Some nights you just need dinner to happen with the least amount of effort possible.
These 25 meals are each built from exactly three ingredients, not counting salt, pepper, oil, and butter, which most people already have at home.
Every recipe is detailed enough that you know exactly what to do from start to finish, and simple enough that you can pull it off on the most tired night of the week.
A Note on the Three-Ingredient Rule
Salt, pepper, oil, and butter are considered pantry basics in every recipe on this list and are not counted toward the three ingredients.
If a recipe calls for garlic powder or one additional spice, it will be noted.
Everything else is exactly three items.
Butter Garlic Shrimp over Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
If the shrimp is frozen, place it in a colander and run cold water over it for 5 to 6 minutes until fully thawed.
Drain well and pat every piece dry with paper towels.
Dry shrimp sear properly in the pan.
Wet shrimp steams and turns rubbery, which is not what you want.
Season the shrimp with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper on both sides.
Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the shrimp in a single even layer.
Do not crowd the pan.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the first side without moving them until the bottoms turn pink.
Flip each piece and cook for another 1 minute on the second side.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter directly to the pan with the shrimp.
Let it melt and tilt the pan slightly, spooning the melted butter over the shrimp a few times.
Shrimp are done the moment they turn fully pink and curl into a loose C shape.
If they curl into a tight O, they are overcooked, so watch them closely.
The whole cooking process from the first shrimp to the plate takes about 4 minutes total.
Spoon the shrimp and all the butter from the pan directly over the cooked rice.
Serve immediately.
Honey Soy Baked Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking dish or oven-safe skillet with foil for easy cleanup.
Mix the honey and soy sauce in a small bowl until fully combined.
The mixture should look smooth and evenly blended with no separate streaks of either ingredient.
Taste it.
It should be sweet, salty, and slightly savory all at once.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels on both sides.
Place them skin-side up in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the honey soy mixture over the chicken and use a spoon or brush to coat every surface of each thigh, including the underside if you can manage it.
Spoon any extra sauce from the bottom of the dish back over the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken one more time at the halfway point.
The chicken is done when the skin is deeply golden and caramelized, the sauce in the pan looks thick and sticky.
And the juices run completely clear when you cut into the thickest part near the bone.
Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Spoon the thick caramelized sauce from the bottom of the pan over each thigh right before it goes to the table.
Pasta with Canned Tomatoes and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or any pasta shape
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz each
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions until just tender.
The water should taste noticeably salty before the pasta goes in.
This is how pasta gets seasoned from the inside, and it makes a significant difference in how the finished dish tastes.
Before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water and set it aside.
Drain the pasta and set it aside.
In a large skillet or the same pot over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil.
Pour in both cans of diced tomatoes with all their liquid.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and most of the excess liquid has cooked off.
As it cooks, use the back of a spoon to press the tomato pieces against the side of the pan to break them down slightly into a rougher, more cohesive sauce.
Add the drained pasta directly to the tomato sauce and toss well until every strand or piece is evenly coated.
If the sauce looks too thick or the pasta looks dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan until it melts into the sauce.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on top.
BBQ Baked Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, about 6 oz each
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, store-bought
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle the olive oil across the center where the fillets will sit.
Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels on both sides.
Place them skin-side down on the oiled foil.
Season each fillet with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Spoon the BBQ sauce generously over the top of each fillet,
Spreading it all the way to the edges with the back of the spoon so the entire surface is covered in an even, thick layer.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.
The salmon is done when it flakes easily when you press it gently at the thickest part and the BBQ sauce on top looks caramelized and slightly darker at the edges.
Start checking at 12 minutes because overcooked salmon turns dry very quickly
And the difference between perfectly cooked and overcooked is often just one or two minutes.
Serve immediately.
Ground Beef and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked
- 2 cans beef broth or chicken broth, 14.5 oz each, plus 1 cup water
Instructions
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it browns.
Keep breaking it down into smaller pieces throughout the cooking process.
