Skip to content

Top Navigation

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Recipes & Cooking
  • Drinks
  • Travel
  • Holidays + Events
  • News
  • F&W Classic
  • Video
  • Lifestyle
  • F&W Pro
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • F&W Classic Insiders this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Food & Wine Books this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Food & Wine

Food & Wine Food & Wine
  • Explore

    Explore

    • F&W Cooks

      F&W Cooks

      Food and Wine presents a new network of food pros delivering the most cookable recipes and delicious ideas online. Read More
    • Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Our 22 Best Crock Pot and Slow-Cooker Recipes

      Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Read More
    • 50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      50 Affordable Wines You Can Always Trust

      We’ve assembled a list of 50 of the world’s most reliable, inexpensive wines – bottles that offer amazing quality for their price year in and year out. Read More
  • Recipes & Cooking

    Recipes & Cooking

    See All Recipes & Cooking
    • Chicken
    • Comfort Food
    • Breakfast + Brunch
    • Salads
    • Desserts
    • Vegetables
    • Pasta + Noodles
    • Chefs
    • Meat + Poultry
    • Soup
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
    • Fruits
    • Seafood
    • Special Diets
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Steal This Trick
  • Drinks

    Drinks

    See All Drinks
    • Wine
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Coffee
    • Juices
    • Beer
    • Champagne + Sparkling Wine
    • Tea
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    • Wine Regions
    • Restaurants
  • Holidays + Events

    Holidays + Events

    See All Holidays + Events
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Passover
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • Gifts
    • Super Bowl
    • Easter
    • Thanksgiving
    • New Year's Eve
    • Holiday Entertaining
  • News
  • F&W Classic

    F&W Classic

    See All F&W Classic
    • F&W Classic Insider
  • Video
  • Lifestyle
  • F&W Pro
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Your Profile

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • F&W Classic Insiders this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Wine Club
  • Podcast
  • Food & Wine Books this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Comfort Food
  3. Healthy, Fast Weeknight Dinners

Healthy, Fast Weeknight Dinners

By Food & Wine Updated March 31, 2017
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet
Busy weeks just got a little easier. Take the guesswork out of preparing weeknight dinners with these incredible recipes. From a healthier version of Chinese take-out staple General Tso's Chicken to poached salmon with cucumber raita, here are quick and healthy meals that will get you in and out of the kitchen.
Start Slideshow

1 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Gingered Salmon with Grilled Corn and Watercress Salad

Healthy, Fast Weeknight Dinners Perfect for School Nights
Go to Recipe

Quinn Hatfield stuffs pickled ginger into slits in the salmon to infuse it with flavor. To keep the sliced fish intact and the ginger in place, he cleverly skewers the fillets before cooking. The dish is paired with a watercress salad with grilled corn and tossed with a balsamic vinegar reduction. The result: a quick, simple and healthy option for any weeknight meal.

  • More Salmon Recipes

1 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes

Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
Go to Recipe

Low in fat but high in protein, beans are one of Joe Bastianich's favorite ingredients. He uses white beans here, but he also loves making this recipe with chickpeas and flat gigante beans: "The bigger and creamier the beans, the better."

  • Hearty Stews

2 of 32

3 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Curried Chicken on Pita

Curried Chicken on Pita
Go to Recipe

Marcia Kiesel gives this quick weeknight chicken recipe a kick with curry powder and jalapeños. Serve with grilled pita, lettuce leaves, tomato wedges and cucumber slices.

  • More Quick Chicken Recipes

3 of 32

Advertisement

4 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy

Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy. Photo © David Malosh
Credit: © David Malosh
Go to Recipe

This classic Punjabi dish, called masaledar chholay, is often served as part of a big Sunday lunch, along with raita, naan and salad.

  • More Indian Recipes

4 of 32

5 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Orecchiette with Salmon, Arugula and Artichokes

Orecchiette with Salmon, Arugula and Artichokes
Go to Recipe

Marinated artichokes, olives and capers combine to make a bright, dressing-like sauce for this tasty pasta.

