On top of finances, midterms, and responsibilities, cooking food for yourself can sometimes feel like another overwhelming task. This is why college students are notorious for only eating cup of noodles and microwave-friendly pre-made meals. After dorm food ruined my digestive tract last year, I was excited to try cooking for myself in my first apartment. Unfortunately, cooking is way harder than it looks; there were many nights when I was forced to throw away the charred mess of what I was trying to make and concede to heating up another bag of frozen Trader Joe’s food. After six months of trial and error, I have found a handful of recipes that are not only easy to make, but also makes you feel like a true, functioning adult. There is no better feeling than eating homemade parmesan crusted chicken for dinner like a true adult while your roommates are questioning how many times they can eat ramen before their bloodstream turns into a mess of sodium broth. Even though the rest of you may not feel or act like a functioning adult yet, cooking delicious food with real ingredients will at least give you the pretense that you have your life together – your stomach will be grateful too.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts
A classic and delicious chicken breast – it can be served with pasta and marinara sauce or on its own with a side of roasted potatoes.
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
· 4 boneless chicken breast halves
· 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (preferably Panko)
· 1 cup grated parmesan
· 2 teaspoons oregano
· 1 egg (beaten with 1 tablespoon of water)
· Oil (vegetable or olive oil)
· Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Lightly pound the chicken breasts between sheets of wax paper to an even thinness. Combine crumbs with cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt. Coat each chicken breast with egg mixture, then with crumb mixture, press crumbs firmly and thoroughly over chicken surface. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to make a ¼ inch depth. Heat over medium high heat. Sauté the chicken until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Shrimp with a Lime Butter Sauce
A citrusy shrimp – this dish is super easy to make but sounds sophisticated. The sauce is also really good with fish, especially salmon.
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
· 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
· ½ cup butter (cut into 8 pieces)
· 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
· 3 tablespoons oil
· 2 pounds shrimp
DIRECTIONS
Boil lime juice in small saucepan over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 butter pieces one at a time. Set pan over low heat and whisk in remaining butter one piece at a time. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of cilantro or parsley.
Heat oil in wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and stir-fry until just opaque – about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to plate. Pour sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.
P.F. Chang’s Copycat Chicken (or Turkey) Lettuce Wraps
These lettuce wraps taste just as good, if not better, than the ones we all love at P.F. Chang’s and are easy to make. Instead of going out, make these with your friends to save some money.
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
· 2 cloves garlic (minced)
· 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
· 2 tablespoons soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
· 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts (drained and diced)
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
· 1 head butter lettuce
DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey (or chicken) and brown meat, and then drain fat. Stir in garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and ginger for 2 minutes. Stir in water chestnuts until tender – about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Wash a head of lettuce and then peel off pieces. Spoon a generous amount of the chicken or turkey mixture into the lettuce and eat like a taco (or however you wish).
Adapted from: http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/
White Bean Chicken Chili
This delicious soup could not be easier to make. With just five ingredients that are all thrown into one pot, you’ll have a delicious and inexpensive soup in just 15 minutes. It has a healthy dose of chicken and beans that makes it filling, and a subtle spice in the chicken broth that makes it perfect for spring allergies.
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
· 3 cups chicken broth
· 2 cups cooked chicken
· 1 can Great Northern beans (drained)
· 1 cup salsa verde (store-bought)
· 2 teaspoons cumin
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan and stir as mixture. Heat over medium-high until boiling. Cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for at least 5 minutes.
Optional: Serve with fresh avocado slices, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, or tortilla chips.
Adapted from: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/5-ingredient-easy-white-chicken-chili-recipe/
Fettucine with a Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Always delicious, this fettucine Alfredo will taste extra fresh and creamy with a homemade Alfredo sauce. As an added bonus, this is a one-pot meal, which means fewer dishes!
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1 tablespoon oil
· 3 shallots (minced)
· 6 cups milk
· 12 ounces fettuccine pasta
· 1 cup parmesan
· ¼ teaspoon white pepper
· 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Sauté shallots until softened but not browned (about 5 minutes). Add milk, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Stir in fettucine and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring constantly until pasta is tender (about 20 minutes). Toss with the parmesan and season with pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional cheese and optional parsley.
Good luck cooking! I hope that whatever recipe you choose to conquer, your food will taste good and your kitchen will remain fire-free. Adulthood, here we come!