Our Easiest Recipes of All Time

January 02, 2019
Time Inc. Video Studio 
Did you resolve to cook more this year? In addition to helping you feel like a functional adult, eating at home saves money and cuts out the added, unnecessary ingredients that often sneak into restaurant dishes. Cooking and eating in more often may seem like a challenge, but that's where these recipes come in; we know that life gets in the way, so you need meals that don't. We're talking short hands-on prep times (every recipe here requires 30 minutes or less) and foolproof cooking methods, like Instant Pot and single-skillet dishes. 
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Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Roasted Fennel and Tomatoes Recipe

One pan, a handful of ingredients, and 30 minutes are all you need to put this impressive pork chop skillet dinner on the table. This flavor-packed, single-skillet supper is an easy dinner for two that feels like something special. It’s also an ideal recipe for one, as the leftover chop and veggies reheat well for a next-day lunch worth looking forward to. 

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Easy Chicken Parmesan

Photo: Greg DuPree Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Prop Styling: Thom Driver
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

This chicken parmesan is an Italian classic that's easy to make and easy on your budget.

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Instant Pot Peruvian Chicken

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Instant Pot Peruvian Chicken Recipe

 

It’s recipes like this one—which requires only 20 minutes of hands-on cooking to create an incredible (seriously, our test kitchen staff was blown away by the flavor this easy chicken dinner delivered) whole-bird main course—that remind us exactly why we love the Instant Pot.

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California Roll Salad with Sriracha-Lime Dressing

Time Inc. Video Studio
California Roll Salad with Sriracha-Lime Dressing Recipe

This light, fresh salad is a fun and easy way to enjoy a delicious sushi experience without having to actually roll sushi. 

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Perfect Crab Cakes

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Perfect Crab Cakes Recipe

These unbeatable crab cakes are Nicole's go-to recipe. The sweet and flaky crab meat isn't overpowered with fillers, and the cake's texture is crunchy on the outside with a rich, tender center. 

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Shrimp Scampi

Time Inc. Video Studios
Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Elegant dinners don't have to take a long time and a ton of effort—this one only takes 10 minutes. 

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Instant Pot Two-Minute Taco Soup

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Instant Pot Two-Minute Taco Soup Recipe

Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this tasty taco soup that the whole family will love. 

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Super Fast Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie

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Super Fast Upside-Down Shepherd's Pie Recipe

All of the comforting flavors of a classic shepherd’s pie, ready for you to enjoy in a fraction of the time. 

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Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato

Time Inc. Video Studio
Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

This healthy dinner for one is loaded with big flavor and couldn’t be easier to throw together. Bonus: It’s made entirely in the microwave.

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Fiesta Bowls with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford; Food Styling: Victoria Cox
Fiesta Bowls with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

Bookmark this one for your weekend meal prepping session, folks. Loaded with a variety of vibrant veggies and finished with a zippy chipotle-lime vinaigrette, these vegetarian-friendly rice bowls are the perfect make-ahead meal for packed lunches. We opted to go with brown rice for the base of our bowls, but feel free to use white rice or whatever grain you have on hand.

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Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Casserole Recipe

This healthy whole-grain spin on a comfort food classic is indulgent, creamy, and a guaranteed family-pleaser. Cost for 4: $10.31

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Instant Pot Pork Shoulder

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Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Recipe
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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Anna Hampton
Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe

This elegant single-skillet meal for two is deceptively easy to make. Ready in under an hour, this skillet chicken dinner includes your protein (perfectly golden-crisp chicken thighs), green veggies (peas and asparagus), a starch (baby Yukon gold potatoes), and a whole lot of vibrant flavor (hello, shallot vinaigrette). A great recipe for anyone cooking for one or two, this easy weeknight chicken dinner is one you’re sure to come back to again and again. 

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Single Serving Shrimp Fried Rice

Time Inc. Video Studio
Single Serving Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

Cooking for one doesn’t have to be boring or a hassle. This easy and delicious dinner comes together in one pan and in less time than it takes to go through a drive-thru.  

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Orange-Almond Chicken-and-Cabbage Bowls

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
Orange-Almond Chicken-and-Cabbage Bowls Recipe

Make these low-calorie, no-cook bowls ahead for an easy lunch or dinner when time is tight. Change up the fruit, nut, or protein for whatever you have on hand.

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Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

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Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Recipe

This foolproof Instant Pot method yields perfectly cooked spaghetti squash in a fraction of the time needed to cook it in the oven. Cutting the squash crosswise actually makes for longer strands of squash, which is ideal when subbing the veggie in place of traditional spaghetti noodles. Top your speedy spaghetti squash with anything from pesto to shrimp scampi for an easy, nutritious dinner. 

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Easy Ravioli Bake

Karry Hosford
Easy Ravioli Bake Recipe
This recipe pairs the convenience of store-bought pasta with a quick, easy homemade sauce. Chop tomatoes right in the can, snipping them with kitchen scissors. We enjoyed chicken ravioli in this dish, though any variety will work.

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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese

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Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

This hearty, veggie-forward take on classic pasta Bolognese is a dish that everyone at the table will enjoy, regardless of their relationship status with meat. 

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Adam Hickman and Briana Riddock
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce Recipe

Are you ready for the best chicken enchiladas of your life? While you could use a rotisserie chicken for this cheesy enchilada recipe, poaching chicken breasts in a delicately flavored liquid both creates succulently tender meat (that won’t dry out as the casserole bakes) and adds another layer of flavor to the dish. The key to successful poaching is temperature control; you want to keep your poaching liquid from ever reaching a boil. In fact, you should aim to keep the water at a state of releasing wispy spouts of steam from the surface, but never bubbling, throughout the entirety of the cooking process. (It’s not nearly as intense/difficult as it seems.) You should also try to purchase chicken breasts that are roughly the same size so that they cook at the same rate. While the total prep time on this recipe isn’t exactly what you might consider “speedy,” it’s a fun dish to prepare and assemble with another helper in the kitchen. Prep a pan (or two, so you have one for the freezer!) on Sunday to enjoy heading into a new week. Featuring smoky ancho chili powder and some of the poaching liquid, the homemade enchilada sauce is another distinguishing delight of this dish; however, if you’re looking to shave time off of the recipe, you can substitute store-bought sauce. And if you opt to use rotisserie or leftover chicken as a shortcut, but still want to make your sauce from scratch, simply substitute water and/or chicken stock for the liquid called for. 

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Ham Biscuit Casserole

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Ham Biscuit Casserole Recipe

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Instant Pot Gumbo

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Instant Pot Gumbo Recipe

Gumbo is traditionally a time- and labor-intensive dish, but our Instant Pot recipe delivers full-on flavor in just one hour. 

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Shrimp Alfredo Pot Pie

Time Inc. Video Studios
Shrimp Alfredo Pot Pie Recipe

Creamy, luscious, and very rich, this pot pie is super delicious and highly comforting. Store-bought Alfredo sauce makes prep a breeze. 

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Simple Enchilada Casserole

Time Inc. Video Studio 
Simple Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Spicy, creamy, and wholly comforting! 

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