22 Skillet Dinners in Three Steps or Less

creamy blue cheese chicken skillet
Photo: Will Dickey

These recipes are proof that healthy dinners can be both easy and delicious. Not only do these dishes only require three steps or less to prepare, but they also only need one skillet to make, so cooking and cleanup will be equally simple. Recipes like our Creamy Blue Cheese Skillet Chicken and One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp are mouthwatering meals you'll want to add to your dinner rotation.

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Creamy Blue Cheese Skillet Chicken

creamy blue cheese chicken skillet
Will Dickey

This creamy blue cheese skillet chicken is flavor-packed. The crispy chicken is complemented by tender-crisp green beans and a creamy sauce featuring earthy mushrooms and blue cheese.

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One-Pan Spicy Okra & Shrimp

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Serve spicy blackened shrimp and tender vegetables over aromatic basmati rice for an easy skillet supper. Use precooked microwave rice so you don't have to mess up another pan. This one-pan dinner is perfect for company, but easy enough to make on a weeknight.

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Creamy Jalapeño Skillet Chicken

a recipe photo of the Creamy Jalapeño Skillet Chicken
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco

These easy chicken cutlets are perfect for a weeknight dinner. A creamy jalapeño sauce coats the cutlets for a flavorful bite with a good amount of heat. Serve over rice or pasta.

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Southern Beefy Skillet

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Make this entire meal in one skillet! The beef soaks up the flavor from the vegetables and herbs, making it juicy and full of flavor.

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One-Skillet Creamy French Onion Chicken

One-Skillet Creamy French Onion Chicken
Brie Passano

This easy one-skillet dinner marries the rich and savory flavor of French onion soup with chicken cutlets in a creamy, satisfying sauce. Serve with a simple green salad with homemade croutons for crunch.

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Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice

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This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don't like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.

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20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet

20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet
Jamie Vespa

Salmon fillets cook quickly and are coated with a delicious creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This easy salmon dinner is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. The best news: you can get this meal on the table in 20 minutes flat.

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One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta

One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta
Victor Protasio

Make this cheesy ground chicken pasta recipe for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve with a simple side salad and a glass of red wine.

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Skillet Lemon-Garlic Salmon

skillet lemon garlic salmon
Jacob Fox

This ultra-quick one-skillet lemon-garlic salmon recipe features plenty of lemony flavors from both zest and juice. Garlic adds a savory note.

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Ground Beef & Potatoes Skillet

Ground Beef & Potatoes Skillet
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Ruth Blackburn

In this healthy ground beef and potatoes recipe, ground beef and potatoes are paired with colorful veggies, including kale, tomato and peppers. Everything is cooked in one skillet, which allows for layers of flavor to build quickly while also cutting back on the number of dishes.

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White Bean-Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi

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Turn lower-carb cauliflower gnocchi into a complete and satisfying meal with this riff on classic brown butter and sage gnocchi. We added beans to amp up the fiber and protein for a fast and healthy dinner.

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20-Minute Creamy Chicken Skillet with Italian Seasoning

20-Minute Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet
Jason Donnelly

Chicken cutlets cook quickly and are highlighted with a creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. Serve it with whole-wheat pasta or rice to make it a meal.

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Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions

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Balsamic onions and raisins add a burst of sweet and savory flavor to pan-seared pork chops. Round out this healthy dinner recipe with sweet potatoes and green beans.

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One-Skillet Salmon with Fennel & Sun-Dried Tomato Couscous

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Sun-dried tomato pesto and lemon do double duty to season both the salmon and the couscous in this healthy one-pan dinner recipe. Serve the salmon with extra lemon wedges and a dollop of plain yogurt, if desired.

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Garlic Chicken Thighs with Olives & Potatoes

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Bright-green Castelvetrano olives hail from Sicily and have a buttery flavor and meaty texture that pair perfectly with the Italian seasoning and salty capers in this one-skillet chicken dinner. Look for them on your supermarket olive bar or in jars with Italian ingredients.

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Black Bean Fajita Skillet

Black Bean Fajita Skillet

You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping.

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One & Yum Squid

One & Yum Squid
Jacob Fox

When cooking squid, the golden rule is to cook it fast (like this method, shared by Irish chef Clodagh McKenna from her new book, In Minutes) or cook it slow. Otherwise, it can turn out too chewy. Paired with spicy chorizo, earthy chickpeas, peppery kale and crunchy almonds, this dish feels like an instant taste-escape to Spain.

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20-Minute Creamy Skillet Chicken with Corn, Tomato & Basil

20 Minute Creamy Skillet Chicken with Corn Tomato and Basil
Jacob Fox

This saucy 20-minute chicken recipe features fresh summer corn, tomatoes and basil. Serve this light and tangy quick dinner over pasta or brown rice.

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One-Skillet Pastitsio

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Pastitsio is a classic Greek baked pasta dish made with ground beef and bechamel. Our version has all the flavors and the comforting feel of the classic, but is made in one skillet (less cleanup!) and is healthier for you, using whole-grain pasta, lean meat and low-fat dairy.

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White Chicken Chili Casserole

White Chicken Chili Casserole
Marty Baldwin

This easy, one-skillet casserole is packed with heat thanks to two kinds of peppers, poblanos and jalapeño. If you want to increase the spice level, leave the seeds in the jalapeño. Finish with your favorite toppings like Cheddar, cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips.

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Lemon-Thyme Roasted Chicken with Fingerlings

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Fingerling potatoes are small, long, knobby spuds that are shaped like fingers. Look for them in the produce department or at farmers' markets.

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Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

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In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens, diced tomatoes and white beans with gnocchi and top it all with gooey mozzarella. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.

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