Every week, I check in with our newsletter editor, Mia Leimkuhler, to make sure whatever recipes I’m featuring here in Five Weeknight Dishes don’t overlap with the dishes that Sam Sifton and Melissa Clark are writing about in our flagship New York Times Cooking newsletter.
But I called dibs on the new honey garlic shrimp recipe below as soon as I saw it. This one was mine.
It’s exactly the kind of recipe I want to send your way every week: smart, fast and built on ingredients you may keep around. It’s also the recipe I need these days. Can I be real with you all? I’m losing steam in the kitchen, a symptom of late-winter blahs. A fast recipe that punches hard on flavor is a good midweek win.
1. Honey Garlic Shrimp
This speedy dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes and relies on pantry staples like honey and soy sauce for easy weeknight flavor. The honey-garlic sauce works double-time, serving as a sweet-and-savory marinade and as a pan sauce for the crustaceans. While large shrimp work best for this recipe (and are the most forgiving when it comes to cooking time), smaller shrimp will work, too. If your shrimp cook through before it’s time to add the sauce to the skillet, transfer them to a serving dish and reduce the sauce on its own before pouring it over the shrimp. Serve with steamed rice, and a simply cooked green vegetable or cucumber salad.
By Lidey Heuck
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 2 large cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Preparation:
1. Place the shrimp in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper; whisk until smooth. Pour 3 tablespoons of the marinade over the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
3. While the shrimp marinate, combine the cornstarch with the remaining marinade and set aside.
4. Lift the shrimp from the marinade to paper towels and pat dry; discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.
5. Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. (A cast-iron skillet will help the shrimp brown more deeply than a nonstick skillet.) Add the oil, swirling to coat the pan, then arrange the shrimp in the skillet in one layer. Cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip the shrimp and cook for 1 more minute.
6. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pan sauce thickens. (If your shrimp are on the smaller side and already cooked through before it’s time to add the sauce, transfer them to the serving dish and reduce the sauce on its own. Pour the sauce over the cooked shrimp.)
7. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving dish, sprinkle with scallions and serve.
2. Spiced Roast Chicken With Tangy Yogurt Sauce
This weeknight meal is inspired by the spiced chicken and rice that draws lines at halal street carts across New York City. Whether it’s lunchtime or late at night, the scent and Mediterranean flavors of grilled and chopped chicken served over turmeric-tinged yellow rice (or wrapped in pita) alongside shredded iceberg salad lures a crowd. Everything gets an imperative, generous drizzle of that signature creamy and tangy white sauce, made here with a blend of yogurt, mayonnaise and spices. Fresh garlic, cilantro and lemon juice are combined with a tasty mix of fragrant spices, then rubbed all over the chicken before it’s roasted until golden and crispy. The iceberg-and-tomato salad offers a cool, refreshing contrast to the spiced chicken.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Roasted Chicken:
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as safflower or canola
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Salt and black pepper
For the White Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole-milk)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- A big pinch of granulated garlic
- A big pinch of granulated onion
- Salt and black pepper
To Serve:
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, diced
Warm pita bread and hot sauce (optional)
Preparation:
1. Prepare the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, fresh garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, oregano and granulated onion with half of the cilantro and half of the lemon juice; mix well. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat.
2. Spread the seasoned chicken in a single layer on a large sheet pan and roast until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
3. While the chicken roasts, make the white sauce: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, granulated garlic and granulated onion; season with salt and pepper, then mix well; set aside.
4. Add the remaining cilantro and lemon juice to the roasted chicken and mix well, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Divide chicken, lettuce and tomatoes among 4 plates and drizzle with some of the white sauce. Serve with lemon wedges, plus pita and hot sauce, if using.
