Emergency dinners are the recipes and ideas you pivot to when your original plan falls apart. These quick and easy recipes use on-hand, flexible ingredients and are on the table fast.
Usually, it's because I forgot to thaw the chicken.
Other times, something runs late (ahem, soccer) and we're walking in the door and the dinner I had planned that takes 30 minutes to make is no longer going to work because we need to eat. Now.
Emergency dinners to the rescue!
These are the recipes or ideas you can fall back on last minute. When the original plan fails (or you just forgot to make an original plan 🤪) and now you need to come up with dinner.
Emergency Dinner Requirements:
These recipes have to check at least one of the following boxes to be useful to us on one of those nights.
Pantry or Freezer Friendly: The recipe uses on-hand ingredients that we are likely to have in our pantry or freezer. We are not going to the store.
Flexible: The recipe is forgiving and can be adapted to use and swap out with what you actually have available. We are not going to the store.
Minimal Prep: These particular recipes are great when you walk in the door and literally have 5-10 minutes to pull something together or have your hands full with other things.
Shortcuts: The recipe relies on a store-bought shortcut staple - spoiler: for me, that usually means rotisserie chicken - to keep things quick and easy.
Emergency Dinner Recipes
Browse the recipes below (and read more below about why they were included and how to round out the meal) and find what fits your needs tonight.
Pro Tip: Find at least 2-3 recipes you love and that your family loves that fall into this category. Keep those ingredients stocked at all times. Be familiar with the recipe so it doesn't feel stressful. Voila, now you've got a fall back plan anytime.
15 MInutes or Less
No time to waste, these recipes are ready in just 15 minutes.
Honey mustard chicken is deliciously saucy and great served with microwave baked or mashed potatoes and a steamable veggie for a quick dinner.
Skillet lemon chicken is light and flavorful and just 5 ingredients. Serve over rice (instant or frozen to keep it fast) and add some steam-in-the-bag green beans for a complete meal.
Honey garlic chicken has an addictively delicious sauce! Pair with rice and peas or broccoli for a fast dinner.
Easy turmeric chicken is just 4 main ingredients but packed with flavor. Use to make grain bowls or serve with hummus and pita.
Quick chicken curry is a one-pan, 15-minute recipe using rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. It's a simple but impressive dinner. Add rice or pita if you need to bulk up the meal a bit.
5 Ingredients or Fewer
These recipes are simple to make and use just a handful of ingredients, so you can throw them together anytime.
Ranch seasoned pork chops are seared in a skillet and finished in the oven. Easy to make and familiar flavors. Add some potatoes and a bagged salad to complete the meal.
This 15-minute paprika chicken is what I make when I don't know what to make with chicken breasts. Simple and scrumptious. Serve with potatoes or rice and a veggie.
Garlic butter shrimp is ready in just 15 minutes and a great way to use some frozen shrimp. Serve with pasta and a veggie like asparagus or green beans.
Honey dijon salmon is one of my favorite last-minute ways to cook salmon so I don't have to think too hard about it. Pair with a grain salad or some potatoes and a spinach salad.
Honey garlic shrimp is ready in 10 minutes and has a delicious sauce to go with it. Serve with rice and a veggie - and use the sauce for your whole plate!
Easy balsamic chicken is 4 simple ingredients and just 20 minutes to make. Serve with rice, quinoa or couscous to soak up the yummy juices!
Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
These recipes use my favorite shortcut - cooked rotisserie chicken - to get dinner on the table quick!
Chicken, black bean and spinach skillet should not taste as good as it does. It's one of my favorite last-minute recipes - ready in 15 minutes - and you can add all kinds of fun toppings.
One pot wonder with chicken and spinach checks all the boxes: it's 5 ingredients, ready in 15 minutes and uses rotisserie chicken. Fun fact: This is my dad's go-to recipe when he has to cook.
Southwest chicken skillet with black beans and veggies is a complete meal ready in just 15 minutes. Amazing.
Chicken quesadillas can be made in 10 minutes and you can add in whatever you like. The post includes 9 flavor variations. Great for a quick meal for just one or two family members.
Quick and easy chicken fried rice is a great one to throw together if you keep frozen veggies and soy sauce on hand. Just 20 minutes to make. You do need pre-cooked or leftover rice though.
Bonus recipes
Need some more inspiration? These extra recipes don't fit the boxes above exactly but they are simple to make and use ingredients you are likely to keep stocked.
Mexican shrimp skillet is ready in 20 minutes and great served with rice or quinoa, in a wrap or as tacos.
Quick Mediterranean chicken is a one-skillet meal ready in just 25 minutes. Serve as is or with couscous or orzo.
Spice rubbed pork chops have a bold seasoning mix and take just 20 minutes to make. Great for a pork chop recipe that only needs some basic spices.
Skillet chicken and broccoli is a cheesy dinner with big comfort food vibes. It's family friendly and goes great with rice or potatoes.
Sheet pan honey mustard chicken with potatoes and broccoli is just a few basic ingredients and easy to prep, then it's hands off as everything cooks in the oven.
Skillet salsa chicken uses on-hand ingredients and is really versatile. Serve with rice, in a wrap or over a salad and add your favorite toppings.
Easy cream cheese chicken is a family favorite that's just a few basic ingredients and ready in 30 minutes. You're going to love the deliciously creamy sauce. Use some rice and a steamed veggie to finish the meal.
I hope that helps you get through the evening a little easier.
If you are looking for some store-bought shortcuts, check out this post on how to make easy dinners using store-bought foods. I love having a few of these things on hand to fall back on.
And if you want even more ideas from my friends and fellow food bloggers, see this round up of emergency dinners on my other site, Suppertime CEO.
Happy (hardly) cooking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Do you have a favorite fall-back recipe or plan for those kinds of nights? Please leave a comment below and share it with us!
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