sauce, sliced green peppers, and of course, eggs. By layering these components in a skillet and baking until the egg yolks are perfectly set, you’ll create a dish that’s both hearty and flavorful.
French Onion Chicken
This hearty chicken dish is a twist on classic French onion soup, turning its comforting flavors into a satisfying main course. By layering sweet caramelized onions with melted cheese and juicy chicken, this recipe offers a rich and filling meal that’s anything but dry. To create this flavorful dish, you’ll need chicken breasts, sweet onions, sliced cheese, and an assortment of herbs. Begin by slowly cooking the onions to bring out their natural sweetness, then add the chicken to the same skillet and cook until browned. Finally, finish the recipe in the oven where the cheese can melt and the flavors can meld together.
Pan-Seared Shrimp
Flavors of the Mediterranean come alive in this quick and delicious seared shrimp dish, where succulent seafood is infused with the pungency of garlic, the tanginess of tomatoes, and the creaminess of feta. This recipe’s speed is just as impressive as its flavor profile – it takes mere minutes to cook, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner that won’t sacrifice taste for convenience.
To bring this Mediterranean-inspired meal to life, you’ll need only a few key ingredients: shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, feta, and herbs. Simply sear the shrimp in a skillet until they’re pink and cooked through, then craft the sauce by combining those same flavors in a harmonious balance of savory and sweet. Serve it all together for a dish that’s sure to become a new favorite.
Cheesy Rotisserie Chicken Enchilada
Indulge in the rich flavors of enchiladas without sacrificing precious weeknight time. This clever casserole recipe marries the essence of enchilada cuisine with the convenience of rotisserie chicken. Simply combine jarred enchilada sauce, store-bought tortillas, cooked black beans, and shredded cheese in a skillet, then let the stovetop and oven work their magic to meld flavors and melt cheese to perfection.
Thai Chicken Peanut Rice
Pleasing a crowd for dinner is often as simple as recreating a beloved takeout favorite. One such dish that’s sure to delight is a Thai-inspired chicken, peanut, and rice creation that can be prepared in under 30 minutes. The magic lies in its straightforward combination of familiar ingredients: juicy chicken, fluffy rice, and an assortment of colorful vegetables.
The sauce is where the true magic happens. By combining the savory depths of soy sauce with the rich creaminess of peanut butter and a hint of sweetness from honey, you’ll create a flavor profile that’s both authentic to Thai cuisine and utterly irresistible. Simply stir this concoction into your meal and serve.
Skillet Balsamic Peach Pork Chops
When it comes to cooking up delicious pork chops, the skillet is an excellent choice. By cooking the pork chops directly in the skillet, you allow the flavors to meld together beautifully. This particular recipe takes advantage of that by combining sweet peaches, tangy balsamic vinegar, and salty feta cheese to create a sauce that’s equal parts sweet, acidic, and savory. Start by searing the seasoned pork chops in the skillet until they’re nicely browned, then build your sauce from there.
