Having recipes at your fingertips has been the name of the game lately. All throughout social media, I’ve noticed a focus on quick-fixes, solutions in a pinch, and life hacks. (which aren’t new at all, but I felt that they fit the theme). Outside the onslaught of “here’s my five minute salmon recipe” and “you’ll never believe this one ingredient rice bowl is JUST rice”, I’ve found myself looking for those same answers. Most nights, it’s tough to shop for an entire meal that you’ll have to trek all the way back home, unpack, and later notice the hundred dollar grocery store charge.
Thus, this post. Declaring that last-minute recipes can also be magical, delicious, and fun! Today, we’re featuring recipes that really shine in this category. All of these are either rice-based, tortilla-centered, or fish-forward. They feature ingredients that stand on their own, and with a collection of delicious garnishes and sides, they’ll make you feel great during and post-meal! These recipes are comprised of 80% ingredients I usually have at home and 20% ingredients I’d need to snag from the store. To me, that’s the magic number.
At the end of a long day, I really believe in cooking therapy. Time to focus on an activity that purely exists for you to create and enjoy. But, that doesn’t mean you should have to break the bank every time, OR pull together something complex – and occasionally, annoying! So, without further ado, here are my picks for the best recipes at your fingertips. Simple, and exciting! Let us know in the comments what you think of these options, and if you end up giving them a try!
Also, if you like the last-minute, impromptu vibe…check out these other posts we wrote with the same concept! You might find other inspiration there 😉
xoxo,
Kim & Tess
Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tsp peeled ginger, minced
- 4 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups whole-milk yogurt (not greek!)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise and into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it extra spicy!)
- 1 28 oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- steamed basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
- Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl; add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, at least. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.
- Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until sauce thickens, 8-10 minutes.
- Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots (it will not be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
- Add chicken pieces to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs over jasmine rice!
Chicken Tostadadillas with Honey Lime Crema
Ingredients
- 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb ground chicken beef or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 2-3 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- crema, avocado, cabbage, and cilantro. for serving (see notes)
Tostada Shells
- 12 corn tortillas
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground meat, onion, and poblano pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, about 10 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.
- Meanwhile, make the tostadas. Line the corn tortillas up on 2 baking sheets and rub lightly with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake 7 minutes, until crisp. In a small bowl, combine the parsley, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, chives, dill, and 1 teaspoon salt. While warm, sprinkle the "cool ranch" seasoning blend over each tostada.
- To make the tostadillas. Evenly divide the Mexican cheese blend between half the tostadas, then place the remaining tostada shells directly on the cheese. Bake 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- To assemble, plate each tostadilla and top evenly with mashed avocado and chicken. Top as desired with cabbage, jalapeños, and cilantro. Dollop over the crema. Break 'em up and enjoy!
Notes
Baked Flounder with Lemon, Onions, & Butter
Ingredients
- 3 flounder fillets
- 1 tsp salt, to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 Vidalia onion, small diced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, for serving
- 3 lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients and grease a shallow baking dish. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cut the flounder fillets into serving-size portions, or serve whole filets if seem to be the correct size. Arrange the pieces into a prepared baking dish or baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a small bowl combine melted butter, lemon juice, and small diced onion. Pour the lemon-butter mixture over the fish.
- Sprinkle the fish with paprika and bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, lemon wedges, and serve!