Cook until no pink remains and the beef has some brown color on it, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Tilt the pan and spoon off any excess fat that has collected.
Season the beef generously with salt and black pepper.
Add the uncooked rice directly to the pan with the beef and stir everything together for about 1 minute.
This lets the rice toast very slightly in the beef fat, which adds a subtle depth of flavor to the finished dish.
Pour in both cans of broth and the cup of water.
Stir well to combine everything and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid.
Cook for 18 to 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
The steam inside is what cooks the rice, and every time you lift the lid, you let it escape and extend the cook time.
After 18 to 20 minutes, check that the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
If liquid remains, cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and serve hot.
Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 strips of bacon
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Place each chicken breast on a cutting board.
Using a sharp knife, cut a deep pocket into the thickest side of each breast by inserting the knife horizontally
And cutting inward about two thirds of the way through without cutting all the way out the other side.
The pocket should be wide enough to hold a generous amount of filling.
Season the inside of each pocket and the outside of each chicken breast with salt and black pepper.
Spoon the softened cream cheese into each pocket, filling it as full as you can without forcing it.
Press the edges of the chicken together gently to close the pocket over the filling.
Wrap one strip of bacon around each stuffed chicken breast, starting at one end and winding it around the circumference of the breast in a spiral.
The bacon should overlap slightly at each wrap to stay in place.
Secure with a toothpick if needed.
Place the wrapped chicken breasts in a baking dish.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining when you cut into the thickest part.
If the bacon needs more color, turn the oven to broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes and watch it closely.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Soy Sauce Eggs over Rice
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
Fill a small saucepan with enough water to fully submerge the eggs.
Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
Once boiling, gently lower the eggs into the water one at a time using a spoon.
Reduce the heat to a steady medium boil and cook for exactly 7 minutes for a jammy yolk that is set on the outside but still soft and slightly creamy in the center.
If you prefer a fully set yolk, cook for 9 minutes.
While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes.
When the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice bath using a slotted spoon.
Let them sit in the ice water for at least 5 minutes.
This stops the cooking immediately and makes the shells significantly easier to peel.
Peel the eggs carefully under cold running water.
The cold water helps the shell separate from the egg white cleanly.
Once peeled, place the eggs in a small bowl or container and pour the soy sauce over them.
Turn each egg gently to coat all sides. Let them sit in the soy sauce for at least 5 minutes before serving.
The longer they sit the deeper and more savory the flavor becomes.
Slice each egg in half lengthwise and arrange over the warm rice.
Drizzle any remaining soy sauce from the bowl over the top.
Baked Potato Wedges with Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream, for serving
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes clean under cold running water and pat them completely dry.
Wet potatoes steam in the oven instead of roasting and you will not get the crispy edges you are after.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 3 to 4 wedges depending on the size of the potato.
Try to keep all the wedges a similar size so they cook evenly.
Add the wedges to a large bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil over them and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Toss well until every wedge is fully coated in the oil and seasoning.
Spread the wedges across a large baking sheet in a single layer, cut-side down.
Make sure they are not touching each other.
The space between the wedges allows the heat to circulate through them and is what creates the crispy exterior.
If the pan is too crowded, use two pans.
Bake for 25 minutes without touching them.
After 25 minutes, flip each wedge to the other cut side.
Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until both flat sides are golden and crispy, and the insides are completely soft and fluffy when you pierce them with a fork.
Serve hot with sour cream on the side for dipping.
Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta, any short shape or spaghetti
- 1/2 cup store-bought basil pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions until just tender.
Before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside.
Drain the pasta well.
Return the drained pasta to the pot over low heat.
Add the pesto and toss until every piece of pasta is evenly coated.
The pesto will look thick at first.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and toss again.
The starchy water loosens the pesto and helps it spread more evenly throughout the pasta without clumping or sitting in a dense layer at the bottom of the bowl.