  • More Salmon Recipes

5 of 32

6 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Bacon Quinoa with Almonds and Herbs

Bacon Quinoa with Almonds and Herbs
Credit: © Frances Janisch
Go to Recipe

"Quinoa is a miracle food," says Bruce Sherman. Native to the Andes Mountains, the nutty, protein-rich grain is now also grown in the U.S. Sherman tosses it with smoky bacon and toasted almonds to make a substantial side dish that's delicious with poached eggs or roasted chicken.

  • More Great Quinoa Recipes

6 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Gingered Stir-Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas

Gingered Stir-Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas. Photo © Antonis Achilleos
Credit: © Antonis Achilleos
Go to Recipe

Large nonstick skillets that can create a sear are ideal for stir-fries. For this recipe, Grace Parisi creates layers of flavor with Chinese chile-garlic sauce and matchsticks of fresh ginger.

  • More Stir-Fry Recipes

7 of 32

8 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Barbecued Salmon with Green Mango Salad

Barbecued Salmon with Green Mango Salad
Credit: Anson Smart
Go to Recipe

Chef Pete Evans uses green mango—which is firm and a little crunchy—for the fresh, bright salad that accompanies the salmon fillets here.

  • More Salmon Recipes

8 of 32

9 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Fried-Zucchini Spaghetti

Fried-Zucchini Spaghetti
Go to Recipe

This pasta is an ode to the mountains of fried zucchini Gwyneth Paltrow ate at Elio's, an Italian restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side, growing up. Here, she adds the crispy zucchini slices to spaghetti that's tossed with shredded Parmesan cheese (which adds texture to the dish) and plenty of olive oil and basil.

  • More Quick Pastas

9 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

General Tso's Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken
Credit: © Kate Mathis
Go to Recipe

Zach Brooks adores this sweet-spicy Chinese-American restaurant staple. The version here is lighter than take-out because the chicken is only lightly coated in cornstarch and is pan-fried rather than deep-fried.

  • More Fast Chicken Recipes

10 of 32

11 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Poached Salmon with Cucumber Raita

Poached Salmon with Cucumber Raita
Credit: KAREN MORDECHAI
Go to Recipe

Gently simmering salmon in a flavorful white-wine broth is a classic cooking method that gives the fish a delicious flavor and a delicate texture. Serve this hot or at room temperature. Raita, the cooling condiment served in India, makes a superb sauce.

  • More Seafood Recipes

11 of 32

12 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Maple Root-Vegetable Stir-Fry with Sesame

Maple Root-Vegetable Stir-Fry with Sesame
Credit: © Con Poulos
Go to Recipe

In Korea, cooks typically create stir-fries with just one kind of vegetable—lotus root, say, or potatoes. David Chang decided to break with tradition and stir-fry an assortment of vegetables, including Jerusalem artichokes and parsnips. Also unconventional is the maple syrup he adds to the dish; there are maple trees all around South Korea but not much maple syrup.

  • More David Chang Recipes

12 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Puerto Rican-Style Turkey

Puerto Rican-Style Turkey
Go to Recipe

Chef Bill Kim makes this curry-and-chile-spiced marinade inspired by lechón, a slow-roasted Puerto Rican pork dish that he learned from his mother-in-law. Because the flavors are intense, it's best to scrape off the marinade before grilling.

  • More Spicy Recipes

13 of 32

14 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Chicken Breasts with Artichoke-Olive Sauce

Chicken Breasts with Artichoke-Olive Sauce
Credit: © John Kernick
Go to Recipe

For a quick and healthy dish, serve chicken breasts with a sauce made of frozen artichoke hearts, olives, and crumbled feta cheese.

  • More Chicken Recipes

14 of 32

15 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Quick Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef

Quick Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef
Credit: © John Kernick
Go to Recipe

Rocco DiSpirito likes to heat shirataki noodles (a low-calorie noodle made from tofu or a kind of sweet potato) in store-bought chicken broth seasoned with lime juice.

