An easy Indian-inspired chicken curry made with yellow curry powder, garam masala, cayenne and chili flakes. Add chunks of sweet potatoes and fresh spinach, then simmer in a creamy spiced coconut sauce. Spoon the curry over steamed basmati rice and add warm naan. It’s so delicious! And, leftovers are even better the next day!

Some of my favorite dinners happen after a full day of recipe testing—when I just cook with what’s on hand and what sounds good. Recently my oldest brother mentioned he was craving Indian curry, and with the chilly fall evenings, a creamy curry sounded perfect.

I kept this one really simple: just curry powder and garam masala (such a good combo), plus coconut milk for that classic, creamy sauce. It comes together in under 30 minutes, and everyone loved it. A cozy, weeknight win for fall and winter!

These are the details

Ingredients

• chicken breast or thighs – I used boneless, skinless
• yellow curry powder
• garam masala
• cayenne pepper
• chili flakes
• salted butter
• yellow onions
• sweet potatoes
• coconut milk
• baby spinach – fresh or frozen works too
• cilantro

For Serving

• steamed basmati rice
• warm naan
• chili flakes

Kitchen Tools

This is pretty straightforward. I make my curry in a high-sided braiser or Dutch oven. You need a good knife to chop, plus a cutting board. That’s pretty much it.

Steps

Step 1: Season the chicken

If your chicken pieces are small, leave them whole (they’ll naturally break up as they cook). Or cube them if you prefer.
Add the chicken to a large braiser or Dutch oven. Sprinkle over the curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, chili flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Add half the butter and the onions; toss to coat.

Step 2: Start cooking

Set the pot over medium-high heat. Let the butter melt and begin to brown around the chicken; cook until the onions are soft and the spices are fragrant, 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Add sweet potatoes & coconut milk

Stir in the remaining butter and sweet potatoes. Then toss for 1–2 minutes to coat.
Pour in the coconut milk and 1 cup water (or broth). Mix in the cilantro, then simmer the chicken until it is cooked throughout and the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. The time will depend on the size of your chicken. Taste and adjust salt and heat.

Step 4: Finish the curry

Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1–2 minutes. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like, splash in a little extra water; if it’s thin, simmer a few more minutes.

Step 5: Serve

Spoon the curry over steamed basmati rice and ladle extra sauce on top. Finish with more cilantro (and lime, if you like). Warm naan on the side is perfect.

Leftovers

Like chili, curry is even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Looking for other Indian inspired dinners? Here are my favorites: 

30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs

Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala

Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil

Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Indian Chicken Sweet Potato Curry, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

My chicken parmesan meatball skillet is a go-to in my house for a quick, one-pan weeknight meal. I love serving it over a bed of pasta or on hoagies as a delicious sammie. It can also be served as an appetizer with crostini or toothpicks! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe .

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground chicken
• Egg
• Grated parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese
• Panko bread crumbs 
• Italian seasoning

• Dry red wine
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Italian seasoning 
• Tomato sauce
• Diced tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar 

• Shredded mozzarella
• Panko bread crumbs
• Italian seasoning

Great Jones

Cast Iron Pan

The Great Jones King Sear is our favorite cast iron pan. It’s definitely worth the splurge to add to your kitchen collection!

• Ground chicken –> Ground turkey, lean ground beef, or a plant-based ground
• Homemade Italian seasoning –> Store-bought Italian seasoning

Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the oven or microwave or on the stovetop before serving.

You can also freeze the cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. Just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving.

Serving Ideas

I love serving these chicken parm meatballs over a bed of spaghetti! Top it all off with additional fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy.

Want to skip the pasta? I recommend serving with roasted or steamed broccoli or your favorite veggie of choice.

Craving a sammie? Delish! Serve the meatballs and a little extra scoop of sauce on hoagies or slider buns.

Serving as an appetizer? Love it! I serve mine with toothpicks for the meatballs or with a basket of crostini.

