After a busy day at work or chauffeuring the kids to and from school and their extra curriculars, the last thing you want is a complicated dinner with endless dishes to clean up. But cooking a delicious meal doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the kitchen or using every pot and pan you own. When life gets busy, having a few one-pot dinner recipes on hand can make all the difference. So here are five easy, flavorful recipes that you can whip up in one pot for a satisfying meal with minimal clean-up!

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Inspired by a viral tiktok trend, Marry Me Chicken Pasta is a creamy, flavorful dish that will have everyone coming back for seconds. You can find the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp cooking oil of your choice
• ½ lb chicken
• ½ lb pasta (we recommend Co-op Gold pasta!)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 shallot (diced)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp chicken bullion
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp red pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half or heavy cream
• ½ cup parmesan
• Handful of spinach and basil
  
  

Directions

1. Heat up the cooking oil and 1 tbsp butter on medium heat, then add the chicken and cook until it’s well done. Remove the chicken from the pot/pan and cut it into small pieces.
2. Lower the heat and add 1 tbsp of butter, the diced shallot, garlic, and seasonings to the pot. Cook until shallot turns clear.
3. Pour in the chicken broth, while stirring in the mixture in the pot. Let the broth begin to simmer. Add in the pasta. Then cover and let it simmer until the pasta is al dente, stirring the pot every few minutes to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom.
4. After the pasta is cooked, add in the cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan. Stirring until it’s melted.
5. Add the spinach, basil, and cooked chicken into the pot, stirring until the spinach and basil wilt.
6. Serve and Enjoy! For cheese lovers, top your pasta with more fresh parm!

Turkey Chilli

This hearty turkey chili is packed with flavor and protein, making it a satisfying meal for the whole family. See the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ lb ground turkey
• 2/3 cup carrots (diced)
• 2/3 cup celery (diced)
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 1tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tbsp ground coriandeer
• 1tsp salt
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• ½ cup dry red kidney beans
• ½ cup dry white navy beans
• ½ cup chickpeas
• 2 cans whole tomatoes
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Directions

1. Set an electric pressure cooker to brown/sauté and the temperature to high. Press start.
2. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pressure cooker. Once hot, add ground turkey, and stir until lightly brown. Remove from the cooker, and set aside. Add remaining one tablespoon oil. Sweat carrots, celery, onion and garlic without browning for three to four minutes. Add spices and salt and continue to cook for about two minutes. Stir in molasses, vinegar, kidney beans, navy beans, chickpeas and tomatoes. Add ground turkey back into the cooker.
3. Press Start/Stop once, and secure the lid. Ensure the steam-release valve is in the seal/closed position. Set pressure cooker to bean/chili and the temperature to high. Adjust the time to 1 hour and 20 minutes (or only 20 minutes for canned beans).
4. Once complete, quick-release the pressure, and carefully remove the lid.
5. Garnish chili with the sour cream and cilantro.

Shrimp Curry and Rice

Shrimp Curry and Rice is a vibrant and savory dish that mixes shrimp with aromatic spices and fluffy rice, all cooked together in a single pan for a quick and convenient meal.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1.5 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 lb medium peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium. Add onion, season with 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add curry powder and cook, stirring for about 1 minute.
2. Add rice and stir to coat in onion mixture. Stir in 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
3. Fold shrimp and peas into rice and cook, covered, until shrimp are opaque throughout and rice is tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.
4. Remove from heat and fold in cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

See the original recipe here. 

Cheese Burger Pasta

This comforting Cheeseburger Pasta combines all the flavors of a classic cheeseburger into a quick, easy pasta dish. Check out the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 500g minced beef
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml warm beef stock
• 300g pasta 
• 100ml milk
• 125g mature cheddar (coarsely grated) plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp ketchup, plus extra to serve
• 50-70g pickles, chopped
• Sliced dill pickles and/or jalapeños, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Fry onion for about 3 minutes, then add the beef and cook for a further 5 mins until lightly browned.
2. Add the tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and cook for about 2 minutes until the tomatoes are pulpy and starting to soften. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil.
3. Stir in the pasta, then cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is tender and the liquid has mostly been absorbed, adding a splash of water if needed.
4. Pour in the milk and stir in 100g of the cheese, stirring until melted. Check the seasoning and transfer to a serving dish or bowls. Drizzle with mustard and ketchup, then scatter with the remaining cheese, pickles and jalapeños and a good grinding of black pepper. Serve with more ketchup on the side.

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Soup is a classic that's both hearty and nourishing, making for the perfect meal to have a cozy end to a busy day. 

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (diced)
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 carrots (sliced)
• 2 celery stalks (sliced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup small pasta
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish (chopped)

Instructions

1. Sauté the Chicken: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, dried thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the pasta and browned chicken to the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and the chicken is fully cooked through.
5. Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

And there you have it! 5 easy recipes perfect for busy evenings when you still want to cook, but don't want to deal with a mountain of dishes. We hope you enjoy!