8 Easy 30-Minute Skillet Dinners That Deliver Big Flavor With Minimal Cleanup

A plate with chicken paillard and a side of greens, placed on a wooden table with a fork and a napkin — Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

With my oven currently on the fritz, I’ve been relying more on stovetop recipes to make cozy meals that take the edge off these increasingly chilly nights. During a busy workweek, skillet dinners I can pull together in about 30 minutes are my savior—because washing a pile of pans is the last thing I (and probably most people) want to do after a long day. Cooking in a single pan also builds serious flavor, letting you make the most of residual fat and pan fond while saving time and energy.

The eight skillet dinner recipes below do exactly that. They include French-inspired chicken cutlets with an herbaceous lemon-butter sauce, Southern Italian eggs in purgatory, shrimp pasta with a fresh, spicy Mexican twist, a comforting Japanese chicken-and-egg rice bowl, and Kenyan wet fry beef simmered in a rich tomato sauce. All are ready in 30 minutes or less, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of your evening.

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Chicken Paillard (Chicken With Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce)

Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

This speedy dish of juicy, golden chicken cutlets—one that wouldn’t feel out of place in Julia Child’s kitchen on a busy day of recipe testing—is finished with a luxurious lemon-herb butter sauce made right in the pan. Pounding skinless, boneless chicken breasts thin helps them cook quickly and evenly, while a few pieces of cold butter transform the pan juices into a glossy, emulsified sauce. A squeeze of lemon juice, lemon zest, and a mix of parsley, chives, and tarragon add a bright, herbaceous finish. Serve with a simple green salad for an easy, elegant skillet dinner.

Chicken Paillard (Chicken With Lemon-Herb Butter Sauce)
Spicy Mexican Shrimp Pasta

Serious Eats/ Shri Repp

Fresh green chiles, lime, and cilantro give this Italian-style pasta a vibrant, distinctly Mexican spin. Cooking the shrimp shells in butter builds a bright, citrusy sauce with rich, nutty depth that amplifies the shrimp’s flavor, while a quick brine with salt and baking soda keeps the shrimp plump, juicy, and well seasoned throughout.

Spicy Mexican Shrimp Pasta
Eggs in Purgatory

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Some nights call for breakfast for dinner, and this Southern Italian dish of eggs poached in an aromatic, spicy tomato sauce fits the bill perfectly. Made with canned tomatoes, it comes together quickly and is best served with plenty of crusty bread or focaccia to sop up the sauce and luxuriously runny yolks. The tomato sauce can also be made ahead and frozen for up to three months, making this an especially easy weeknight win.

Eggs in Purgatory
Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl) Recipe

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

A longtime favorite on Japanese restaurant menus, this comforting chicken-and-egg rice bowl is surprisingly easy to make at home in about 20 minutes—the time it takes to steam rice. A sweet-savory broth of dashi, soy sauce, sake, and sugar gently simmers sliced onion and bite-size pieces of chicken thigh, before lightly beaten eggs are drizzled in and cooked until just half-set. Spoon the tender chicken and egg mixture over steamed rice and finish with chopped scallions.

Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl) Recipe

Continue to 5 of 8 below
Chicken With Warm Bulgur Pilaf and Tomatoes

Serious Eats / Two Bits

This six-ingredient skillet dinner comes together in under 20 minutes and couldn’t be easier. Starting the chicken breasts in a cold pan helps keep the meat juicy, while frequent flipping ensures even browning. The residual pan fond from the chicken and blistered tomatoes builds flavor in the bulgur pilaf, which is finished with scallions, briny olives, and creamy feta. Serve with lemon wedges, and, if you like, a sprinkle of fresh mint and a drizzle of yogurt.

Chicken With Warm Bulgur Pilaf and Tomatoes
Shrimp With Cilantro Sauce

Serious Eats / Larisa Niedle

A punchy, herbaceous chutney of fresh cilantro, chiles, garlic, and lime forms the backbone of this low-prep, high-reward weeknight dinner. Marinating the shrimp briefly with baking soda, salt, and a spoonful of the chutney keeps them plump and snappy, before they’re sautéed and finished with turmeric- and cumin-scented onions and the remaining chutney. Serve over rice or with flatbread to soak up the fragrant, spicy sauce.

Shrimp With Cilantro Sauce
Kenyan Beef Wet Fry

Serious Eats / Maureen Celestine

Using a more tender cut of beef, like sirloin, shortens the cooking time for this popular Kenyan dinner staple, eliminating the need for a long simmer to tenderize the meat. Instead, the beef is seared over high heat to develop a deeply browned crust, then simmered briefly in an aromatic tomato sauce built from sauteed onions, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, garam masala, and tomato paste. Finish with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and serve with traditional ugali or plain white rice.

Kenyan Beef Wet Fry
Palomilla (Cuban Steak and Onions)

Serious Eats / Two Bites

Make this deliciously simple Cuban American favorite when you need to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Thin slices of top sirloin are quickly tenderized with salt, lime, and grated garlic, then seared until deeply browned. The onions are cooked in the residual beef fat, soaking up all that rich, meaty flavor, and served alongside the steak with black beans and rice for an easy, deeply satisfying meal.

Palomilla (Cuban Steak and Onions)

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8 Easy 30-Minute Skillet Dinners That Deliver Big Flavor With Minimal Cleanup

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