Every week, Executive Food Editor Keith Dresser pairs each main dish with a side to give you a complete, satisfying dinner without the guesswork. Look for the game plan section to learn tips on how to streamline your kitchen work so that dinner comes together quicker.
Weeknight Cooking
Dinner This Week: Grilled Chicken Breasts
This week’s menus include Grilled Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts; Scrambled Eggs with Pinto Beans; and Garlicky Spaghetti with Green Olives for dinner in about an hour.
By Published June 21, 2023.
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Dinner 1: Grilled Chicken Breasts and Grilled Asparagus
Game Plan: Start by pounding and marinating the chicken (step 1). As the chicken sits, light your grill and prep the asparagus. If your grill is large enough to accommodate both the chicken and asparagus, grill them at the same time. If not, grill the chicken first and then grill the asparagus while the chicken rests.
Our Grilled Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts are juicy, savory, and beautifully charred. Soy sauce can be used in place of the fish sauce, but don’t skip the honey as it encourages browning. You can also double (or triple) this recipe and add any leftover chicken to salads or sandwiches. Grilled Asparagus with Chili-Lime Butter is best with thick asparagus, but thinner stalks can also be used; just reduce the cooking time slightly. The spicy butter complements the asparagus nicely, but it can be omitted.
Printable Shopping Lists: Grilled Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts and Grilled Asparagus with Chili-Lime Butter
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Dinner 2: Scrambled Eggs with Pinto Beans and Arugula Salad
Game Plan: Prep all of the ingredients for both dishes, starting with the oranges to give them time to drain. Once the eggs have been cooked, toss the salad and serve.
Scrambled Eggs with Pinto Beans and Cotija Cheese uses olive oil to tenderize the eggs and lend richness. We like the texture of thin-skinned pinto beans, but other beans, like black or navy, are also good. Jarred jalapeños add heat and a touch of acidity, but a fresh jalapeño (seeded or not) can be swapped in. (Just increase the cooking time by a minute or so to soften the chile before adding the eggs.) To eliminate excess moisture in Orange and Radish Salad with Arugula, we drain the oranges before tossing them with the greens. Lime juice forms the base of the dressing, but lemon juice or white wine vinegar will work equally well. Arugula provides a peppery bite, but other greens or lettuces can be substituted.
Printable Shopping Lists: Scrambled Eggs with Pinto Beans and Cotija Cheese and Orange and Radish Salad with Arugula
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Dinner 3: Garlicky Spaghetti and Pan-Roasted Broccoli
Game Plan: Start by bringing the pasta water to a boil. Next, cook the garlic mixture for the pasta, using any unattended time to prep the broccoli. Right before draining the pasta, start pan-roasting the broccoli.
The ingredients in Garlicky Spaghetti with Green Olives and Almonds can be adjusted to suit what you have on hand. We like mild green olives, but black olives, or even a mix of olives, can be substituted. Pecorino Romano adds a salty tang, but other grating cheeses, such as Parmesan will work well too. Pan-Roasted Broccoli is designed for whole bunches of broccoli. Broccoli crowns can be used, but since there is less trim, start with slightly less—about 1½ pounds.
Printable Shopping Lists: Garlicky Spaghetti with Green Olives and Almonds and Pan-Roasted Broccoli
To view more quick weeknight dinner ideas, check out the rest of the Dinner This Week series.
- Dinner This Week: Spaghetti with Clams
- Dinner This Week: Grilled Tuscan-Style Steak
- Dinner This Week: Chicken Souvlaki
- Dinner This Week: Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Dinner This Week: Grilled Salmon
