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Time-saving meals that also taste amazing.
A lot of recipes are made to serve six people, so what is one to do when you need a quick and easy dinner for two? Although many of our dinners serve four people, this collection of hits is perfect for serving half as many and in record time.
These dishes, from pasta to chicken to steak, can all be easily halved or prepared in full and used as excellent leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. When cooking for two, these are the recipes we turn to, to make cooking a breeze.
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Chicken Parmesan Pizza
This meal is so simple to make, it's a great one to prepare with kids. They'll love eating it too—the combination of garlic bread, fried chicken, and plenty of cheese is a guaranteed winner.
02 of 40
Skillet Sausage 'N' Rice
This hearty skillet dinner comes together in 30 minutes and with one pan. It will feed two people generously, and if you're lucky, you'll even have a little leftover for lunch the next day.
03 of 40
BBQ Chicken Breasts
Boneless chicken breasts are a weeknight staple and we're always on the lookout for new ways to dress them up. This recipe calls for baking them with your favorite barbecue sauce, and it's so simple you'll practically have it memorized after the first time you make it.
04 of 40
Blackened Shrimp Rice Bowls
If you start with leftover cooked rice or ready-to-heat rice that's frozen or sold in a pouch, this protein-packed meal comes together in 20 minutes flat, and leaves you with lunch for the next day.
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Beef Calzones
Take all the ingredients you would use to make a pizza—store-bought dough included—and turn them into single-serve calzones filled with sauce, cheese, beef, and pepperoni. The recipe makes four calzones, for a hearty dinner for two.
Quick Tip
These calzones are customizable—swap for a different meat or add veggies if you prefer. Just make sure you don't overfill them—too much inside the calzone may make it hard to bake all the way through.
06 of 40
Feta Tomato Pasta
Inspired by the viral pasta made with melted feta cheese and cherry tomatoes, this version includes pimientos, plus pine nuts and a little lemon zest and basil. The recipe serves two generously, or you can enjoy leftovers the next day.
07 of 40
Cajun Shrimp Salad
Shrimp and andouille make a zesty topper for a bed of greens and vegetables. Serve with some crusty bread on the side for a satisfying meal.
08 of 40
Green Chile Chicken Skillet
Enjoy the rich, comforting flavor of chicken enchiladas without all the folding and baking with this simplified skillet supper. Round out the meal with rice or cornbread.
09 of 40
4-Ingredient Boursin Pasta
If you're a fan of Boursin cheese, you'll love this easy, creamy sauce, which uses that product along with cherry tomatoes and a little olive oil to make a simple and delicious pasta sauce.
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Kale Caesar Salad
Even if you think you're not a fan of kale salad, give this recipe a try. It gets a flavor boost from lemon zest, olive brine, and crushed parmesan crisps that makes it irresistible. Add shredded chicken if you'd like extra protein.
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Chicken-And-Fontina Panini
If a sandwich for supper doesn't excite you, try these crunchy and gooey paninis filled with cheese, chicken, and pesto.
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Farm Stand Pasta Salad
This recipe was designed as a side dish, but it makes a light and tasty vegetarian main dish too. If you want to add a protein, stir in some shredded rotisserie chicken, a can of drained chickpeas, or grilled shrimp.
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Steak Frites
If prepared as is for two, you'll have leftover steak perfect for topping a salad the next day, or you can turn leftovers into a sandwich with the chimichurri aioli.
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Cast-Iron Salmon With Baby Kale Salad
This salmon salad is easily scaled down for two, and makes for an effortless and light weeknight meal. A cast-iron pan is crucial for getting the skin on the salmon perfectly crispy.
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Honey Mustard Chicken
Jazz up your usual weeknight chicken dinner with a sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce flavored with garlic and rosemary. Even better, the whole dish is made in one pan!
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Shrimp Orzo Salad
This is the kind of salad that only gets better as it sits. Prep the whole batch and enjoy it throughout the week as lunch or dinner.
17 of 40
Fettuccine Alfredo
If you've only tried Alfredo sauce in a restaurant or bought it in a jar, you're in for a real treat. Our homemade version is surprisingly easy to pull off and tastes extra rich and creamy.
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Burrito Bowls
Thanks to smart shortcuts like canned black beans, microwavable brown rice, and store-bought pico de gallo, this meal comes together in only 10 minutes.
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Marry Me Chicken
Sun-dried tomatoes are the key ingredient in this provocatively named recipe, that may or may not illicit a proposal. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days, and are delicious served over pasta.
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Bourbon-Glazed Salmon
The South's favorite spirit is good for so much more than just cocktails. Here, bourbon combines with honey and oranges to make a quick glaze for a salmon dinner ready in just 20 minutes.
