There's nothing worse than getting stuck in a weeknight chicken dinner rut, with bland frozen veggies or microwaved rice as your go-to sides. It's time to switch things up, but keep it simple. These 20 recipes are here to do just that.
From potatoes and rice to roasted vegetables and salads, there’s something for everyone. Be sure to read helpful tips and tricks from our readers, editors and contributors before you dive into your recipe of choice.
Simple Recipes / Mark Beahm
“If you’re grating the Parmesan in a block yourself, you can either pulse two ounces of Parmesan in a food processor with the blade on until very fine pebbles form (almost powdery) or use the zester side of a box grater, the side with the tiny points.” — Kayla Hoang, Simply Recipes contributor
“Choose a coarse yellow cornmeal, which will give you the right polenta texture. Fine-grained cornmeal tends to turn mush when cooked. Many brands sell cornmeal specifically for polenta and will list it on the package.” — Elise Bauer, founder of Simply Recipes
Simple recipes / Frank Tiu
“I usually make this recipe with maitake mushrooms (called “ash flowers” in Mandarin) because you can simply separate them into small clusters. If you want to try this recipe with other mushrooms, slice them thickly (about 1/4 inch) and then continue with the rest of the recipe.” — Georgia Freedman, Simply Recipes contributor
Simple Recipes / Karishma Pradhan
“For extra coconut flavor, add toasted coconut. Garnish the dish with 1/3 cup toasted shredded coconut flakes.” — Karishma Pradhan, Simply Recipes contributor
“If you have a microwave, microwave the squash for one minute (each squash) before cutting. This will soften the skin and flesh enough to make cutting easier.” — Elise
Simple recipes / Frank Tiu
“It’s best to use Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder. Lee Kum Kee is a common brand available at most Asian grocery stores. I substituted Knorr brand chicken bouillon powder, which works great. You can use a big pinch of MSG instead, though I think it’s the chicken powder that does the magic in this recipe.” —Megan Scott, Simply Recipes contributor
“Loved it! Used chickpeas instead of beans and skipped the spinach. Added a little harissa paste to the onion. Served with shaved parmesan!” — Nadia, Simply Recipes reader
Simple Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
“This garlic fried rice is made with cooked long-grain white rice that has been refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. I don’t recommend using freshly cooked rice for this recipe, as it has too much moisture to turn into fried rice.” —Elizabeth Ann Quirino, Simply Recipes contributor
Simple recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
“If you have a food processor with a slicing attachment, use it! It will save you a lot of prep time. Another option: Some grocery stores sell shredded Brussels sprouts. You can find them anywhere you would find bagged salad kits. You will need about 2 pounds of pre-shredded Brussels sprouts.” — Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes contributor
Simple recipes / Alexandra Shytsman
“When pan-frying potatoes, don’t move or turn them more than necessary; turn them only when they are golden brown on the bottom. The potatoes need to be in contact with the hot pan for a long time to brown properly.” — Alexandra Shytsman, Simply Recipes contributor
“Wonderful. I admit I added lemon juice, salt and pepper to the mixture and sprinkled grated Parmesan cheese over the wedges during the last few minutes of cooking.” — John, Simply Recipes reader
“We serve this dish with chopped chives, but you can also crisp up a few fresh sage leaves in simmering butter, then crumble them into the risotto.” — Elise
Simple recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
“Time-saving tip: You can microwave your potatoes instead of boiling them. They just need to be cooked enough to mash.” — Julia Levy, Simply Recipes contributor
Simple Recipes / Alison Bickel
“When buying mushrooms, look for smooth, fresh, unblemished caps that are plump and not dry or slimy. I recommend buying whole mushrooms rather than pre-sliced.” — Katie Morford, Simply Recipes contributor
“The sweet potatoes and filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated separately, or they can be stuffed and then refrigerated for a later meal.” — Nick Evans, Simply Recipes contributor
“Use a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes instead of regular canned tomatoes or tomato paste.” — Elise
“The bacon and dressing can be made several days in advance. Reheat the bacon briefly in the microwave before serving, if desired.” —Sheryl Julian, Simply Recipes contributor
“This recipe calls for shiso, a mint-like herb that is often served with sushi at Japanese restaurants here in the US. I don’t have shiso on hand, but I grow Thai basil which is a great substitute. You can also use some sliced fresh mint.” — Elise
Simple Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
“Always start cooking potatoes in cold water to ensure they cook evenly. If you start with hot or boiling water, the outside of the potatoes will cook and soften while the center is still hard and crisp.” — Elise
“I typically use acorn or delicata squash for this recipe because they don’t need to be peeled and are easy to prepare, but feel free to use any other hearty winter squash like butternut, pumpkin, or kuri.” — Garrett McCord, Simply Recipes contributor
