21 One Pot Dinners That’ll Save You on Crazy Busy Nights
When life gets busy, the last thing you want is a pile of dirty dishes to clean after you’re done eating. Luckily, these one pot dinners have you covered. They’re simple to make, packed with flavor, and only require one pot or pan, leaving you with less mess and more time to relax.
From lemon chicken pasta and sheet pan pesto salmon to coconut lime chicken, these one-pan recipes are perfect for busy nights when you want a tasty meal without the hassle.
Easy One Pot Dinners
1. Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
Time-saving shortcut ingredients like rotisserie chicken, frozen veggies, and packaged gnocchi come together to make this 30-minute dinner. This will be your new favorite dish when you’re craving some cozy comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi Chicken Pot Pie
2. Marry Me Chicken
Chicken breasts simmer in a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce with fresh garlic and herbs. It’s rich and savory, but comes together in just one pan for easy cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken
3. Texas Beef Skillet
This hearty skillet mixes ground beef, kidney beans, and minute rice for a bold, Tex-Mex-inspired dinner. Chili powder adds just the right amount of heat.
Get the Recipe: Texas Beef Skillet
4. Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon
Salmon covered in pesto, cherry tomatoes, and asparagus cook in one sheet pan. It’s a complete meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon
5. Peach Glazed Chicken Legs
Juicy chicken legs and fresh peaches cook in a sweet honey sauce for a perfectly sweet and savory dish. The sauce thickens right in the skillet for maximum flavor.
Get the Recipe: Peach Glazed Chicken Legs
6. One-Pot Lasagna Soup
All the comfort of lasagna with none of the layering, this soup is loaded with ground beef, lasagna noodles, marinara, and melty cheese. It’s ready in just over 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: One Pot Lasagna Soup
7. Curry Cashew Chicken and Rice
This takeout-style favorite blends tender chicken, rice, fresh ginger, curry, and vegetables with cashews. It’s all cooked in one pot for less mess.
Get the Recipe: Curry Cashew Chicken and Rice
8. Cajun Sausage Spaghetti
If you’re tired of basic spaghetti, try this dish filled with smoky sausage, bell peppers, and Cajun spices. Your family will give this recipe five out of five stars.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Sausage Spaghetti
9. Steak Stir Fry
This steak stir fry is perfect for busy weeknights and has a mouthwatering soy-based orange sauce. The veggies can be customized based on your taste or what you have in your fridge.
Get the Recipe: Steak Stir Fry
10. Butter Bean Piccata
This vegetarian twist on classic piccata uses creamy butter beans instead of chicken. The bright, lemony caper sauce is so good, you’ll want to soak up every last drop with some bread.
Get the Recipe: Butter Bean Piccata
11. One-Pan Caprese Pasta
Made with pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella, this will be your new go-to pasta dish when you want something simple to make. Serve it during the warm summer months or year-round when craving fresh flavors.
Get the Recipe: One-Pan Caprese Pasta
12. Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
This fast version of fried rice uses the Instant Pot to cook chicken, rice, peas, and carrots in one go. A splash of sesame oil adds classic takeout flavor.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
13. Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
Store-bought ravioli, ground turkey marinara, and mozzarella are layered and cooked in a skillet for a shortcut lasagna that tastes like it’s made from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
14. Sheet Pan Lemon Thyme Chicken
This sheet pan meal features lemon thyme flavored chicken thighs that are baked to perfection with potatoes and veggies. In just 35 minutes, dinner is on the table and ready to be devoured.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Lemon Thyme Chicken
15. One-Pot American Goulash
Elbow macaroni, ground beef, and canned diced tomatoes make this comforting dish that is great for feeding the entire crew. It all cooks in one pan, with no need to boil the pasta separately.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot American Goulash
16. Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
We love this sheet meal, not only because it’s super easy, but also because it’s budget-friendly. Sausage is one of the cheapest protein options available, and this recipe uses other inexpensive ingredients like potatoes and green beans.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
17. One-Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken
Chicken thighs simmer in a creamy coconut milk sauce with lime juice and garlic. Serve it over rice for a satisfying meal that you’ll want to make every week.
Get the Recipe: One-Skillet Coconut Lime Chicken
18. Baked Chicken and Orzo
This easy dinner recipe consists of chicken thighs, artichoke hearts, spinach, orzo, and sun-dried tomatoes. The homemade cream-based sauce is so good!
Get the Recipe: Baked Chicken and Orzo
19. Zuppa Toscana Soup
If you’re craving a hearty soup, make this recipe filled with Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale. It’s ready in under an hour, which is way faster than most soups that can take hours to make.
Get the Recipe: Zuppa Toscana Soup
20. Chicken with Plantain Chips
This tropical-inspired skillet meal is made with coconut cream, chicken, and plantain chips. If you’re tired of the same old dinners, give this one a try this week; you won’t be disappointed.
Get the Recipe: Chicken with Plantain Chips
21. One Pot Lemon Chicken Pasta
This dish combines chicken, orzo, and kale in a bright, lemony broth. It cooks in about 20 minutes and is finished with Parmesan and herbs.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Lemon Chicken Orzo