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Bacon Lover's Cacio e Pepe
This speedy pasta checks all the weeknight dinner boxes: it's easy to make, inexpensive, and tastes amazing.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu
This dish might be more involved than just throwing a chicken breast in the oven, but it's well worth the extra effort (and it's still ready in just 45 minutes). Store-bought cutlets can help speed up the process, and our Herby Dijonnaise served alongside is a stir-together sauce that takes only five minutes to make.
23 of 40
Crispy-Ham Carbonara With Peas
Don't be intimidated by this Italian classic, we promise you don't have to be a nonna to pull it off. Just make sure to add the hot pasta water a little at a time to avoid scrambling the silky egg yolks that make up the base of the sauce.
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Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Cutlets With Haricots Verts
Chicken cutlets, whether serving a few folks or an entire party, help make cooking go a lot faster. Here, we wrap the thin cut in prosciutto, which forms a crispy and salty outer shell on the lean meat.
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Mississippi Pork Chops
Pepperoncini peppers and a ranch seasoning packet are the secret to these ultra flavorful pork chops. Serve the chops with our Garlicky Green Beans, a quick and effortless side ready in only 10 minutes.
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Linguine With Clams
A staple of Italian restaurants, you can bring the restaurant to you with this easy recipe. If you've never cooked with clams, don't fear. Not only do they cook quickly, but it's easy to tell when they're done—they open right up!
27 of 40
Pork Tenderloin Schnitzel With Cranberry-Fennel Slaw
Although the star of this dish is the shatteringly crisp schnitzel, the bright and tangy Cranberry-Fennel Slaw completes each bite, cutting through the richness of the fried meat.
28 of 40
Smothered Steaks With Mushroom Sauce
"I have made this twice, once for the family and the second time for company. This recipe is delicious and easy enough to make on a weeknight. A real treat," says one Southern Living reader about these Smothered Steaks.
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Cajun Shrimp Stir-Fry
When serving only two, reduce the amount of shrimp in this recipe to just a 1/2 pound, and you have a speedy stir-fry supper ready in only 20 minutes. To save prep time, purchase peeled, deveined raw shrimp at the store, or ask the folks at the seafood counter to do the cleaning for you.
30 of 40
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin "Filets"
These faux fillets feel fancy, but couldn't be simpler (or more inexpensive) to prepare. Bacon helps flavor and fortify a lean cut of meat like pork tenderloin, so it cooks up juicy and flavorful.
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Smashburgers
Impress your other half with homemade burgers that are better than fast food. Thin and crispy smashed patties are basted with our secret sauce as they cook for a beautiful and flavorful crust.
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Easy Chicken Parmesan
This is possibly the best way to make use of that jar of pasta sauce and package of spaghetti in the pantry. Buying cutlets (instead of regular chicken breasts) means you won't have to fuss with pounding out the meat.
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Salmon Patties
There is no better way to use up leftover salmon. Gently bound by crushed saltines and mayo, these tender patties cook up beautifully golden brown and need nothing more than a simple squeeze of lemon to serve.
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Zucchini Pasta
You've never had zucchini like this. It cooks down until ultra silky and tender, forming a simple but satisfying pasta sauce enriched with Parmesan and cream, and brightened by the sweetness of fresh basil.
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Garlic Butter Shrimp
All this shrimp dish is missing is a crusty baguette, a leafy side salad, and a cold glass of white wine. Although simple, this dish still feels special enough to serve for date night, an anniversary, or birthday.
Tip
Opt for jumbo peeled, deveined raw shrimp instead of bagged frozen shrimp for this recipe. If you can, buy fresh local shrimp for its taste and texture.
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Chopped Kale Salad With Toasted Breadcrumbs
Consider this our take on a classic Caesar salad. We swap romaine for kale and croutons for breadcrumbs, while also subbing some of the mayo in the dressing for Greek yogurt. It's not traditional, but just add rotisserie chicken and you have a super satisfying dinner for two.
37 of 40
Speedy Grain Salad With Sugar Snap Peas
We don't put speedy in the name of this recipe for nothing. This is a great quick meal for serving after a long day, or on a hot summer night when the very idea of cooking makes you start to sweat. The unsung hero of this hearty salad is rotisserie chicken.
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Garlic Butter Chicken
This dish exemplifies how simple is best. With only seven ingredients (not counting salt and pepper) there's really no excuse for not making these cutlets. It might call for four cloves of garlic, but frankly, you can measure with your heart and add more or less to taste. (Personally, I go for more.)
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Lemon Chicken Pasta
Veggies, pasta, and chicken all in one dish? You can't ask for a more complete meal in one. You can reduce the quantities for two, but leftovers (especially the cutlets) reheat nicely.
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Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Want to make a weeknight meal that really impresses? Serve up tender, buttery steak over polenta or mashed potatoes. The pan sauce is flavored with garlic and Worcestershire, plus bourbon for an extra kick.
Read the original article on Southern Living
