My favorite skillet dinners Make it easy to have a delicious home-cooked meal on the table, every night of the week. These healthy baking recipes are totally effortless. Just line your pans for quick cleanup!
Quick and easy skillet dinners
If you haven’t yet discovered the joy of one-pan cooking, let this be your guide. These one-pan meals are my go-to for busy weeknights and meal prep. It’s also a great way to get started in the kitchen because it really makes the process so easy. Your oven is about to become your new best friend.
I’ve rounded up some of my top oven pans. Dinner Ideas Below we will serve as inspiration for you. And the best thing about cooking all your own dinner You can customize the ingredients however you like in one pan. Clean out the fridge and get those baking sheets ready, because we’re about to cook up some delicious all-in-one dinners.
Why You’ll Love These One-Pan Dinner Ideas
As you’ll see below, you can cook anything from Thanksgiving dinner to your weekly meal prep on a single baking sheet. There are plenty of reasons to love sheet pan dinners (besides the obvious advantage of only having to clean one sheet pan). Here’s why these recipes are the best:
- Healthy ingredients. Skillet recipes are one of the best ways to incorporate lots of fresh vegetables and lean proteins into one meal.
- Easy preparation and cooking. Many of the ingredients for oven-baked dinners can be prepared ahead of time. This makes it even easier to combine the proteins and vegetables in the pan, roast them, and enjoy. Don’t forget to check out my oven-baked dinner tips below!
- Adaptable. You can get creative with the ingredients you choose to roast on your baking sheet. Change up recipes with your choice of proteins, vegetables, seasonings, marinades, and more.
What is a skillet dinner?
If you haven’t guessed yet, a one-pan dinner is an easy-to-make idea where everything (protein and veggies) is roasted together on a single baking sheet. It’s like the oven’s answer to a one-pot meal. There are fewer dishes to wash, and you have a complete dinner on the table quickly and with minimal effort.
Which pan should I use?
The best baking pan for sheet pan dinners is an 18 x 13-inch rimmed baking pan. This size makes it easy to spread out ingredients evenly, without crowding the pan. Jelly roll pans are smaller (measuring about 15 x 10 inches). They’ll work in a pinch, though you won’t be able to fit as many ingredients on your pan. If you ask me, it’s worth investing in a heavy-duty aluminum baking pan that’s large enough to fit in your oven. You’ll be using it for so much more than just sheet pan dinners, too!
An easy formula for preparing baked meals
Most baked dinners are based on two components: protein and vegetables. I like to strike a good balance between the two. Here is a simple “formula” for planning a baked dinner:
- Protein: Try filling half of your pan with the lean protein of your choice, such as chicken breasts or thighs, salmon, shrimp, chicken sausage, or turkey sausage.
- Vegetables: Fill the rest of the pan with roasting-friendly vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, and onions are all great choices.
- Oil: Choose a good quality cooking oil, such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, to roast your dinner ingredients in a pan.
- Coverages: Give even more flavor to your baked meals by adding optional ingredients, such as Homemade pesto, Garlic Aiolior spicy Peruvian green sauce.
How long should I cook a one-pan dinner?
A good rule of thumb is to choose meats and vegetables with similar cooking times. Most proteins and vegetables take 20-30 minutes in a 400ºF oven. Bone-in chicken and harder root vegetables will take longer to cook, while seafood and softer vegetables cook faster. You can always add ingredients to the pan at different stages to ensure they cook evenly. Exact cooking times vary, so check the recipe to be sure.
Tips for preparing the best skillet dinners
You’ll be a one-pan pro in no time! Here are some final tips in case you’re new to the world of one-pan meals:
- Line the mold. Line your baking sheet with foil or wax paper to make cleanup easier than ever. No scrubbing required! It makes all the difference.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance. Meats can be marinated up to a day in advance, and you can also cut vegetables ahead of time. Keep everything stored airtight in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
- Timing is everything Make sure you plan to roast hardier vegetables, like carrots and potatoes, before ingredients that require shorter cooking times. I’ll outline when this is necessary in my recipes below.
- Grease your ingredients well. This is especially important when it comes to roasting vegetables, as we don’t want them to dry out in the oven.
- Season your ingredients. Besides oil, another key to making delicious oven-baked dinners is seasoning. Make sure your proteins and vegetables are well-seasoned when you put them in the oven, either by marinating them or using a seasoning blend. And you can never go wrong with salt and pepper!
- Use a shelf when necessary. Most meals prepared on a baking sheet can be cooked directly on it without any problems. However, if, for example, you are baking breaded chicken along with vegetables, make sure to place it on a wire rack. This way, the breading will not get soaked by the juices released by the vegetables.
16+ Best Skillet Recipes To Make Tonight
Ready, set, grill! You’ll love making these easy, one-pan dinners every night of the week.
Italian-style turkey meatballs in a skillet
My lightened up Italian turkey meatballs are the best. I use them in all kinds of easy meals, like this one-pan dinner that’s also packed with healthy veggies. This one-pan recipe is packed with protein and is also great for meal prep.
Pan-Roasted Shrimp and Andouille
This New Orleans-inspired baked dinner idea is like a deconstructed gumbo and so flavorful. Succulent shrimp and Andouille sausage are baked with a blend of Cajun-spiced mushrooms and vegetables. Light and easy, and packed with flavor!
Shrimp with oreganata in a pan
We love seafood, and this Baked Shrimp with Oreganata recipe is one of our favorite ways to prepare juicy jumbo shrimp. This Italian-American favorite is sprinkled with seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with spicy pecorino cheese and baked all in one pan.
Thanksgiving Sheet Pan Dinner for Four
If you’re going for small plates this Thanksgiving, an easy sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner is the way to go! This recipe makes enough to comfortably serve four people with a juicy roast turkey, plus a side of maple-glazed sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. The best part: you won’t have to fill the sink with dishes!
Vegetarian Sheet Pan Dinner with Kielbasa Sauce
This one-pan keto recipe is low in carbs and packed with lean protein and veggies. It’s made with juicy turkey sausage, asparagus, peppers, and tomatoes and is perfect for meal prep!
More One-Pan Meals to Try
When it comes to quick and easy dinner ideas that require minimal cleanup, sheet pan dinners are the winner! I also have a lot of sheet pan dinners and one pot recipes available in the Recipe Finder that make weeknight dinners a breeze.
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