  • More Noodle Soups

15 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Chicken Smothered in Gravy

Chicken Smothered in Gravy
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
Go to Recipe

This satisfying riff on smothered pork chops calls for skinless chicken drumsticks, which have only slightly more fat than breasts, as well as more zinc and iron and tons more flavor.

  • Great Comfort Food Recipes

16 of 32

17 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Smoky Citrus Shrimp with Parsley

Smoky Citrus Shrimp with Parsley
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
Go to Recipe

Grub co-author Bryant Terry eats these tangy, garlicky shrimp piled high on crispy toasts, but sometimes he sandwiches them inside a quesadilla oozing with shredded Jack cheese. He recommends buying wild-caught or sustainably raised shrimp.

  • More Shrimp Recipes

17 of 32

18 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Mexican-Style Chicken with Penne

Mexican-Style Chicken with Penne
Go to Recipe

Adding a small amount of canned chipotle chiles in adobo (available at most supermarkets) makes a basic tomato sauce smoky and complex. Finishing the dish with queso blanco and chopped cilantro leaves intensifies the Latin flavor.

  • Fast Weekday Pastas

18 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Pan-Roasted Salmon-and-Bread Salad

Pan-Roasted Salmon-and-Bread Salad
Go to Recipe

This is a terrific all-in-one meal and an inventive use for salmon: Grace Parisi nestles the fillets in crunchy hunks of ciabatta bread tossed with tomatoes, capers and superthin slices of lemon, then bakes the dish until the salmon is just cooked.

  • More Salmon Recipes

19 of 32

20 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

Goat Cheese–Stuffed Chicken
Credit: © Tina Rupp
Go to Recipe

Stuffing chicken breasts with goat cheese doesn't seem like a particularly healthy approach. But by using only a small amount of goat cheese and mixing it with chopped walnuts and lemon zest, Annie Wayte creates a dish that's both nutritious and delicious.

  • Quick Chicken Recipes

20 of 32

21 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Tuna Bocadillos

Tuna Bocadillos
Go to Recipe

These quick and easy spanish sandwiches are filled with a lighter, mayo-free, tuna salad.

  • More Sandwich Recipes

21 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Black Bean Soup with Crispy Tortillas

Black Bean Soup with Crispy Tortillas
Credit: © Yunhee Kim
Go to Recipe

This ultrasimple soup requires little more than a couple of cans of black beans, some onion and a bit of cumin. A topping of fried tortillas (or store-bought chips) adds crunch.

  • Warming Soup Recipes

22 of 32

23 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Shrimp Masala

Shrimp Masala
Go to Recipe

Make the masala paste in large quantities and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week; it's great as a dry rub or marinade for fish and chicken.

  • More Indian Recipes

23 of 32

24 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews

Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews
Go to Recipe

Cashews contain oleic acid, the same monounsaturated fat that makes olive oil so heart-healthy. This chicken-cashew stir-fry's Asian flavors come from a bright mix of fish sauce, oyster sauce and basil—and just a little oil.

  • More Stir-Fry Recipes

24 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Salmon Rice Bowl with Ginger-Lime Sauce

Salmon Rice Bowl with Ginger-Lime Sauce
Credit: © Deirdre Rooney
Go to Recipe

In Vietnam, palate-cleansing ginger is typically served with rich foods like duck. Here, a pungent ginger dipping sauce is paired with salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

  • Amazing Seafood Recipes

25 of 32

26 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Curried Eggplant with Chickpeas and Spinach

Curried Eggplant with Chickpeas and Spinach
Go to Recipe

Canned chickpeas are often used in salads or hummus, but Grace Parisi roasts them here with eggplant, prewashed spinach and onion to make a great vegetarian main course.

  • Satisfying Vegetarian Recipes

26 of 32

27 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Brown Rice Pilaf with Green Olives and Lemon

Brown Rice Pilaf with Green Olives and Lemon
Credit: © Martin Morrell
Go to Recipe

Alain Coumont makes this creamy (yet cream-free) rice dish with lemony Lucques olives and nutty organic Camargue red rice, but almost any green olive or short-grain brown rice would be terrific. Vegans should leave out the tangy goat cheese shavings.

