The 20-Minute Dinner Both My Boys Actually Eat

I'm not going to make you scroll through my childhood to get to dinner. (You can come back and read the story after you eat.) Here's the meal that has saved more weeknights in our house than I can count.

Jump to it — the recipe's right below.

It's a one-pan chicken, rice, and veggie skillet. It's forgiving, it reheats well, and both my boys eat it without a negotiation summit.

Why it works on a weeknight

• One pan = fewer dishes
• Everything's pantry/freezer friendly
• Easy to hide a vegetable or two

The Recipe — One-Pan Chicken & Rice

Prep: 5 min · Cook: ~18 min · Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the chicken, season, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the rice and let it toast for a minute.
3. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, then cover and lower the heat.
4. Cook 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is gone.
5. Stir in the frozen veggies, cover for 2 more minutes, and serve.

Easy swaps

• Picky eater? Keep the veggies on the side.
• Want it cheesy? Stir in a handful of shredded cheese at the end.
• No chicken? Ground turkey or beef works great.

This is one of those meals I could make in my sleep — which is good, because some nights that's about where I'm at.