17 Easy and Comforting Skillet Dinners

Mexican-Inspired Chicken Thigh and Rice Skillet
Photo: Bibi

One pan is all it takes to make these easy, satisfying weeknight dinners. This skillet recipe collection features a ton of variety, everything from Mexican-inspired chicken thighs and rice to Sante Fe stew to pork chop skillets to skillet lasagna, and much more. You'll love how these skillet dinners stretch ingredients to go easy on the budget, too.

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Italian Chicken Skillet

Italian Chicken Skillet

Ready in 40 minutes | To get the best-tasting results, the wine you use to cook this dish (or any dish) should be the same wine you would choose to drink. If you don't want to cook with wine, substitute chicken broth.

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Chicken and Rice Noodle Stir Fry

low angle looking at a pile of chicken and rice noodle stir fry on a plate
Buckwheat Queen

Ready in 35 minutes | No need to boil the rice noodles in this dish. Just soak them in hot water before adding to the skillet or wok.

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Skillet Chili

mid angle looking at a bowl of skillet chili topped with shredded cheddar cheese
rock_lobster

Ready in 1 hour | You can tweak this chili to be thick enough to stand a spoon in, or thin enough to make a soup. The recipe description tells you how to do it.

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Mexican-Inspired Chicken Thigh and Rice Skillet

Mexican-Inspired Chicken Thigh and Rice Skillet
Bibi

Here's a complete one-skillet dinner with chicken, rice, and vegetables that's ready in less than an hour. "This colorful and nutritious one-pan dinner can be on your table quickly on a busy weeknight," says Bibi. "Bonus: This is a stovetop recipe, so you don't have to turn on the oven! You can prepare a salad during the cooking time and heat up some bread, or tortillas, if you wish!"

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Santa Fe Stew

Santa Fe Stew
Photo by Snacking in the Kitchen.

Ready in 50 minutes | Want more control over what exactly goes into your food? Make up a batch of your own taco seasoning instead of buying the packaged stuff. You can also whip up your own ranch dressing, too.

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Cheesy Salsa Mac

looking down at a bowl of cheesy salsa mac
bdweld

Ready in 40 minutes | Put your homemade taco seasoning to work in this stovetop mac and cheese.

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Skillet Ham, Cabbage, and Potatoes

low angle looking into a plate of skillet ham, cabbage and potatoes
mommyluvs2cook

Ready in 1 hour | If you use Russet potatoes, cut them into cubes instead of slices so they hold their shape better. Yukon Golds, on the other hand, will hold together well.

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Pork Chop Skillet

overhead angle of a bowl of pork chop skillet
cstndcrw

Ready in 55 minutes | This is one of those simple but successful recipes where you can easily take the basic idea and switch out the ingredients to change up the flavors.

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Skillet Spinach Lasagna

Skillet Spinach Lasagna
Photo by Mauigirl.

Ready in 45 minutes | Lasagna noodles are cooked right in the skillet along with everything else. How genius is that?

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One Skillet Mexican Quinoa

One Skillet Mexican Quinoa
Photo by The Gruntled Gourmand.

Ready in 40 minutes | Easy, spicy, and packed with protein. Use a lighter hand with the spice measurements the first time you make this if you feel like you need to tone it down.

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Spicy Tofu Stir Fry

looking into a skillet of spicy tofu stir fry
Grace Alcid

Ready in 1 hour | To get a better sear on your tofu squeeze out some of the water first: Wrap the tofu block in paper towels and sandwich it between two plates. Put a heavy can on the top plate to gently squeeze the tofu; change the paper towels a couple of times. Pat the tofu dry, then cube.

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Jay's Hearty Breakfast Skillet

low angle looking at a plate full of a hearty breakfast skillet
DIZ9829

Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes | Get this on the table faster (and keep this to one pan) by using frozen hash browns instead of boiling potatoes.

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Chef John's Shakshuka

Chef John's Shakshuka
Baking Nana

Ready in 45 minutes | Even though we usually think of eggs as breakfast food, this North African dish is meant to be enjoyed any time of the day. Serve it with flat bread for scooping up all the eggs and sauce.

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Farro Sausage Apple Skillet

high angle looking at a skillet of farro sausage apple
France C

Ready in 45 minutes | Turkey Italian sausage, diced Granny Smith apples, and farro make a simple and delicious one-dish meal. "This was a great farro dish," says Linda. "I used apple chicken sausage, McIntosh apples and added baby spinach at the end. Delicious!"

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Sausage Potato Stuff

close up of a bowl of sausage potato stuff
Ashley

Ready in 30 minutes | Here's a super-simple skillet starring smoked sausage, potatoes, and green chiles under a layer of melty Cheddar cheese. "My family of 6 loves this dish!" raves jenscott3. "It is quick, easy, uses few ingredients, and provides an option to get out of our chicken-beef-chicken rut!

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Paprika Chicken Thighs and Rice Skillet

Paprika Chicken Thighs and Rice Skillet
fabeveryday

This simple chicken thigh and rice skillet is full of smoky paprika flavor. "Everything cooks together in one pot for an easy, relatively hands-off, all-in-one dinner," says fabeveryday.

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Hangtown Fry with Parmesan and Fresh Herbs

close up of a skillet of hangtown fry with parmesan and fresh herbs
Amanda SusieQ

Ready in 25 minutes | "My variation on the traditional Hangtown Fry contains cheese and fresh herbs and is finished under the broiler where the egg/oyster mixture puffs up like a cross between a frittata and a souffle," says Cazuela. "I get the best results using a cast iron skillet. It's important that the oven be hot before you place the skillet under the broiler."

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