More Meatball Recipes to Try

Is there anything better than a delicious soup that can be made in 20 minutes flat?! I think not! My Thai coconut dumpling soup is perfect for a quick, cozy dinner! It’s basically deconstructed pork dumplings simmering in a rich, savory broth topped with vibrant edamame and bok choy and finished off with a drizzle of chili crunch for that added heat. It’s seriously one of my go-to dinners on busy weeknights. Skip the chili crunch, and even my toddlers gobble it right up!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground pork: I love the flavor of ground pork, especially in dumplings. Feel free to sub for ground chicken, turkey, beef or even a plant-based ground.
• Red curry paste: This gives this dumpling soup its gorgeous red color, and rich curry flavor. 
• Grated ginger: I love grating fresh ginger for a stronger ginger taste than ground ginger.
• Garlic cloves: Same with garlic! Use fresh grated garlic for the best flavor.
• White onion: Diced white onion gets added to the dutch oven right away. It’s the base of the savory umami flavors.
• Beef broth: Beef broth offers deep, rich flavor, plus added protein, which is why I like to use it. Feel free to sub for chicken or vegetable broth if you so choose. You may need to add a pinch of salt or two as chicken and veggie broth are both less salty than beef broth.
• Coconut milk: This gives this dumpling soup its creamy flavor and appearance. I have not tested this recipe with any other varieties of milk as the flavor of coconut milk is integral to this soup. 
• Wonton wrappers: This is the base of the deconstructed wontons! You’ll cut into strips, and drop them into the soup to simmer to the perfect dumpling texture.
• Edamame: Edamame adds so much to this soup! Protein, a little crunch, and veg! Feel free to sub for frozen peas in a pinch — I’ve done this and it works just fine.
• Baby bok choy: Chopped BBC is a slurp-worthy veggie add to this soup. Spinach can be substituted if you don’t have bok choy.
• Chili crunch: This is the finisher! Add a drizzle of chili crunch right before serving for a little added heat. When I’m serving this to my kiddos, I wait to add the chili crunch just to my bowl.

Tips for the Perfect Soup

• Don’t let your wonton wrappers stick together: When you drop the wonton wrappers into the broth, do so one at a time. This will help to avoid them sticking together in one clump when simmering (I know this from experience LOL).
• Can’t find wonton wrappers? 6 oz. of your favorite noodles can be used instead! Some of my favorites include ramen noodles, rice noodles or even angel hair.
• Don’t love spicy? This dumpling soup isn’t inherently spicy, so simply skip the chili crunch to please the non-spice lovers and kiddos alike.

How to Make Thai Dumpling Soup

1. Start with the diced onion, garlic and ground pork: Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the sesame oil. Put the diced onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, then add the garlic and ground pork making sure to break it up as it cooks. 
2. Add the curry paste and grated ginger and allow the amazing flavor to fill your kitchen. 
3. Then, add the beef broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering to allow the flavors to mature. 
4. Finish by adding the edamame, bok choy, and wonton wrappers, and stir it all together.
5. Serve topped with a drizzle of chili crunch. ENJOY! YUM!

Serving Suggestions

Honestly, this dumpling soup is a yummy stand alone main dish, but if you’re looking to add a side or two, I’d recommend my cauliflower fried rice, sesame kale soy salad, or even topping this soup with my easy ramen eggs!

• Edamame –> Peas, green beans or asparagus
• Baby bok choy –> Broccolini, spinach, napa cabbage or Swiss chard
• Ground pork –> Ground chicken, ground turkey, ground beef or a plant-based ground
• Beef broth –> Chicken broth or vegetable broth
• Wonton wrappers –> Ramen noodles, rice noodles, angel hair pasta

To store this dumpling soup, you want to make sure and store the soup and the wonton wrappers (or noodles) in two separate airtight containers. If you store the wonton wrappers with the soup, they will turn mushy as they soak up all the liquid in the soup.

When you are ready to eat your leftovers, warm the soup and add more wonton wrappers, making sure to simmer for 5 minutes to cook the wonton wrappers.

Let your Thai dumpling soup cool completely and then put it in a freezer safe bag or soup container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Soup Recipes to Try

Each summer, my friend Michaela hosts a backyard barbecue and makes the world’s best grilled chicken. For years, I’ve begged her for the recipe—and this summer, she finally shared it. She starts with a zesty cilantro chimichurri, using part of it to marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs and saving the rest to serve alongside the finished meal. The resulting meat is tender and juicy, with a vibrantly green and herbaceous sauce.

While Michaela serves her chicken straight off a gas grill, my charcoal grill requires more effort than I’m willing to put in on a weeknight. So to recreate the grilled chicken’s charred, smoky flavors in my kitchen, I turn to my broiler. To make this tasty chicken into a true one-pan meal, I roast vegetables on the same sheet pan until they’re nicely charred but still sweet and juicy, then serve everything with the reserved chimichurri and some rice, roasted potatoes, or flatbreads.

Chimichurri With a Twist

Argentinean chimichurri traditionally includes parsley, oregano, garlic, oil, and vinegar. Here, I add a generous handful of cilantro to intensify the chimichurri’s fresh, herbaceous flavor, then mix about a third of a cup with half a teaspoon of honey to make the marinade. The additional sugar from the honey provides a hint of sweetness and helps promote browning, giving the chicken a satisfying grilled flavor. You can marinate the chicken for just an hour, but for even better results, you can let it sit for up to eight hours. (As Serious Eats contributor Tim Chin found in his marinades investigation, the ideal marination time is between one and eight hours.) The portion of the chimichurri that’s reserved to use as a sauce also benefits from an extended rest in the fridge, as this allows the flavors to meld and mellows the bite of raw garlic.

