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14 Surprisingly Easy One-Pot Recipes for When Cooking Feels Like a Chore

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Do you need ideas for tasty meals that won’t hurt your wallet or fill your sink with dirty dishes?

Finding the motivation to cook at home can be challenging with work, school, family, friends, and other daily commitments. One-pot recipes are your simple solution to days when cooking feels like a stressful chore and a bore.

These affordable one-pot recipes are easy and delicious:

Simple, Perfect Chili

Affordable one-pot recipes
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You can never go wrong with a hearty bowl of chili. Food Network’s one-pot chili recipe uses minimal ingredients but doesn’t skimp on flavor. While the chili is delicious on its own, it’s even better with shredded cheese and raw onions.

Simple, Perfect Chili Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Affordable one-pot recipes
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A one-pot chicken enchilada casserole is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s packed with classic Mexican flavors and couldn’t be easier to make. Enjoy this casserole as is, or jazz it up with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Spicy Thai Noodles

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Add these spicy Thai noodles to your weekly dinner rotation. Domestic Superhero’s recipe is vegetarian, but you can add tofu, chicken, or another protein source to your pot. These noodles are also budget-friendly, using many ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

One-Pot Spicy Thai Noodles Recipe

Cheeseburger Pasta

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Are you craving a fun twist on a familiar favorite? This cheeseburger pasta recipe will delight the entire family.

Think of it like a homemade Hamburger Helper, but tastier than you remember. Your wallet and stomach will thank you for cooking this cheesy, meaty pasta dish.

One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe

20-Minute Healthy Sausage and Veggies

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Stick to your budget and diet with a serving of sausage and veggies. It’s the ideal healthy dinner when you’re short on time but don’t want fast food. It contains fresh vegetables, smoked sausage, and yummy spices and is ready to eat in 20 minutes.

20-Minute Healthy Sausage and Veggies One-Pot Recipe

Mexican Chicken and Rice

Affordable one-pot recipes
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This Mexican chicken and rice recipe incorporates kitchen staples into one mouthwatering dish. The rice has corn and black beans for extra protein and texture, and the chicken is juicy and flavorful. Mexican-inspired seasonings take the chicken and rice to the next level without blowing your grocery budget.

One-Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice Recipe

One-Pot Dinner

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Next time you’re unsure what to cook, try Taste of Home’s one-pot dinner. It’s healthy and satisfying, with noodles, ground beef, and vegetables. The cooking time is only half an hour, and everyone will return for seconds.

One-Pot Dinner Recipe

Best Chicken Alfredo

Affordable one-pot recipes
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You don’t need expensive kitchen tools and gadgets for an at-home Italian night. This rich chicken alfredo tastes chef-made but is deceptively easy to prepare. Impress your date by making them alfredo from scratch—they’ll never know you cooked it in one pot.

Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Spicy Unstuffed Cabbage

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Considering how easy this spicy unstuffed cabbage is to make, you’ll be seriously impressed by its tastiness. Everything mixes in one pot, helping the flavors fully combine. You can also adjust the amount of spice according to your personal preference.

Spicy Unstuffed Cabbage Recipe

Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet

Affordable one-pot recipes
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Enjoy savory Cajun flavors at home with a shrimp and rice skillet. The delicious one-pot dinner is surprisingly simple but could pass for restaurant quality. With this Cajun skillet, it’s love at first bite.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice Skillet Recipe

Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes

Affordable one-pot recipes
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One-pot sloppy Joes will remind you of your childhood in all the best ways possible. It’s a cozy option when you want to get dinner on the table fast. Using canned beans and ground beef helps stretch this filling meal, so you’ll also have plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes Recipe

Chicken Fried Rice

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You’ll never crave takeout again after making cheap chicken fried rice at home. It combines wallet-friendly ingredients into one tasty comfort meal. The best part is you won’t spend much time or money creating a batch of this savory fried rice with chicken.

Better Than Takeout Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Spaghetti Marinara

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Spaghetti with marinara sauce is always a crowd-pleaser. This recipe uses jarred sauce but enhances the flavors with extra tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil. The pasta tastes much pricier and fancier than it costs to make.

One-Pot Spaghetti Marinara Recipe

15-Minute Greek Chicken

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This 15-minute Greek chicken recipe is unbelievably yummy. Feta, olives, and fresh cherry tomatoes add a hint of saltiness and acidity. Cooking everything in one pot keeps the chicken moist, and you can serve it with pita bread, rice, or pasta.

15-Minute Greek Chicken Recipe

Impress everyone at the next neighborhood block party

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Nothing beats gathering with friends and family to share food and swap stories. Get inspired for your next potluck with these shareable recipes.

16 Heavenly Recipes to Impress at the Next Church Potluck

Running behind but don’t want to arrive at the party empty-handed?

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Even if you’re short on time, you can still whip up a delicious party snack. These quick recipes taste so good that everyone will think you spent hours making them.

15 Mindlessly Easy Party Recipes to Make Last-Minute

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