Made these when I wanted something that felt like steakhouse food but was still basically a loaded baked potato. The garlic herb butter really brings everything together.

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Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 lb filet mignon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Garlic herb butter

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• Pinch of salt

How I made it

1. Heat the grill to 400-425°F and set it up for indirect heat. Scrub the potatoes, poke them several times with a fork, then rub with olive oil and salt. Wrap each one in foil and grill for 45-60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until soft.
2. While the potatoes cook, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Take it off the heat and stir in the parsley, rosemary, thyme and salt.
3. Cut the filet mignon into 1-inch pieces and pat them dry. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Get a cast iron skillet really hot on the grill, then sear the steak bites for about 2-3 minutes on the first side and another 1-2 minutes after flipping. I pulled them around 125-130°F for medium-rare, then tossed them with a spoonful of the garlic butter.
4. Carefully open the potatoes and cut a deep slit down the middle without cutting all the way through. Give the ends a little squeeze to open them up.
5. Mix the sour cream, pepper jack, chives, salt and pepper. Spoon that into the potatoes, then pile the steak bites on top.
6. Drizzle everything with the remaining garlic herb butter and finish with some extra chives.

Best served right away while the potatoes are hot and the steak is still juicy. You could also swap the filet for ribeye or strip steak if that's what you have.

This is one of those salads that actually feels like a proper dinner. The grilled chicken makes it filling, while avocado keeps it creamy and the sun dried tomatoes add a really concentrated savory flavor. I also love the salty feta and crunchy pine nuts with the fresh spinach. The lemon herb dressing pulls everything together without making the salad too heavy. I’d recommend this for a quick weeknight meal when you want something fresh but still satisfying.

Ingredients

For the salad

• Baby spinach
• Chicken breasts
• Avocado
• Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Pine nuts

For the lemon herb dressing

• Olive oil
• Fresh lemon juice
• Red wine vinegar
• Fresh parsley
• Garlic
• Dried basil
• Dried oregano
• Honey
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Start with the chicken since it needs a little time on the grill. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then lightly brush them with oil and season with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a small pinch of sugar on each side. The little bit of sugar helps the lean chicken brown and develop some nice color.

Preheat the grill to around 425 to 450°F. Grill the chicken for about 4 minutes per side for an 8 ounce breast, or until the center reaches 165°F. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.

While the chicken rests, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, basil, oregano, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. You don't need a huge amount of dressing here. The sun dried tomatoes already have oil, and the avocado adds plenty of richness, so too much dressing can make the salad feel heavy.

Add the baby spinach to a large bowl and layer in the sliced grilled chicken, avocado, sun dried tomatoes, feta, and pine nuts. Drizzle with the lemon herb dressing and toss gently before serving.

Pine nuts aren't essential if you don't have them. Sliced almonds or chopped walnuts wo

I’ve been leaning toward chicken thighs more lately because they stay juicy and have so much flavor, and this sheet pan dinner is a great example of why. The chicken and vegetables roast together with simple seasonings until everything gets nicely browned, then a fresh garlic herb vinaigrette goes over the top. I like this one when I want a filling dinner without a bunch of complicated prep or extra dishes.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs
• Assorted vegetables
• Olive oil
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Fresh herbs
• Garlic
• Vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Start by heating the oven well so it’s hot enough to give the chicken and vegetables some good color. Arrange the chicken thighs and vegetables on a sheet pan, then drizzle everything with olive oil. Season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and toss until everything is evenly coated.

Roast the chicken and vegetables until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender with some browned edges. The thighs work especially well here because their extra moisture and fat help them stay juicy while roasting and brown nicely.

While everything is in the oven, make the vinaigrette. Combine fresh herbs with garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can adjust the herb combination depending on what you have available. Parsley with cilantro and oregano gives it a fresh Mediterranean style, while basil, thyme and marjoram make it a little more Italian.

Once the chicken and vegetables are finished, drizzle the garlic herb vinaigrette generously over everything while it’s still hot. The bright dressing adds a fresh contrast to the roasted chicken and vegetables.

You can also make extra vinaigrette if you like a stronger herb flavor. Lemon juice can replace the vinegar, and different fresh herbs work well, so this is an easy recipe to adapt to whatever is in your kitchen.