Add more pasta water a little at a time until the consistency looks saucy and the pesto coats every strand or piece without pooling.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and fold them in gently.
The heat of the pasta will warm the tomatoes through and soften them very slightly at the edges.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately while the pasta is hot and the pesto is still bright green.
Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Pull the rotisserie chicken apart into small shreds using two forks or your fingers.
Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
You do not need oil or butter for this.
The tortilla toasts directly in the dry pan and gets a much better color and crispiness that way.
Place one tortilla flat in the pan.
Spread a generous layer of shredded cheddar over one half of the tortilla only, leaving the other half bare.
Add a layer of shredded chicken over the cheese.
Fold the bare half of the tortilla over the filled half to form a half-moon.
Press down gently but firmly with a wide spatula.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving it until the bottom is golden and the tortilla feels crispy and firm when you press it with the spatula.
Flip carefully and cook the other side for 2 minutes until equally golden.
The cheese inside should be fully melted and the chicken should be warm throughout.
Remove from the pan and let it rest for 1 minute before cutting.
This short rest lets the melted cheese firm up slightly so the filling stays in place when you slice through it.
Cut into 3 wedges and serve.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Egg and Cheese Baked Toast Cups
Ingredients
- 8 slices of sandwich bread
- 8 eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter or cooking spray, focusing on 8 of the cups.
Use a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup to flatten each slice of bread slightly.
Press each flattened slice into a greased muffin cup, pushing it down firmly into the bottom and pressing the sides up against the walls to form a cup shape.
It is fine if the bread overlaps or folds slightly at the corners.
The goal is to create a bread bowl that will hold the egg.
Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese into the bottom of each bread cup.
Crack one egg into each bread cup on top of the cheese.
Season each egg with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each egg.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
At 12 minutes the yolks will still be runny and the whites will be mostly set.
At 15 minutes the yolks will be fully set.
Check one cup at 12 minutes by gently pressing the yolk with your finger to gauge how firm it feels.
Remove from the oven, let cool for 2 minutes, then use a spoon or butter knife to lift each cup out of the muffin tin.
Serve immediately.
Honey Mustard Baked Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking dish with foil.
Mix the honey and Dijon mustard in a small bowl until fully combined and smooth.
Taste it.
The balance of sweet from the honey and sharp from the mustard is what makes this glaze work.
So adjust either ingredient slightly to your preference before it goes on the meat.
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels on both sides.
Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
Place them flat in the lined baking dish with a little space between each chop.
Spoon the honey mustard glaze over the top of each chop, spreading it all the way to the edges so the entire surface is evenly coated.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops.
Pork chops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
If you do not have a thermometer, cut into the thickest part of one chop and check that the meat is no longer pink inside and the juices run clear.
At the 20-minute mark, the glaze should look caramelized, golden, and slightly darker at the edges.
Let the chops rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute through the meat.
Canned Tuna Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta, any short shape
- 2 cans of tuna in olive oil, 5 oz each
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions until just tender.
Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside.
Drain the pasta.
Open the tuna cans, but do not drain them.
The olive oil the tuna is packed in is flavored by the fish and adds a significant amount of richness and depth to the finished sauce.
Pour both cans of tuna with all their oil into a large skillet over medium heat.
Use a fork to break the tuna into smaller flakes as it warms in the oil for about 2 minutes.
Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the tuna.
Toss well so the pasta is coated in the tuna and oil.
Add the Parmesan and toss again.
The cheese will melt into the oil and pasta water and create a light, creamy coating on everything.
Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, tossing after each addition, until the sauce reaches a consistency that coats the pasta without looking dry or clumpy.
Start with about 1/4 cup and add more as needed.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve immediately.
Garlic Butter Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, husks removed
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add a pinch of salt. Add the corn ears to the boiling water.
Corn does not need to be boiled for long in boiling water.
Cook for exactly 4 to 5 minutes.
Any longer and the kernels start to lose their natural sweetness and become starchy and tough.
