Looking for some easy-peasy meal ideas
without any of the clean up?
Skillet recipes are going to become your new best friend.
Hey guys, welcome back to my channel,
it's Taylor from the Girl on Bloor.
I'm all about sharing easy meal prep strategies
so that you can save time, money, and stress.
Skillet recipes are my go-to for busy weeknights
or when I don't have a ton of time to meal prep.
They cut down on both cooking and cleaning time,
without skipping on any of the flavor.
We'll be making my favorite French onion chicken skillet,
along with a creamy basil chicken skillet,
an Italian chicken skillet,
and a sausage, peppers, and onions skillet.
All of these recipes are ready in a flash
so you can spend less time in the kitchen
and more time on the things you love to do.
Now, you know I've always got you covered
with easier ways to meal prep
so if you're looking for even more easy recipes,
I've got tons of options in my free four-week meal plan,
which I've linked to in the description below.
It's gonna make your meal prep days go so much faster.
Okay, I know you're dying
to see these skillet meals in action, so let's get cooking.
First up, we're going to make
my famous French onion chicken skillet.
So many readers on my site
have absolutely raved about this recipe
and it's a go-to anytime I'm trying to impress someone.
It's a great weeknight dinner option
that's packed with protein
and tastes just like your favorite French onion soup.
Plus, it's great for meal prep.
To start, preheat the oven to 425 degrees
and prep your ingredients.
Slice two large chicken breasts in half lengthwise,
or you can just use four chicken cutlets.
I typically slice my breasts
since it's much cheaper than buying cutlets,
but if it's worth it to you to save time,
go with the cutlets.
From there, you'll slice up four yellow onions
to make your French onion sauce,
and then you'll grate half a cup of Swiss cheese
to top your chicken with.
There are plenty of sides you can serve with this chicken,
but I like to make it with oven-roasted broccoli
to add some veggies.
For the broccoli, you'll cut one head of it into florets
and then mince two cloves of garlic to toss it with.
You could roast without the garlic though,
so that's something to keep in mind.
After you've prepped your ingredients,
you're ready to cook your chicken and make your sauce.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil
in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper,
then saute for four to five minutes on each side
until the chicken gets nice and browned
and is mostly cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the heat and place it on a plate,
then you'll add a little bit more olive oil to the skillet.
Add the sliced onions from earlier and cook for 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally until they're nice and browned.
While the onions are cooking,
you'll then make your side of oven-roasted broccoli.
Add your broccoli to a parchment-lined baking sheet
than toss with one teaspoon of olive oil,
along with your minced garlic.
Season with a bit of salt and pepper,
then bake for eight to 10 minutes
until the broccoli is nice and tender.
At this point, the onions will have softened in the skillet,
so you'll then mix in two teaspoons of flour,
coating the onions well,
and then add two tablespoons of red wine
and half a cup of beef broth.
Give that all a good stir,
then add the cooked chicken back in,
covering with the onion sauce
and topping with your Swiss cheese
for the final finishing touch.
Place a lid on top of the skillet
and cook for about two minutes until the cheese has melted.
Serve with your oven-roasted broccoli and enjoy.
You'll get all the amazing flavor of French onion soup,
but with a ton of protein so that it's a well-rounded meal.
This recipe is great for meal prep
and can be stored in the fridge for up to five days
in airtight glass containers.
When you're ready to eat again,
sprinkle some water over top and microwave for a few minutes
or pop it in the oven at 350 degrees 10 minutes or so.
This French onion chicken
can also be frozen for three months
and then thawed in the fridge overnight
before microwaving or reheating in the oven.
Okay, skillet recipe number two.
Next up, we're going to make
my second favorite creamy basil chicken skillet.
This recipe is ready in just 30 minutes
so it's perfect for busy weeknights,
and don't even get me started on that creamy sauce.
There's not a lot of prep involved for this recipe.
All you have to do is mince four cloves of garlic,
roughly chop up one cup of basil,
and cut one head of broccoli into florets.
You can save even more time
by using frozen broccoli florets, just keep in mind
that the frozen broccoli will take a little longer to cook
and the texture won't quite be the same.
With the prep out of the way, you can get to cooking.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet
over medium-high heat and season four chicken cutlets
with a bit of salt and pepper.
If you don't have any chicken cutlets,
two chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise
just like you did for the french onion chicken skillet,
or boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work.
Sear the chicken in the skillet for three to four minutes
on each side until browned and mostly cooked through,
then remove from the pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooking,
add the broccoli florets to a large bowl filled with water
and microwave for eight to 10 minutes to steam the broccoli
before draining the water.
This is my trick if you don't have a steamer.
When your broccoli and chicken are done,
you'll then make the creamy sauce.
Add one tablespoon of butter to the skillet
followed by the minced garlic
and a quarter of a cup of julienned sun-dried tomatoes.
Saute everything for 30 seconds.
Your kitchen is going to smell absolutely amazing
while you're doing this.
Next, you'll add in half a cup of heavy cream,
bringing to a boil,
and then stirring in one cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Season with a bit of salt and pepper to taste,
then you can add in the chopped basil leaves from earlier,
and cook for about another 30 seconds
until the leaves will wilt slightly.
Now, it's time to add the cooked chicken
back into the skillet
and you're basically ready to serve and enjoy.
Add the steamed broccoli on the side,
sprinkle a bit of extra Parmesan on top, and dig in.
I like adding plain broccoli
because you can dip it in the sauce,
and now you've got a low-carb, yet indulgent meal
that's ready in less than half and hour.
