4 Dinners for Busy Nights

Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

PREP TIME

12 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

27 mins

SERVINGS

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large chicken breasts)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice(from 2 lemons)

• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

• Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

Method:

Cut the chicken breast into cutlets:  Place the palm of your hand flat against the top of a whole chicken breast to keep it from sliding around. With the broad side of your knife horizontal to the cutting board, cut through the chicken breast to create 2 thinner halves (cutlets). Season, then dredge the chicken breasts:  In a small bowl, combine 4 teaspoons of the lemon pepper seasoning and the salt. Add the flour to a separate shallow dish. Season both sides of each of the chicken breasts with the spice mixture. Dredge both sides of the seasoned chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess flour, then lay the dredged chicken on a wire rack or platter while you heat the pan.Pan-fry the chicken: In a large skillet, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, swirl the pan a little to combine the two fats. Once the oil in the skillet begins to shimmer, lay your chicken cutlets in a single layer in the pan. You may need to fry in batches. Fry the chicken for 3 minutes without moving. Use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken and fry until they’re cooked through, an additional 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Use your tongs to remove the chicken from the skillet to a platter.Make the lemon pepper sauce:   Discard the darkened fat from the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove and add the remaining butter. Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic. Sauté the garlic in the butter until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds.Add the chicken stock and lemon juice and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the liquid in the skillet to come to a boil and continue to boil until very slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season the sauce with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning and salt to taste.Coat the chicken:  Once the sauce has reduced slightly, return the chicken breasts to the pan. Turn them over to coat both sides in the sauce, and turn the stove off. Allow the residual heat from the pan to warm the chicken up before sprinkling the chopped parsley over top. Garnish with lemon slices and serve

Easy Beef Bulgogi

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

10 mins

MARINATING TIME

30 mins

TOTAL TIME

50 mins

SERVINGS

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

  1/2 Asian pear, peeled and grated

  2 tablespoons mirin, rice wine, or dry white wine

  2 tablespoons sugar

  3 large cloves garlic, minced

  2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 1/2 pounds ribeye, sliced 1/8 inch thick

  1 tablespoon canola oil

  1/2 cup chopped green onions

  2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

  Cooked rice, to serve, optional

Method

Make the marinade:

• In a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, grated pear, mirin, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

  
  

  Marinate the beef: 

  Add the beef and toss until it is evenly coated with the marinade. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. At this point, you can put the marinated beef in a zip top bag and freeze it for later.

  
  

  Cook the bulgogi: 

  Heat the canola oil in a large cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Make sure the pan is hot before you add the bulgogi. Add the bulgogi in a single layer. You may need to cook it in batches. The meat should not overlap so that it chars nicely without steaming and releasing liquid. Cook until lightly charred and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

  
  

  Serve:

  Transfer the bulgogi onto a serving platter or serve it straight from the pan. Sprinkle the green onions and sesame seeds on top. Serve it while hot with cooked rice on the side.

  
  

  Leftovers can be tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Creamy Chicken Florentine

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

30 mins

SERVINGS

4 servings

NOTE

Can’t find chicken cutlets at your local grocery store? Buy 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total). Lay

the chicken breast flat on your cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to cut it in half horizontally. Each chicken breast will

give you 2 cutlets.

Dry white wines I recommend for this recipe: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry Riesling.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided, plus more to taste

4 chicken cutlets (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 medium shallots, chopped

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (about 3 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

12 ounces fresh baby spinach

Method

1.Dredge the chicken:

In a shallow bowl, add the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well with a fork or a spoon.

Lay a chicken cutlet on top of the flour. Sprinkle some of the flour mixture on top and press with your hands to coat.

Flip the chicken to evenly coat both sides, sprinkling flour over any bare spots and shaking off the excess. Transfer

it onto a large plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets. Discard any leftover flour.

2.Cook the chicken:

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Tilt the skillet to evenly coat it with oil.

The oil should shimmer, but not smoke. Add the dredged chicken cutlets in a single layer. Let them cook, without

moving, until the bottoms are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Use tongs to flip the cutlets and cook the other side is lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 4

minutes. If your skillet isn’t big enough, you can cook the chicken in 2 batches.

Transfer the chicken onto a clean plate and tent it with foil. Set it aside while you make the sauce, which will be

made in the same skillet.

3.Cook the vegetables:

Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots and sauté until they

begin to turn translucent, about 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms and garlic, and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

Sauté until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

4.Make the sauce:

Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, loosening any browned bits. Bring the

wine to a simmer and cook until the alcohol smell dissipates, about 1 minute.

Stir in the heavy cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the spinach in 2 or 3 batches, stirring after each addition

until all the leaves are wilted and incorporated into the sauce.

Stir in the Parmesan until it is completely melted.

5.Assemble the dish:

Nestle the chicken cutlets in the sauce and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reheat. Taste the sauce and adjust the

seasoning with more salt and black pepper, if needed. Serve!

Leftovers keeps well since it has a moist sauce. Refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat it

on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of heavy cream if it feels dry.

Easy Pork Fried Rice

PREP TIME

5 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

25 mins

SERVINGS

4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice, fresh or frozen

10 ounces lean pork loin, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 inches fresh ginger, minced or grated

1 cup frozen carrots and peas

3 large eggs, scrambled

1 tablespoon soy sauce

For the Chili Sesame Oil (Dad Add):

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon chili oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pinch sesame seeds

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Method

1.Prepare the rice:

If using freshly-cooked rice, spread onto a baking sheet and let cool for 10-15 minutes. You can also stick the rice in

the fridge to cool it quickly.

If using frozen rice, thaw the rice just enough so the grains can be separated.

2.Cook the pork:

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Season the pork cubes with the salt

and pepper. Add the pork cubes to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked through, 3-4

minutes. Remove from the skillet.

3.Cook the vegetables:

Pour another tablespoon of oil into the skillet. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook for a minute until

fragrant and then add the frozen carrots and peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions have softened and the

frozen vegetables are warmed through. Remove from the skillet.

4.Make the Chili Sesame Oil (optional):

While the vegetables cook, in a small bowl stir together the toasted sesame oil, chili oil, red pepper flakes, and

sesame seeds. If you have the time, very gently warm this oil mixture in a small pan over low heat for a few

minutes. Be careful not to make it so hot that the spices burn.

5.Finish the fried rice:

Add the remaining two tablespoons of vegetable oil to the empty skillet. Turn your heat to medium (your skillet or

wok should still be hot), add rice and spread it out in an even layer. Let the rice fry for 1-2 minutes or until it has

some color. Then stir the rice, push it to the edges, and form a well in the center of the skillet.

Pour the eggs into the well. Let sit for a minute until they begin to cook, then stir just the eggs until they are 90%

cooked. Once they are mostly cooked, stir the rice and eggs together to combine, then immediately stir in the

cooked pork, vegetables, and soy sauce.

Toss or stir to combine well. Garnish with scallions and Chili Sesame Oil if using. Serve immediately.

LEFTOVERS! Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days and can be reheated in the microwave on high heat until

steaming hot. I recommend adding a tablespoon of water to each serving when you microwave it to rehydrate the

rice a bit.

Once the pork fried rice is cool, you can scoop it into freezer-safe storage bags and store for up to three months.

All recipes can be found on simplyrecipes.com