I'm constantly looking for new ways to cut corners in the kitchen because—spoiler alert—I don't love to cook. Don't get me wrong, I love experimenting with a complicated recipe every now and then, but on busy weeknights (aka every weeknight), I rely on one-sheet, one-pot, one-pan recipes that don't require lots of chopping, grating, and stirring.
Luckily for lazy home cooks like me, 2018 is the year of one-and-done recipes (see exhibits A, B, and C). Ahead, I'm sharing the incredibly easy recipes that I keep on constant rotation. Spanning a citrusy lemon butter chicken with orzo that requires minimal chopping to a cheesy baked pasta that comes together in under an hour, these are the easy one-pan dinners I recommend adding to your recipe arsenal stat.
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
The Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Why I Love It: Tacos are a staple meal in my apartment and this sheet pan fajitas recipe is hands down the easiest way to make them. Although the recipe recommends marinating the chicken for one hour, I often skip this step and place the chicken directly in the oven after spicing (it's still very tasty, trust me).
One Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken and Orzo
The Recipe: One Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken and Orzo
Why I Love It: This is one of those meals that looks fancier than it actually is. Made with ingredients that I usually have on hand (garlic, butter, and lemon), this 30-minute recipe is one of my go-tos on busy weeknights.
One-Pan Four Cheese Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Drunken Pasta Bake
Why I Love It: Despite the intimidating number of ingredients listed in the recipe's name, making this baked pasta dish couldn't be easier. Simply toss all the ingredients together in a baking dish, pop it in the oven for one hour, and then devour.
Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus-Avocado Salsa
Why I Love It: Made with simple spices that I always have in my cupboard, this sheet-pan recipe is packed with flavor and doesn't require three trips to grocery stores to track down one obscure ingredient.
Sicilian Style Salmon With Garlic Broccoli and Tomatoes
Why I Love It: On nights when I'm craving a lighter meal, I turn to this healthy recipe, which takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. The best part? It doesn't even require preheating the oven since it's simply made on the stovetop.
Creamy White Bean Soup With Kale, Rosemary, and Lemon
Why I Love It: This hearty one-pot soup is as satisfying as it is simple to make. Note: I substitute store-bought stock because I'm not about to attempt to make that from scratch. (I also use canned beans because I'm an impatient and lazy home cook, in case I haven't made that clear already.)
One-Pan Sausage With Seasonal Vegetables
The Recipe: One-Pan Sausage With Seasonal Vegetables
Why I Love It: I love that I can make this meal with whatever vegetables I happen to have on hand. Although this particular recipe calls for Italian chicken sausage, I'm partial to Trader Joe's spicy jalapeño chicken sausage, which lends the sheet pan meal a bit of heat.