  • Great Risotto Recipes

27 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Green Goddess Chicken Salad

Green Goddess Chicken Salad
Credit: © Petrina Tinslay
Go to Recipe

Green Goddess dressing—a mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, herbs, anchovies and lemon—was created at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 1920s, as a tribute to an actor starring in a play called The Green Goddess. The creamy dressing is typically tossed with a green salad, but it's also addictive in Melissa Rubel's chicken salad, made with a rotisserie bird.

  • Wonderful Main-Course Salads

28 of 32

29 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Wild Mushroom Toasts with Ham and Fried Eggs

Wild Mushroom Toasts with Ham and Fried Eggs
Credit: © William Meppem
Go to Recipe

In the Basque part of Rioja, tapas-like appetizers, such as this dish, are referred to as pintxo (PEEN-show).

  • More Spanish Recipes

29 of 32

30 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Quick Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff
Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
Go to Recipe
  • Affordable Meat Recipes

30 of 32

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Sizzled Shrimp Provençal

Sizzled Shrimp Provençal
Go to Recipe

Chef Bobo makes this garlicky, lemony dish with sea scallops, but shrimp work well, too. Shrimp is an excellent source of low-fat protein and it also provides potassium and vitamin D.

  • More Shrimp Recipes

31 of 32

32 of 32

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Steamed Grouper with Martini Relish and Sour Orange Sauce

When it comes to eating well, star chef Bobby Flay champions the tried-and-true method of cooking fish in parchment. Flay swears that it's not only a foolproof method, but it also yields the perfect steamed piece of fish. He likes serving the grouper with a quick and punchy citrus sauce and a briny "martini" relish made with olives.

32 of 32

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Food & Wine

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 32 Gingered Salmon with Grilled Corn and Watercress Salad
    2 of 32 Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes
    3 of 32 Curried Chicken on Pita
    4 of 32 Chickpeas in Spicy Tomato Gravy
    5 of 32 Orecchiette with Salmon, Arugula and Artichokes
    6 of 32 Bacon Quinoa with Almonds and Herbs
    7 of 32 Gingered Stir-Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas
    8 of 32 Barbecued Salmon with Green Mango Salad
    9 of 32 Fried-Zucchini Spaghetti
    10 of 32 General Tso's Chicken
    11 of 32 Poached Salmon with Cucumber Raita
    12 of 32 Maple Root-Vegetable Stir-Fry with Sesame
    13 of 32 Puerto Rican-Style Turkey
    14 of 32 Chicken Breasts with Artichoke-Olive Sauce
    15 of 32 Quick Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef
    16 of 32 Chicken Smothered in Gravy
    17 of 32 Smoky Citrus Shrimp with Parsley
    18 of 32 Mexican-Style Chicken with Penne
    19 of 32 Pan-Roasted Salmon-and-Bread Salad
    20 of 32 Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken
    21 of 32 Tuna Bocadillos
    22 of 32 Black Bean Soup with Crispy Tortillas
    23 of 32 Shrimp Masala
    24 of 32 Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews
    25 of 32 Salmon Rice Bowl with Ginger-Lime Sauce
    26 of 32 Curried Eggplant with Chickpeas and Spinach
    27 of 32 Brown Rice Pilaf with Green Olives and Lemon
    28 of 32 Green Goddess Chicken Salad
    29 of 32 Wild Mushroom Toasts with Ham and Fried Eggs
    30 of 32 Quick Beef Stroganoff
    31 of 32 Sizzled Shrimp Provençal
    32 of 32 Steamed Grouper with Martini Relish and Sour Orange Sauce

    Share & More

    Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Food & Wine

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Food & Wine
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithFood & Wine is part of the Meredith Corporation Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Food & Wine. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.foodandwine.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Healthy, Fast Weeknight Dinners
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.