Chicken noodle soup is one of those meals I can make pretty much anytime, not just when someone is sick. This Instant Pot version is especially handy because the pressure cooker does most of the work and the chicken comes out really tender. I like using bone in chicken thighs here because they add a lot of flavor without drying out. A little lemon at the end brightens everything up, and I usually serve it with warm buttered sourdough. I’d recommend this for an easy family dinner or a cozy meal when the weather is cold.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Garlic
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• Fresh parsley
• Dried bay leaf
• Bone in, skinless chicken thighs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Egg noodles
• Fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Start by setting the Instant Pot to sauté and let it heat until it says hot. Add the olive oil, then cook the carrots, celery, and onion for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and cook it for another minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken thighs, then cancel the sauté setting and secure the lid with the valve set to sealing.

Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time is finished, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, then carefully release whatever pressure remains.

Take the chicken out and put it on a cutting board. Switch the Instant Pot back to sauté and add the egg noodles directly to the soup. Let them cook uncovered until tender, which usually takes around 5 to 6 minutes.

While the noodles cook, pull the chicken from the bones and shred it. Once the noodles are ready, stir the shredded chicken back into the soup along with the lemon

These spring roll bowls are one of my favorite ways to turn a bunch of fresh vegetables into a meal that actually feels filling. You get crisp cabbage, carrots, peppers, herbs and other colorful veggies over soft rice noodles, then everything gets coated with a creamy peanut sauce. I like adding shrimp or chicken when I want more protein, but the bowls are still great without it. They’re perfect when I’m craving something fresh but don’t want a boring salad.

Ingredients

• Rice noodles
• Shrimp or chicken
• Red cabbage
• Carrots
• Bell peppers
• Fresh herbs
• Other fresh vegetables of your choice
• Peanut sauce
• Fish sauce, optional
• Sesame honey lime dressing, optional

Instructions

Start by preparing the rice noodles according to the package directions. Once they’re ready, set them aside while you prepare the rest of the bowl.

If you’re using shrimp or chicken, cook the protein separately until completely cooked through. Shrimp works especially well here because it cooks quickly, while chicken makes the bowls a little heartier.

Thinly slice all of the vegetables. I especially recommend slicing the red cabbage very thin so it’s easier to eat with the noodles. Matchstick carrots are a nice shortcut if you don’t want to julienne them yourself.

Build each bowl with a layer of rice noodles and plenty of the fresh vegetables. Add the herbs underneath or around the vegetables so you get fresh flavor in every bite, then top with the cooked shrimp or chicken.

Drizzle everything generously with peanut sauce and serve while the noodles and protein are warm and the vegetables are still crisp. A sesame, honey and lime dressing would also work if you want something different.

For a vegetarian version, leave out the shrimp or chicken and skip the fish sauce. The combination of noodles, crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs and peanut sauce is filling enough on its own.

This is one of my favorite sheet pan dinners when I want something easy but still packed with fresh flavor. The chicken gets coated in basil pesto before roasting with asparagus and sweet tomatoes, then everything gets finished with more pesto and crunchy walnuts. I especially like the walnuts because they add a buttery crunch that you don’t always expect in a chicken dinner. It’s a great weeknight meal when you want something simple without making the same old roasted chicken.

Ingredients

• Fresh basil leaves
• Walnuts
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh garlic
• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts
• Asparagus
• Grape tomatoes
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Start by making the pesto. Add the fresh basil, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic and olive oil to a food processor and pulse until you have a pesto with the texture you like. Season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a sheet pan or line it if you prefer. Add the chicken and asparagus, then toss them with some of the pesto and a little salt and pepper. Spread everything into an even layer and roast for about 10 minutes.

If there’s a lot of liquid on the pan, carefully drain it before adding the grape tomatoes. Return everything to the oven and continue roasting for another 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F.

Once the chicken is done, toss everything with another spoonful of fresh pesto and scatter walnuts over the top. Adding pesto at the end gives the dish a brighter basil flavor instead of cooking all of it away.

Walnuts can also be used in the pesto instead of pine nuts, which gives it a rich, nutty flavor. If you make extra pesto, it can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator before using it for another quick dinner.