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Home • Food & Drinks

5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen

Cooking after a long day doesn't have to be stressful. These recipes are delicious and will have you relaxing in no time. 
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Getty Images
By Danielle Pointdujour · Updated December 6, 2020

After a long day at the office, no one wants to spend precious time at home slaving over a hot stove. If you’re going to cook after work, your dinner needs to be three things – easy, delicious, and quick!

From yummy salads to saucy pasta, these recipes are not only fast, but can be prepped ahead of time, so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time taking care of you.

Article continues after video.
01
Salmon BLT Salad
INGREDIENTS: FOR THE SALAD 2 6-oz. salmon fillets 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper 10 c. chopped romaine 2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved 2 c. croutons 1 avocado, halved, peeled, and diced 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped FOR THE DRESSING 1/3 c. mayonnaise 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt Juice of 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. white wine vinegar 1 tsp. honey DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400°. Place salmon on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Bake until browned and crispy on the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Toss lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, avocado, and bacon together. Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Chop up salmon and toss into salad along with the dressing. Serve immediately. via Delish
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Photo Credit: Sally McKenney
02
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma
INGREDIENTS: For the chicken: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast tenders For pita wraps: (optional) 6 pita, lavash, or flatbreads 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce 1 1/2 cups diced tomato 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber Tzatziki, green tahini sauce, or yogurt-dill sauce, for drizzling DIRECTIONS: Stir the oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, and turmeric together in a large bowl to form a paste. Add the chicken and toss to coat; let marinate at room temperature while the oven heats, at least 20 minutes, or cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or oiled aluminum foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet in single layer. Roast until browned and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. (If using pita or flatbreads, stack them, wrap in aluminum foil, and place in the turned-off oven to warm through.) Thinly slice the chicken crosswise. To serve, divide the chicken among the pita, lavash, or flatbreads. Top with the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber, and drizzle with sauce. For pitas, fold up the sides like a taco. For lavash or flatbreads, position with the long side facing you. Fold the bottom up and over the filling, then fold one side in towards the center over the filling. Continue rolling up tightly like a burrito. via Kitchn
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Photo Credit: Leela Cyd
03
Pantry Pasta
INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed ½ medium red onion, finely chopped ¼ cup torn pitted olives, preferably Castelvetrano 1 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes 12 ounces spaghetti Kosher salt ¼ cup peperoncini, thinly sliced 2 ounces Pecorino or Parmesan, finely grated, divided 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup torn basil DIRECTIONS: Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, browned, and crisp in places, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and olives to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, mashing tomatoes lightly and stirring often, until juices are slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta and ¾ cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and cook, tossing, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats noodles. Mix in peperoncini, cooked sausage, and another ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Then, tossing constantly, gradually add all but ½ cup cheese, followed by butter. Once incorporated, remove from heat and mix in basil. Divide pasta among bowls. Drizzle with oil; top with remaining cheese. via Bon Appétit
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Photo Credit: Alex Lau
04
Spinach Lasagna
INGREDIENTS: 1 box lasagna noodles 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid 3 c. ricotta 1 large egg 1/2 c. Parmesan 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 3 c. mozzarella 2 c. marinara Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350º. Bring a large pot of salted boiling water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Drain. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Stir in thawed and drained frozen spinach until completely combined. In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, and Parmesan and season with cinnamon, salt, and pepper. In a large baking dish, layer 5 lasagna noodles so they’re slightly overlapping. Spoon over a thin layer of marinara and top with a layer of spinach mixture and ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella. Repeat, ending with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes, then garnish with parsley, slice, and serve. via Delish
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Photo Credit: Ethan Calabrese
05
Smoky Spanish Chicken
INGREDIENTS: 3 teaspoons smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon water 4 bone-in chicken thighs 1-1/2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, quartered 1 cup chopped green onions, divided 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained DIRECTIONS: Mix first 4 ingredients; rub over chicken. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, skin side down. Cook until browned, 4-5 minutes per side; remove from pan. Remove all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan. In drippings, saute mushrooms and 1/2 cup green onions over medium heat until tender, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Add chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°, 10-12 minutes. Top with remaining green onions. via Taste of Home
5 Quick Weeknight Meals To Help You Spend Less Time in the Kitchen
Photo Credit: Taste of Home
TOPICS:  Food Recipe Ideas weeknight meals