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I love cooking dinner, especially during the week. After a long day at work and an often frustrating rush-hour commute, it feels great to spend a little bit of time prepping and cooking something delicious. Putting together an easy recipe is relaxing, and I find that it's a great way to ease into a slow-paced evening. You know what's absolutely not relaxing, though? Going to the grocery store at 6 P.M. on a weeknight in New York. (If you've done it, you understand. If you haven't, you're lucky.)
The way around that, of course, is by planning meals in advance and making a comprehensive grocery list at the beginning of the week. If you really plan ahead, you can even get those groceries delivered and not have to worry about braving supermarket crowds at all! Since I know that's easier said than done, I came up with a set of seven sheet pan dinners that you can make from a single grocery list—basically, I did your dinner meal planning for you. And, bonus, you won't have a huge pile of pots and pans to wash every night.
All of the recipes are made with simple, good-for-you ingredients, and each serving has a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and fat, in accordance with current USDA dietary guidelines. There are two meatless recipes, one salmon recipe, and four chicken recipes (from one whole chicken that you can have your butcher break down for you), and all of them have plenty of veggies, healthy fats, and healthy carbs. And even if you don’t have time to shop all at once, the great thing about these recipes is that nothing needs to be prepped ahead of time.
If you cook one of the recipes or have questions, post a photo on Instagram and tag @selfmagazine and @xtinebyrne (that's me!), or DM us—we love a good food pic as much as you do, and we're always here to help!
Almonds, ¼ cup
Apple, 1 medium
Avocado, 2
Bell pepper, 1 small
Broccoli, 2 small heads
Butternut squash, 1 small (about 2 pounds)
Chicken, 1 small (about 3 pounds)
Cumin, 1 teaspoon
Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons
Farro (dry), 1¼ cups Green cabbage, 1 small head
Kale, 5 cups
Lemon, 3
Maple syrup, 1 tablespoon
Olive oil, ½ cup
Paprika, 1 teaspoon
Parsley, 1 small bunch
Salmon, 2 small fillets (skin on, about 4 ounces each)
Sweet potato, 1 large or 2 small (about ⅔ pound)
Tempeh, 12 ounces
Whole-wheat tortillas, 8 small
Yellow onions, 2 medium
Yukon gold potatoes, 3 medium (about 1 pound)
There are also a few optional garnishes for the Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas: Cilantro
Cheddar
Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
Salsa
First, you'll be using parts of a chicken in four different recipes, so you should either ask your butcher to break it down into two breasts, two thighs, and two drumsticks, or break it down yourself as soon as you get home. Then, decide the order you're going to cook the recipes. Refrigerate the chicken and salmon that you plan to cook within four days, then portion the rest in sealed bags and freeze them. To thaw, just place your bag of chicken or salmon in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it.
Store the vegetables in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator; store the apple, lemon, and tempeh on your refrigerator shelf; store the onion, potatoes, and sweet potatoes in a cool, dry spot in your pantry. To keep your parsley fresh, store the stems in water (like a bouquet of flowers) and lightly cover the leaves with plastic wrap. Since you'll only be using half an avocado at a time, you can keep the leftover half fresh by drizzling the flesh with lemon juice, wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap, and storing it in the fridge.
Two of the recipes call for cooked farro, so it would be smart to cook enough farro for both recipes at once (1¼ cups dry, which will yield about 3½ cups cooked), either at the start of the week or before you cook the first farro recipe. The cooked farro will stay good in your fridge for four days, so plan accordingly.
This healthy meat-and-potatoes meal is definitely simple, but add-ins like Dijon, maple syrup, paprika, and fresh parsley add enough flavor to keep it feeling fresh and interesting. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 50 minutes
Salmon cooks quickly, so it's great when you know you'll have a little less time to cook. In this recipe, you'll cook salmon on a sheet pan with cabbage and farro and cook everything for about 10 minutes; the salmon will be fork-tender, the cabbage will be softened but still al dente, and the farro will crisp just slightly around the edges for some extra texture. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 20 minutes
Sheet pan fajitas might not have the same dramatic effect as a sizzling hot skillet being delivered to you at a Tex Mex restaurant, but they're equally delicious and a whole lot easier to put together. The avocado topping is included on the grocery list, but note that you're on your own to buy whatever other toppings you want! I'd suggest Greek yogurt, salsa, and maybe a little cilantro or cheese. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 45 minutes
You might turn your nose up at the idea of tempeh, but I really recommend trying it. Like tofu, it's a soy product and a good source of vegetarian protein. Unlike tofu, it's made with whole, fermented soybeans, so it's got a great, grainy texture and a nutty flavor that's slightly funky. It crisps up when you roast it, and when you put it on a salad, like you do in this recipe, it acts kind of like a (high-protein) crouton. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 40 minutes
Chicken drumsticks are amazing—tender, flavorful, and wrapped in delicious skin. Plus, you can eat them with your hands! In this recipe, you'll roast drumsticks on a sheet pan with apple and onion, then add farro and kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking so that they can soak up all of the chicken juices. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 50 minutes
You know what else is awesome about tempeh? When you crumble it, it's a great substitute for ground meat. These meatless tacos also feature crispy broccoli, and they're served on a tortilla spread with mashed avocado and topped with crunchy cabbage slaw. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 25 minutes, plus marinating time
This dinner keeps things simple with chicken breast, winter squash, and some broccoli. Cooking the chicken breast with the bone and skin on helps keep the meat from drying out and makes it more flavorful. Get the recipe here.
Total time: 50 minutes
Planning to cook these recipes? Post your photos on Instagram and tag @selfmagazine—we want to see how it goes!
