18 30-Minute Skillet Meals That Are Totally Nom-Worthy
We’re all about making your life easier, especially when it comes to weeknight dinners. Breakfast for dinner? Bring it. Healthy slow cooker meals? Forever, please. Unfortunately, takeout always seems to be the easiest option, but we’re here to help you fight the urge. Between school work, yoga classes, date nights and the plethora of TV series we need to plop down for, making dinner is a dreaded task — especially for an entire family. With all this in mind, easy breezy 30-minute meals are total life-savers, and we’ve got 18 of them that will simply blow your busy mind.
1. Skillet Mushroom Chicken and Quinoa: This hearty dish is the perfect thing to curl up with as the days get shorter and the air turns crisp. Tender chicken and robust mushrooms are blended with quinoa to make a quick and easy dinner the whole fam will enjoy. (via Well Plated)
2. Garden Veggie and Ravioli Skillet With Pistachio Herb Butter: This stunning ravioli dish is the BEST way to use up all those summer veggies from your garden. This might look like a time-consuming gourmet meal, but it’s easy to whip up and it’s done in a jiffy. (via Half Baked Harvest)
3. Zucchini Beef Skillet: This one-pot Paleo wonder is exactly what you need in your weeknight meal rotation. You can eat it as-is or, if you’re not eating Paleo, serve it over rice to make the batch last. Leftovers are always a score! (via Eating Richly)
4. Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Apples: If you’ve ever had pork and apples together, then you already know the two are meant to be. With the addition of sweet potatoes and fresh rosemary, this one-pan beauty is what fall flavors are ALL about. (via The Seasoned Mom)
5. Harvest Wild Rice Skillet: This quick skillet meal shows off the colors and flavors of a fall harvest like no other. If you want a bowl full of everything that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, you need this rice medley in your life stat. (via Pinch of Yum)
6. Easy Tilapia in Burst Tomato Wine Broth: It’s hard to imagine something elegant coming out of a quick and easy recipe, but this gorgeous tilapia proves it’s possible. With a burst tomato wine broth, this impressive dish is ideal for easy entertaining. (via NeighborFood)
7. Chicken Caprese Skillet: Digging into a Caprese salad is refreshing AF, but a salad alone won’t always satisfy your hunger. That’s why adding chicken to the mix is all kinds of brilliant. You’ll get a generous dose of protein filling you up with all that tomato-y and basil-y mozzarella goodness. (via Casa de Crews)
8. One-Pot Beef Stroganoff Pasta: Creamy, beefy and noodle-y — what more could we want in a classic comfort meal? Here’s how to up your pasta game with beef and mushrooms for a mid-week dinner thrill. (via Foody Schmoody)
9. Teriyaki Chicken and Cauliflower Skillet: Nothing sounds better than takeout after an exhausting day — but takeout means spending extra money and mowing down extra calories. BOO! HISS! Instead, whip up this fast and simple teriyaki dish. It’s wholesome, delicious and oh-so rewarding. (via I Food Real)
10. Tex-Mex One-Skillet Pasta: With crispy sausage, veggies and gooey cheese, this scrumptious dish will surely get your family excited. The kicker is that it’s super quick and simple to make, so you’ll look like a culinary genius without breaking a sweat. (via Kelly’s Ambitious Kitchen)
11. Spiralized Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet: If you haven’t fallen in love with spiralized veggies yet, now is the time. They make for delicious and efficient low-carb meals, they give you an extra punch of nutrients and they take very little time to cook. Get your enchilada fix in a whole new way. (via Sweet Peas and Saffron)
12. Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet: Imagine getting a wholesome dinner from only FOUR ingredients; that’s what this Paleo GF recipe does. Juicy shrimp are tossed with sweet potatoes and kale to give you a simple and satisfying low-carb meal. (via Primavera Kitchen)
13. Cheesy Tomato Pasta Skillet: Pasta is *the* ultimate food to take comfort in, and when you can take comfort only 30 minutes after starting it up, life is good. This cheesy tomato pasta is a perfect weeknight indulgence. (via Honey and Birch)
14. Unstuffed Pepper Skillet: Stuffed peppers are always a treat, but they can be a little tedious; sometimes, you just don’t want to wait. This deconstructed version is the perfect way to enjoy the essence of stuffed peppers without actually stuffing the peppers. Just fry it up and dig in. (via The Garlic Diaries)
15. Chicken With Tomato and Basil Cream Sauce: The richness in this dish is perfectly balanced by the fresh and bright flavors of tomato and basil. If you love the sound of this bad boy but are looking for something sans meat, substitute the chicken with mushrooms — easy peasy. (via Good Dinner Mom)
16. Skillet Meatball Pasta: Got some leftover meatballs kicking around? It’s time to use them up. This 30-minute meal lets you and your family indulge in a classic with very little effort. (via I Heart Eating)
17. Shrimp and Chorizo Skillet Paella With Quinoa: Making a traditional paella can be a lot of work, but putting an easy spin on it is brilliant and totally doable — even during the week. This version uses quinoa in place of rice to boost protein and fiber. You won’t want to pass on this slightly spicy and smokey dish. (via The Suburban Soapbox)
18. One-Skillet Chicken Parmesan With Orzo: This fun rendition of an Italian classic will even get the purists excited. You can’t go wrong with tomato sauce and cheese, and adding orzo to the mix just makes this dish a million times more delectable. (via The Girl on Bloor)
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