A reliable 30-minute dinner begins with the right ingredients. Thin chicken cutlets, fish fillets, canned beans, and quick-cooking pasta can shorten active cooking time. Keep the steps simple, and avoid recipes that quietly require hours of marinating.
A fast honey-garlic salmon skillet
Our featured honey garlic salmon uses an easy soy-honey glaze with green beans in one pan. Cook the fish until its center reaches 145°F, then finish in the sauce to keep the sweet glaze from burning. Serve with already-cooked rice if you want a fuller plate.
Make the clock work for you
Start the longest step first: bring water to a boil or heat the air fryer while you prep other ingredients. Read the whole recipe before cooking. Use a thermometer for chicken rather than choosing an arbitrary short cooking time, and remember that thicker cuts take longer.
Helpful tips before you cook
- Choose ingredients you can prepare while the pan preheats.
- Use already-washed greens in a hot skillet during the final minute.
- Start rice or quinoa before cooking the protein.
- Check package cooking times and work in batches if your pan is crowded.
Featured recipe
Follow the complete recipe below, check off ingredients as you go, or print a kitchen-friendly copy.