3. Pasta With Garlicky Spinach and Buttered Pistachios
If you want to get the timing just right on this one — no wasted time! — start the sauce a few minutes after you’ve dropped the pasta into the boiling water. Your spinach should be wilted right around the time the pasta is al dente. If that feels too stressful, or the spinach wilts before the pasta is ready, simply turn the heat under the skillet all the way down to low and keep it warm while the pasta finishes. Don’t count this recipe out if you’re not fond of capers. They add a hint of salty brininess without being in-your-face caper-y. A pound of pasta is a lot to toss around, especially with 2 bunches of spinach in the mix, so save that extra quarter-box for your next pot of pasta e fagioli.
By Dawn Perry
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 12 ounces mezze rigatoni or other short pasta
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 12 ounces spinach, stems trimmed to 1-inch length, or Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
2. After pasta has been cooking for about 2 minutes, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios, garlic and capers and cook, stirring to keep the garlic from scorching, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add spinach to skillet one handful at a time, season with salt and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 1 or 2 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to the skillet along with 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high, tossing, until liquid reduces and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with Parmesan.
4. Pan-Seared Salmon
Searing salmon in a hot skillet is not only a speedy way to prepare it, but it also makes for a super-crisp crust and a tender, flaky center. A nonstick pan makes cleanup easy, but a heavy, cast-iron or stainless steel skillet works, too — just be sure to use a large one to avoid crowding the fish, and make sure to preheat the pan to avoid sticking. Make the recipe as written, or finish the salmon with a steakhouse-inspired butter-and-garlic baste (see Tip below). Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill or tarragon, if you have some on hand.
By Lidey Heuck
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or off
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Black pepper
- Half a lemon, for serving
- Chopped fresh parsley, dill or tarragon, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat a (12-inch) nonstick, cast-iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high until it’s very hot. (A drop of water flicked onto the pan should turn to steam almost immediately.)
2. Meanwhile, pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Pour the oil over them and toss to coat, then season all over with salt and pepper.
3. When the pan is hot, add the fillets skin-side up, spacing them evenly. Cook until the salmon is browned on the bottom and releases easily from the pan, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the fillets, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the salmon is cooked through but still slightly rare in the center, 4 to 5 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
4. Remove the fish to a platter or individual plates and rest for 5 minutes, then squeeze the lemon on top and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.
Tip: For a rich, restaurant-style finish, remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cubed, unsalted butter and a smashed, peeled garlic clove. Tilt the skillet and spoon the melted butter over the salmon fillets a few times, until coated.
5. Sheet-Pan Quesadillas
A single quesadilla thrown together on the stovetop takes mere moments, but when you want to make a larger batch all at once, a sheet pan comes in handy. Lightly greasing the pan results in the richness of a stovetop quesadilla, and the dry heat of the oven gives you crisp tortillas and bronzed, bubbling cheese in 10 minutes. A sprinkle of salt on the tortilla maximizes its inherent nutty flavor, and all it needs is cheese to be a great quesadilla. But, a little extra filling in the form of vegetables — like corn kernels and onions, or leftover beans or shredded chicken — would be welcome. Serve with the usual accouterments: raw onion, cilantro and avocado, maybe sour cream and salsa or hot sauce, whatever you like to eat with your quesadillas. This recipe makes 6 quesadillas, but that amount can easily be scaled down.
By Eric Kim
Yield: 6 quesadillas
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- 6 flour tortillas (5 to 6 inches)
- 2 cups/8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend, pepper Jack or mozzarella cheese
- Chipotle chile powder, gochugaru, Aleppo pepper or smoked paprika
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (optional)
- Salt
- Any combination of sliced avocado, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, salsa and hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Add the oil to a large sheet pan and use a single tortilla to smear the oil around. Add the remaining tortillas, spacing them out evenly. Divide the cheese among the tortillas, then sprinkle with as much chile powder as you’d like. Top with the corn, if using.
3. Bake the quesadillas until the cheese is melted, 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Using a spatula, fold each tortilla over itself to make half moons. Sprinkle with salt and return to the oven until crispy and lightly browned at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with any desired toppings.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.