Remove the corn with tongs and let it sit for 1 minute.
While the corn cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring the whole time.
Garlic burns quickly in butter, so keep it moving and do not walk away.
The garlic is ready when it smells fragrant and has turned very lightly golden.
Remove from the heat immediately.
Brush the garlic butter generously over each ear of corn while it is still hot, making sure to rotate the corn as you brush so every side gets covered.
Any leftover garlic butter can be poured directly over the corn on the plate.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Serve immediately.
Three-Ingredient Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cartons of chicken broth, 32 oz each
- 2 cups long grain white rice, uncooked
Instructions
Place the chicken thighs in a large pot.
Pour both cartons of chicken broth over them.
If the broth does not fully cover the chicken, add enough water to submerge them completely.
Season the broth generously with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a steady medium simmer.
Cook the chicken for 20 minutes until fully cooked through.
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot using tongs and place them on a cutting board.
Use two forks to shred the meat into small pieces by pulling the forks in opposite directions along the grain of the meat.
Return all the shredded chicken to the broth.
Add the uncooked rice to the pot and stir well to distribute it evenly.
Bring back to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium heat.
Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is completely tender.
As the rice cooks, it will absorb a significant amount of broth, and the soup will thicken considerably.
This is exactly what you want.
Taste and adjust the salt.
The soup should taste well-seasoned and rich from the chicken broth.
Serve hot in deep bowls.
Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz each
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour both cans of diced tomatoes with all their liquid into a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and the raw canned flavor cooks off.
The sauce should look reduced and deeper in color by the end.
Use the back of a large spoon to make 6 shallow wells in the surface of the tomato sauce, spacing them evenly apart.
Crack one egg carefully into each well.
The eggs sit directly in the sauce and cook in the oven.
Season each egg with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Scatter the shredded mozzarella over the top of the sauce and eggs.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
At 10 minutes, the whites will be set, and the yolks will still be soft and runny.
At 12 minutes, the yolks will be firmer.
Check at 10 minutes by gently pressing the white of one egg near the yolk to see if it has set.
Serve directly from the skillet with bread on the side for scooping.
Sausage and Potato Bake
Ingredients
- 6 Italian sausage links, sweet or hot
- 4 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Add the potato cubes to the baking sheet.
Drizzle the olive oil over them and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Toss well directly on the pan until every cube is evenly coated.
Spread them into a single layer across the pan.
Nestle the sausage links among the potatoes, spacing them evenly so everything has room to brown rather than steam.
Roast for 20 minutes without touching anything.
At the 20-minute mark, flip the sausages and toss the potatoes.
Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes until the sausages are browned all over and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork.
And the potatoes are golden at the edges and completely tender when pressed with a fork.
If you want the sausages to have a deeper brown color, switch the oven to broil for the last 3 minutes and watch closely.
Serve straight from the pan.
Avocado Toast with Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick bread, toasted
- 2 ripe avocados
- 4 eggs
Instructions
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a bowl.
Mash with a fork to your preferred texture.
Some people prefer it completely smooth, and others like it chunky with visible pieces.
Neither is wrong.
Season the mashed avocado generously with salt and black pepper, and mix it in well.
Taste it before it goes on the bread and adjust the seasoning until it tastes bright and well-seasoned.
An avocado that is under-seasoned on toast is flat and disappointing.
A properly seasoned avocado tastes completely different.
Toast the bread until golden and firm enough to hold the avocado without going soft and soggy underneath.
Spread the avocado generously over each slice, going all the way to the edges.
Cook the eggs your preferred way.
For fried eggs, melt a small amount of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Crack the eggs in and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are fully set.
For scrambled, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and cook in butter over medium-low heat, folding gently until just set.
Place one egg on top of each avocado toast slice.
Add a final crack of black pepper over the top and serve immediately.
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, store-bought
- 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
Place the chicken thighs in a bowl or zip-lock bag.
