As we shift out of summer and outdoor grilling and into school schedules and a busier pace of life, there is no reason why we shouldn’t cut ourselves some slack — and cut down on the dishes.
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Here are some sheet-pan dinner favorites that are packed with flavor, simple to make and a perfect way to transition from summer salads to heartier meals.
Sheet-Pan Salmon Nicoise Salad
(Makes 4-5 salads)
salad dressing ingredients:
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 ounce dill (half a package)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dressing instructions:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor and transfer to a lidded container.
Salad ingredients:
- 4 servings of salmon
- 3 cups/240 grams French green beans
- 1 pound baby potato medley
- English cucumber
- 1 cup Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup caps
- 4-5 hard-boiled eggs
- 1/2 bunch radishes
- Arugula or other salad greens
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- red pepper flakes
- Lemon slices
- Garlic cloves
- Dill
Cooking and assembly instructions:
Place a silicone mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet and preheat oven to 400 degrees, preparing to add ingredients to the sheet pan in shifts. Quarter baby potatoes and put them on the sheet pan. Generously drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut a few garlic cloves in half and add to the pan along with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional) to add flavor to the potatoes. After the potatoes have been in the oven for 10 minutes, pull the pan out and add the green beans. Drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and add a few more halved garlic cloves and some of the extra dill sprigs. Return the pan to the oven. After the green beans have been in the oven for five to 10 minutes, remove the sheet pan and add the salmon. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add a sprig of dill and some lemon slices to the top of the salmon. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Begin assembly by creating a base of lettuce on each plate. Add a portion of salmon and an equal amount of potatoes and green beans to each plate. Halve hard-boiled eggs and add to the plate along with sliced cucumber, sliced radishes, a tablespoon of capers and a quarter cup of Kalamata olives. Drizzle all four salads with dressing.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Gyros
Chicken ingredients:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs
- 6-8 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5.5 ounces (1 package) plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 thumb ginger
Chicken instructions:
Add all ingredients but the chicken to a blender and blend until smooth. In a lidded container, toss the chicken in the marinade until each thigh is coated. Allow the chicken to sit in the marinade for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 24 hours (the longer, the better).
Other ingredients:
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 red bell peppers
- Naan
- Tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Kalamata olives
- Feta cheese
- tzatziki
Cooking and assembly instructions:
Put the oven on the broil setting. Place a baking rack into your baking sheet to allow for proper cooking. Remove chicken from the marinade and place it on the baking sheet. Add sliced yellow onions and whole bell peppers. Drizzle the sliced onion with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil for 10 minutes on one side and remove from the oven. Flip the chicken and the red peppers. Give the onions a little toss, putting extra dark pieces under pieces that are not as dark. Broil an additional 10 minutes. Check for doneness on the chicken and remove from the oven. Once the chicken has cooled, thinly slice it along with the roasted red peppers. Assemble gyros by beginning with buttered and toasted naan bread. Add some shredded lettuce, diced cucumber, onions and peppers. Then add chicken, tzatziki, Kalamata olives and feta.