Pre-Salt Your Zucchini

A colorful mixture of vegetables is what really turns this dish into a satisfying meal. I like to use zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion, all cut into similarly sized pieces so that they cook at roughly the same rate. Since zucchini contains a lot of water and can become mushy in the oven, I pre-salt it to draw out excess moisture, which helps it keep its shape when cooked and prevents the meal from becoming waterlogged. Even after salting the zucchini, you may notice a bit of liquid on the pan once the chicken and vegetables are cooked. These schmaltzy juices aren’t a problem, and are delicious spooned over rice or soaked up with a piece of bread.

Your Broiler Is Your Friend

While the broiler doesn’t deliver the exact same smokiness as a grill, it’s a solid alternative for achieving some char. The key is to position a rack near the top of the oven—about six inches below the heating element—and let the broiler preheat for about five minutes so it’s nice and hot.

Round out the Meal However You Like

I eat this one-pan chicken dinner all the time, and part of the reason I never tire of it—aside from how delicious it is—is that it’s endlessly adaptable. I usually pile the chicken and vegetables into warm flatbreads, but rice or roasted potatoes are great vehicles that help round out the meal.

My dad sampled the dish while I was developing the recipe, and it’s since joined his weekly rotation, too. He likes to add fresh vegetables like sliced cucumber and red onion to the plate for a refreshing crunch, along with kalamata olives to bring a briny, savory note. However you serve it, be sure to finish with generous spoonfuls of the reserved chimichurri. The vibrant sauce is the real star of the show—and the reason my family can’t get enough of this easy weeknight dinner.

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Salsa verde shrimp and rice is incredibly flavorful, easy to make (ready in just 15 minutes) and the perfect busy weeknight dinner recipe. This recipe uses simple ingredients like frozen veggies and store-bought salsa verde, helping you make an incredibly delicious meal without much effort.

If you love weeknight meals that take less than 20 minutes to make, you should try Blackened Shrimp Rice Bowls or BBQ Salmon Tacos.

Bites of Wellness was created to help you get a flavorful meal on the table with little effort. Owning my own meal prep business helped me understand how to make flavorful food in the least amount of time. Seafood, specifically shrimp, is such a quick cooking protein. Be sure to check out a few more seafood recipes.

Recipe highlights

• 15 minutes with tips on how to make it even quicker!
• 8 ingredients
• Uses pantry staples – like store bought salsa verde, frozen veggies and frozen shrimp
• Easy to make – the shrimp and veggies cook together in on pan while the rice cooks in the instant pot

Ingredients

• Shrimp – I always use defrosted frozen shrimp that was already peeled and deveined to make minimal prep work.
• Frozen peppers and onions – I highly recommend grabbing the fire-roasted frozen peppers and onions at Trader Joe’s if possible.
• Salsa verde – use your favorite jarred salsa verde or make your own.
• Rice – use whatever your favorite rice is. I highly recommend jasmine rice, as it cooks quickly in the instant pot and pairs perfectly with the slightly spicy shrimp.

How to make salsa verde shrimp bowls

Start by cooking the rice in the instant pot (rinse rice well, add rice and water to instant pot and cook 3 minutes high pressure).

While rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the frozen peppers and onions with salt, garlic powder and cumin. Cook 5-6 minutes until defrosted and most of the water is starting to cook off the veggies.

Push peppers and onions to the sides of the pan and add the defrosted shrimp. Cover shrimp with salt, garlic powder and cumin and cook 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the next side. Turn off heat.

Stir in the jarred salsa verde sauce and stir well, combining the shrimp, veggies and salsa.

Serve over rice and add your favorite toppings like avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, tomatoes, etc.

Recipe variations

• Make it spicier: Add some sriracha, crushed red pepper or jalapenos
• Use a different grain: Serve with brown rice, quinoa or even cauliflower rice depending on your preferences

How to serve salsa verde with shrimp

• In a bowl over rice with avocado and cilantro on top
• In tortillas to make salsa verde shrimp tacos
• Over tortilla chips to make a fun spin on nachos

Common questions

Can you use frozen shrimp?

I don’t recommend cooking frozen shrimp in a skillet, however you can easily defrost shrimp very quickly. If you don’t have time to defrost the shrimp, you can cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer.

Can you make this with another protein?

Yes, you could also use chicken, tofu or even cubed salmon (I recommend making air fryer salmon cubes if you choose this protein). The cooking time may vary for these other proteins.

Can you make this in advance?

As you may know, shrimp can get very rubbery if overcooked, so I don’t recommend making this in advance and later heating it up. You could make the rice in advance to save time though. If you have pre-cooked rice, the recipe will be ready in 10 minutes.

Storing leftovers

• Fridge: If you happen to have leftovers, store them in the fridge in a well sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave over in a small skillet over medium low heat, covered.
• Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this, the shrimp and veggies will not reheat well after defrosting.  

More delicious shrimp recipes