Pour 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce over them.
Toss to coat every surface of each thigh in the sauce.
Let them marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.
If you have more time, cover and refrigerate for up to several hours.
The longer they sit in the sauce the more flavor they develop.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it flat in the hot pan.
Do not add the marinade from the bowl to the pan yet.
Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes without moving it until the bottom side is golden and caramelized.
Flip and cook the other side for 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining.
Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of fresh teriyaki sauce over the chicken in the pan.
Let it bubble and thicken around the chicken for about 1 to 2 minutes, turning each piece once so both sides get coated in the glossy, thickened sauce.
Slice the chicken into strips or serve whole over the cooked rice. Spoon any sauce remaining in the pan over the top of each bowl.
Cheese Quesadillas with Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 1 cup sour cream, for serving
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. No oil or butter needed.
The dry pan gives the tortilla a better golden color and crispier texture than a greased one.
Lay one tortilla flat in the pan.
Spread a generous and even layer of shredded cheese over the entire surface of the tortilla.
Do not fold it yet.
Let the cheese melt and the bottom of the tortilla toast for about 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is almost completely melted
And the bottom looks golden when you lift the edge with a spatula.
Fold the tortilla in half over itself to form a half-moon.
Press down firmly with the spatula and hold for a few seconds.
Cook for another 1 minute until the outside feels crispy and firm.
Flip and cook the other side for 1 more minute.
The cheese inside should be fully melted, and the outside should have an even golden color on both sides.
Remove from the pan and let it rest for 1 minute before cutting into 3 wedges.
Serve with sour cream on the side for dipping.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Buttered Egg Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 oz egg noodles or any wide pasta
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook the egg noodles in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the package directions until just tender.
Before draining, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside.
Drain the noodles well but do not rinse them.
Rinsing removes the surface starch that helps the butter and cheese adhere to the noodles.
Return the drained noodles to the pot over low heat.
Add the butter and toss continuously until it melts completely and coats every noodle in a glossy, even layer.
Add the Parmesan and toss again.
The cheese will begin to melt into the butter and noodles.
Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss once more.
The starchy water emulsifies with the butter and cheese and creates a light, creamy coating that clings to every noodle.
Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if it looks dry or clumpy.
Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Taste and adjust.
This dish lives or dies on its seasoning since there are only a few ingredients, so be generous.
Serve immediately while the noodles are hot and the butter is still glossy.
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce, store-bought
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if you have one.
The rack lifts the drumsticks off the pan so the heat can circulate all around them and they crisp up on all sides instead of sitting in their own juices.
Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels on all sides.
Drizzle the olive oil over them and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Toss until every drumstick is lightly coated in oil and seasoning.
Arrange them on the rack or directly on the foil-lined pan, spacing them apart so they are not touching.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and use a brush or spoon to coat each drumstick generously with BBQ sauce on all sides.
Return to the oven and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is caramelized and sticky
The skin looks deeply colored and slightly charred at the thinnest edges.
The chicken is done when the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part near the bone with a fork.
Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Scrambled Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white rice, leftover and cold
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
Cold leftover rice is not optional here. It is what makes this recipe work properly.
Fresh hot rice has too much moisture and will steam and clump together in the pan instead of frying.
If all you have is freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray and let it cool and dry for at least 30 minutes before using.
Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.
Add a drizzle of oil and let it get very hot, almost to the point of smoking slightly.
Add the cold rice to the pan and press it down flat with a spatula.
Let it sit without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes so the bottom of the rice gets slightly crispy and golden.
Then stir and toss it around the pan over the high heat for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Push the rice to the outer edges of the pan to create a clear space in the center.
Pour the beaten eggs into that space.
Let them sit for about 20 seconds until the edges just start to set, then scramble them gently with the spatula.
Once the eggs are mostly set but still look slightly soft,
Immediately, fold them into the rice and toss everything together quickly so the eggs are evenly distributed throughout.
