Simple 5-Ingredient Dinners That Are Packed with Flavor (Weekly Plan & Shopping List!)
A week of 5-ingredient entrees to help you get a healthy meal on the table on even the busiest days.
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD
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Knowing what to make for dinner every night can sometimes feel challenging, especially after returning from vacation or when we're used to a more laid-back schedule, like in the summer. And even if you do make a meal plan for your week, we all know that things don't always go as planned. With our spotlight, It's 5:15 p.m.—What's for Dinner?, we've got you covered! We created 20 new recipes that come together with only 5 ingredients or in 15 minutes (sometimes both!). And over the next month, ThePrep's dinner plans will feature those recipes. You'll also hear from EatingWell's senior food features editor and working mom Carolyn Malcoun, who will make a guest appearance in two upcoming columns.
We'll kick it off with this week's entrees made with 5 ingredients or less (not including basics like salt, pepper and oil) to help you get a healthy meal on the table on even the busiest days.
Your Meal Plan
Whenever I want to get dinner on the table quickly—without sacrificing flavor or nutrition—I rely on healthy convenience items that make the job much easier. Salad kits, store-bought sauces, seasoning blends, canned beans and frozen veggies are always on my shopping list. I look for low-sodium and low- or no-added-sugar options, since those two ingredients can easily add up when using ready-made items.
Thursday's dinner, Spicy-Sweet Grilled Chicken & Pineapple with Avocado, is a great example of how you don't need a lot of ingredients to create a flavorful dish. The key is choosing ingredients that add tons of flavor or even do double duty, like the pineapple and chipotle in this recipe. Pineapple is not only grilled alongside the chicken, but some of it is also chopped and mixed into the marinade for the chicken. And both the chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce they're packed in are used to flavor this dish. Since my grill will already be on, I'll cook zucchini and squash to serve alongside. A side of whole-wheat couscous adds more satisfying fiber and protein.
Monday: Sheet-Pan Carrots & Chickpeas with Tahini over baby spinach
Tuesday: Honey-Ginger Chicken over brown rice and steamed green beans
Wednesday: Roasted Cauliflower & Curry Soup with whole-wheat sourdough bread
Thursday: Spicy-Sweet Grilled Chicken & Pineapple with Avocado over whole-wheat couscous and a side of Grilled Zucchini & Squash
Friday: Spicy Shrimp with Cauliflower Rice with sliced tomato tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper
Something to Sip On
While beer is one of the most-consumed alcoholic beverages in Mexico, it's even more popular in the Northern states like Chihuahua where I grew up. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite drinks, especially in the form of this Beer Cocktail with Lime & Tajín. Known as a michelada in Mexico, this drink mixes lime juice and Tajín—an almost-sweet chili seasoning made of chili powder, dehydrated lime and salt. In my house, we love adding some Worcestershire sauce, too; you should give it a try. It's delicious with nonalcoholic lager, too!
Get the Recipe: Beer Cocktail with Lime & Tajín
What's Cooking This Weekend
While my husband and I like eating out, we really enjoy making dinner at home, even on the weekends. But with these amazing copycat recipes, we can bring the flavors from our best-loved restaurants home! Plus we find cooking together over the weekend helps us connect while building confidence in our cooking skills. This Saturday, we are making Paella Valenciana—one of my husband's favorite dishes to order when we go out to eat. His family is Spanish, so I felt intimidated the first time I made it. Surprisingly, making paella is pretty straightforward; the key is having all ingredients prepped and ready for use before you start cooking. That, plus some patience, as this dish slowly cooks over the course of an hour, filling our home with the most unbelievable scent! Scan this collection of tasty copycat recipes and add your favorite to the shopping list.
Try a Recipe: 31 Restaurant Copycat Dinners You Can Make Heart-Healthy at Home
