Simple One Dish Dinners Even Dads Can’t Destroy

Okay let’s be honest, sometimes dinner is my least favorite meal of the day. The thought of spending an hour in the kitchen making dinner and then doing a pile of dishes after a long day on my feet is so unappealing. So what’s a girl to do when I’m tired and I still have a crew to feed? Enter these amazing One Dish Dinners to save the day! These are literally so easy to put together that even the most clueless Dads (or Moms) can’t destroy them.

All you need in one pot. ONE. So it had better be a good one, right? I’d suggest springing for this beautiful stock pot. Why? Because it’s going to get a lot of use you want to make sure it’s going to stand up against all those dinners and washes without chipping and burning. Trust me on this, it’s worth it.

One Dish Dinners

Recipe 01: Chicken Lo Mein

Need a craving fix in a hurry? This is the solution. One pot and you’re done!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small chunks
• 1 lb. box linguini or fettuccini broken in half
• 4 medium carrots peels and cut into 3″ long strips
• 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 3″ long strips
• 1 bunch green onions sliced and cut into 3″ long strips
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Process:

Start by layering your pot with the chicken in the bottom, followed by the noodles. Next, top with the remaining ingredients and bring the contents to a rolling boil. When you’ve got a good boil going, reduce the heat to medium-low, and give the whole thing a good stir. Then cover and cook for about 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. You want to cook until the broth is gone and the chicken is cooked through. Last, remove the lid and allow the whole thing to rest for 5 minutes before serving. See how easy these one dish dinners are?

Recipe 02: Spaghetti

This is a classic that is perfect for a busy night when you’re exhausted and need to feed big and little mouths alike.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 diced sweet onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 3/4 c. water
• 15 oz. canned tomato sauce
• 15 oz. canned drained diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Process:

Start by putting your ground beef into your Dutch oven and cranking the heat to medium-high. Next, cook the beef, adding in the onion and garlic, until the beef is nice and brown and cooked through. Go ahead and drain the excess fat. Next, add your water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and sugar to your pot and bring the whole thing to a boil. Then break your spaghetti noodles in half and toss into the pot.

After adding your spaghetti noodles, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Continue to cook the whole thing, stirring often, until the noodles are al dente, which should be about 12-15 minutes. Finally, remove from heat and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley before serving.

Recipe 03: Chicken Alfredo

Normally making a cream sauce can be scary, but this is anything but. Go ahead, I dare you to try and find a way to ruin this one.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 8 oz. fetuccini
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. grated Parmesan

Process:

Start by heating up your Dutch oven on medium-high heat before adding your oil. Then add your chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Cook both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Depending on the thickness of the breast, it should be about 8 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

While the chicken is resting, you’re going to add the milk, broth, and garlic to the same pot. Don’t worry about rinsing it out, you want that awesome left over flavor! Next, add in a little salt and pepper to season and bring the milk mixture to a simmer. Then add in your fettuccine and stir for about 3 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until the pasta is al dente, which should be another 8 minutes. Next, add in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Finally, allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens before removing from the heat and stirring in the sliced chicken. Garnish with some parsley and more Parmesan cheese and serve!

Recipe 04: Creamy Taco Macaroni

Need a new take on mac and cheese? This is it. Not only does it have a great flavor, there’s a lot of added protein so you’re not just feeding your family carbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large diced onion
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 diced green bell pepper
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 cups elbow macaroni or similar
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (think Rotel)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (trust me on this)
• 3 c. water
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1 c. full fat coconut milk
• Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, sliced jalapenos, etc.

Process:

Begin by heating your Dutch oven over medium heat and adding in your oil. Next, add in the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook until soft and fragrant, which should be about 5 minutes. Then add in your ground beef and cook until browned and cooked through. Next, stir in the tomatoes, black beans, taco seasoning, water, and macaroni. Finally, bring the whole thing to a boil before reducing the heat, covering, and simmering for about 12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. You want to stir this occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. The sauce should thicken as it cooks, and when the noodles are done, go ahead and remove from heat before adding in the coconut milk. Stir well, then serve and add your toppings!

Recipe 05: One Pot Lasagna Soup

Who says lasagna has to take all day? This combines all the great things about lasagna without all the back breaking work. This is one of my favorite one dish dinners.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground spicy Italian sausage
• 1/2 c. diced yellow onion
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 6 oz. lasagna noodles, broken into 1-2″ pieces
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 c. ricotta cheese

Process:

Start by cooking your Italian sausage and onion in your Dutch oven over medium heat. This should take about 8-10 minutes for the sausage to get brown and the onion to be tender. When it’s done, you can drain the excess fat. Next, stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, pepper, seasoning, and lasagna noodles before turning up the heat until you reach a good rolling boil. Once the ingredients have reached a boil, reduce heat and cover. Last, allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with Parmesan cheese and a scoop of ricotta cheese.

Hopefully these simple one dish dinners will help you survive the dinner rush and maybe show your husband (or your teenager) that cooking can be fun, easy, and almost foolproof. Happy Cooking!