Pour the soy sauce over the rice and eggs and toss well until every grain is coated.
Taste and add more soy sauce if needed. The rice should taste savory and well-seasoned throughout.
Serve hot straight from the pan.
Cream of Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz each
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 slices of bread and 4 slices of cheddar cheese for the grilled cheese
Instructions
Pour both cans of diced tomatoes with all their liquid into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften completely and the sauce smells cooked through rather than raw.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the tomatoes until completely smooth.
If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the hot tomatoes to a regular blender, leave the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape, and blend until smooth.
Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat.
Pour in the heavy cream and stir until fully incorporated.
The soup should turn a soft orange-pink color and look smooth and velvety.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and slightly thickened.
Taste and adjust the salt.
For the grilled cheese, heat a skillet over medium-low heat with a small amount of butter.
Assemble each sandwich with two slices of bread and two slices of cheddar.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the bread is golden and the cheese inside is fully melted.
Serve alongside the hot soup.
One-Pan Lemon Butter Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets, or any thin white fish
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 lemon
Instructions
Pat the tilapia fillets completely dry on both sides with paper towels.
Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
Thin white fish cooks very quickly and dries out fast if overcooked, so having everything ready before it goes in the pan is important.
Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the butter is melted and the foam has subsided, place the fillets in the pan in a single layer.
Do not crowd them.
If the pan is not large enough, cook in two batches rather than overlapping the fish.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving the fillets until the bottom is golden and the edges of the fish have turned opaque about halfway up the sides.
Flip each fillet carefully using a wide spatula.
The fish is delicate and will break apart if you try to force it before it is ready to release.
If it sticks, give it another 30 seconds.
Cook the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily when pressed gently at the thickest part.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan.
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of both halves directly into the pan over the fish.
The butter and lemon will bubble together into a quick pan sauce.
Tilt the pan and spoon this sauce over each fillet a few times.
Serve immediately with the remaining pan sauce drizzled over the top.
A Few Smart Ingredient Swaps
Chicken thighs and chicken breasts are interchangeable in every recipe on this list that calls for chicken.
Thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving, but breasts work just as well.
Any firm white fish, including cod, mahi mahi, or catfish, works in place of tilapia in recipe 25.
Canned salmon packed in olive oil can replace canned tuna in recipe 13 for a slightly different but equally good result.
Any store-bought pasta sauce can replace canned diced tomatoes in the pasta and baked egg recipes if that is what you have available.
Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken can replace raw chicken in the soup and quesadilla recipes to cut the time down to almost nothing.
Storage Tips
Most of the meals on this list keep well in airtight containers in the fridge for three to four days.
The chicken soup, beef and rice skillet, and tomato soup all improve overnight as the flavors continue to develop.
Reheat everything with a small splash of water or broth added before warming to restore moisture that evaporated during the initial cooking.
The quesadillas and toast cups are best eaten fresh.
If you need to reheat them, use a dry skillet over medium heat rather than the microwave to bring back the crispiness.
Fried rice reheats well in a hot skillet with a drizzle of oil rather than in the microwave for the best texture.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Three Ingredients
Season aggressively and in layers.
With only three main ingredients in each recipe, there is no complexity to hide behind,
So proper seasoning at every stage of cooking is what separates a flat dish from a genuinely good one.
Always pat proteins dry before cooking them.
Whether it is chicken, fish, shrimp, or pork, removing surface moisture is what allows browning and crisping to happen.
Wet proteins steam instead of sear, and steaming gives you pale, soft results instead of golden, flavorful ones.
Use the fat that comes out of the food.
The chicken drippings in the sausage bake and the oil from the tuna cans are packed with flavor, and using them instead of discarding them is one of the easiest ways to make simple food taste like more than the sum of its parts.
Taste everything before it goes to the table and adjust the salt.
Three-ingredient meals are straightforward, but under-seasoned food is under-seasoned regardless of how many ingredients are in it.