5 Easy Dinners and 2 Lunches to Get You Through the Week

These are the recipes I’m making during a busy week.

By
Micah Siva, RD
Micah Siva
Micah Siva, RD
Micah Siva is a trained chef, registered dietitian, recipe writer, and food photographer, specializing in modern Jewish cuisine. She runs Nosh with Micah, her personal blog.
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Published November 17, 2025
Micah Siva
A bowl of hearty soup topped with melted cheese and parsley featuring meat vegetables and rice

Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

It’s the final countdown! If you are like me, you’ve been working on your Thanksgiving menu for the past few weeks, and as I start to prep for the big day (as well as a multi-day weekend without childcare), my brain starts to resemble mashed potatoes as I take stock of the house. Questions like “When did we break all those wine glasses?”, “Wait, where’s my roasting pan?” and “Who is allergic to peanuts?” start to creep up.

The week before Thanksgiving is a week when I start to prepare. I count my dishes, my glasses, and cutlery, I decorate the house with pumpkins, and start making and freezing whatever I can. My mind is constantly thinking about that one meal, and I often forget that wait… we have to eat all week, too?!

Let’s take a deep breath, start the planning, and enjoy some quick and easy meals in the meantime. I've even included a couple of quick lunches for smooth sailing.

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  • Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

    Baked chicken thighs on seasoned rice in a rectangular baking dish with a serving spatula

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

    One of my favorite meals growing up was a one-dish chicken and rice seasoned solely with canned cream of mushroom soup. I have a feeling that it would be more delicious in memory than in practice, but I still think fondly of this simple weeknight meal. As per the author’s suggestion, I like to add my favorite spice, za’atar, to the mix as well as chopped bell peppers for a true one-dish meal. The best part? I am making two batches so I can give one to my friend after recently having a baby girl.

  • Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

    Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    On nights when I just can’t, I open a box of pasta, a can of tuna, and let dinner just… be. My local Costco recently started to stock a fancy brand of canned tuna called Fishwife with flashy packaging and high-quality fish packed in olive oil, and it’s begging to be made into a simple weeknight meal. I typically save tuna dinners for nights when my husband's out of the house, because my toddler and I like to share a can for a romantic “mommy date”. It's a simple but nourishing dinner in less than 30 minutes.

  • 5-Ingredient Dumpling Bake

    close up of Dumpling Bake With Peanut Butter Sauce

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "I made this recipe even simpler and more accessible with just five ingredients (plus an optional garnish). Instead of curry paste, the sauce is based on something almost everyone has in their pantry: peanut butter. When mixed with water, soy sauce, and chili oil, it makes a spicy, savory, and nutty sauce for the dumplings," —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • German Sausage and Potato Skillet

    Skillet with sliced sausage potatoes and kale arranged neatly

    Simply Recipes/ Shilpa Iyer

    Dinner in 30 minutes in one skillet? Say less. In the week leading up to the main event (aka Thanksgiving), I want simple, easy, and nourishing. As I work my way through a mountain of Yukon Gold potatoes in the cupboard, I’m looking for ways to use them up at mealtime and something that isn’t mashed potatoes… again. I love this combination of potato salad and sausage, it’s sweet, salty, and a little tangy thanks to apple cider vinegar.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below

  • Stuffed Pepper Soup

    Bowl of stuffed pepper soup topped with cheese and some of the soup in a spoon being taken from the bowl

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayliss

    Stuffed peppers without the stuffing? Perfect for a weeknight! This oven-free, one-pot meal takes all the goodness of stuffed peppers and puts it right into your bowl. The secret to making this in a pinch? Pre-cooked microwaveable rice (or leftover takeout rice!). I always have a pack of premade rice in the pantry for busy nights like this.

  • 4-Ingredient Chicken Salad

    Chili crisp chicken salad in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Sheela Prakash

    When it comes to lunch, I'll be relying on leftovers and a couple of super quick and easy recipes. This flavorful chicken salad comes together with just four ingredients, and since I'll be using rotisserie chicken, it'll take mere minutes to make. I like to serve it on bread as a sandwich, in a wrap, or even with rice.

  • Peanut Butter Noodles

    Peanut butter noodles garnished with sesame seeds and scallions in a bowl with serving utensils

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    This is the ultimate back pocket meal. I always have the ingredients for this noodle dish in my kitchen so I can whip it up at a moment's notice. Simply boil some noodles, mix up the sauce while they cook, and toss it all together. You can serve with a bagged Asian-style salad kit for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

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