You can store the leftovers of this skillet dish
in the fridge for up to five days in airtight containers.
Reheat in the microwave
or on the stove top for a few minutes until heated through.
So this meal is just great for meal prep.
The chicken and sauce
will also freeze really well for up to three months
in airtight glass containers or freezer-safe bags.
Thaw in the fridge overnight
then reheat on the stove top or in the microwave,
and serve with fresh broccoli
when you're ready to enjoy it again.
Now, If you're looking for a quick, low-calorie meal option,
you're going to love
this Italian chicken skillet we're making next.
It's made with lots of fresh veggies
and protein-rich quinoa,
and the seasoning is so simple to make.
To start, cook your quinoa in a pot on the stove
or in a rice cooker.
You'll typically add one cup of dry quinoa
and two cups of water
and just cook until the liquid absorbs.
Once that's going, prep your other ingredients.
You'll basically be chopping up
a whole bunch of veggies of your choice
and some chicken breasts.
Start by mincing four cloves of garlic,
then dice three chicken breasts.
Now, you'll chop up whatever veggies you have on hand.
For this recipe, I'm chopping up one red pepper,
a red onion, half a bunch of asparagus, and one zucchini,
then slicing twp cups of button mushrooms in half.
Finally, chop up two tablespoons of fresh basil for garnish
and grate half a cup of Parmesan cheese.
One of the best parts of this recipe
is that you can substitute the veggies
for whatever you have on hand.
It's a great way to clear out your vegetable crisper.
Once the prep's done,
you'll basically just add everything to the skillet.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat
then add your mushrooms and the minced garlic,
sauteing for five minutes
until the liquid from the mushrooms starts to release.
You'll then add in your diced chicken breasts
and cook for another five minutes
until the chicken is nice and browned.
From there, you'll mix in
two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, your chopped basil,
and one tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
This is the basic seasoning for this skillet.
If you don't have any pre-mixed Italian seasoning on hand,
you can make your own using a blend of basil, oregano,
rosemary, and thyme.
Now, you'll add in all the veggies
and cook for another five to 10 minutes
until they're tender and ready to eat.
Stir in your grated Parmesan cheese
then serve the chicken and veggie mixture
over your cooked quinoa and enjoy.
How easy was that?
This skillet is super healthy,
but still packs a punch when it comes to flavor.
It's amazing for meal prep
and will last in the fridge for up to five days
in airtight glass containers.
Sprinkle some water over top so the chicken doesn't dry out,
then microwave for one to two minutes.
You can also freeze the cooked quinoa and chicken together
for up to three months, defrosting in the fridge overnight,
and sprinkling some water over top
and microwaving for one to two minutes until warmed through
to enjoy again.
Okay, you've seen three of my favorite skillet dishes,
and we only have one more to go.
To finish things off, we're going to make
the sausage, peppers, and onions skillet.
This recipe is super delicious
but still healthy and light in calories
thanks to the turkey sausage.
If you're feeling fancy,
you can even make your own turkey sausage
using ground turkey, fennel, and paprika.
Okay, you know the drill by now.
You're going to prep your ingredients to start.
Take two cups of mushrooms and cut them into quarters,
then slice two small yellow onions,
chop up one green pepper,
one yellow pepper, and one red pepper.
Finally, mince four cloves of garlic.
Feel free to swap out the veggies
to use up whatever you have on hand,
but peppers and onions are a classic.
Now, heat one tablespoon of olive oil
in a large skillet over medium-high heat
and add in four turkey sausages.
You can use regular pork sausages,
but I like using turkey sausage
since it's a leaner and healthier protein.
Cook your sausages for 10 minutes,
then let them cool and slice up into pieces.
In the meantime,
saute the mushrooms in the skillet for about five minutes
until the juices start to release
then mix in the onions and peppers,
and cook for another two minutes.
Once the veggies are tender,
add your sliced sausages back to the skillet
along with the minced garlic,
one teaspoon each of salt and pepper,
and one teaspoon of red chili flakes.
If you don't like a lot of spice,
you can use only half a teaspoon of chili flakes
or leave them out altogether.
Now, mix in half a cup of jarred pasta sauce,
any type will do, and cook for two to three minutes
until the veggies have softened.
Now, remove from the heat and dig in.
With just one skillet, you've got a delicious, healthy meal.
This recipe will last in the fridge for up to five days
in airtight glass containers.
Sprinkle some water over top
then reheat in the microwave for two minutes.
You can also freeze it for up to three months
in individual glass containers
and reheat from frozen in the microwave
for six to seven minutes, stirring halfway through.
Is your stomach growling yet?
These four skillet recipes
are all super delicious and really easy.
You'll save so much time
on cooking and cleaning up afterwards
since all you need is one skillet.
These recipes are all great for meal prep too,
which is always a bonus in my book.
I like storing any leftovers in individual serving sizes
so I can just pop one in the microwave
when I need a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
Okay, you've seen my ultimate secret
to getting dinner on the table without making a mess.
If you've enjoyed this video
and you want to see more meal prep resources from me,
make sure to give this video a thumbs up,
subscribe to my channel,
and let me know which skillet meal you're going to try first
in the comments below.
And if you're looking for even more meal prep inspiration,
I've got even more easy, healthy recipes to choose from
in my four-week meal plan.
You can find that link in the description below as well.
Alright guys, it's time for me to kick back on the couch
and dig into one of these skillet recipes
since I've basically got no dishes to do.
Thanks for hanging out with me in my kitchen today
and I will see you in the next video.