By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times
New year, new me? I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions or Dry January routines, though I do lightly aspire to go to bed earlier, drink less wine and eat more vegetables in 2026. I very much want to just stay home and cook a lot this month, incidentally a great way to be healthier and more present in your daily life.
If you need recipes for healthy meals — breakfast, lunch, dinner, anything — you’re in the right place. I’ve got five dinners for you below.
1. One-Pan Spicy Chicken Thighs and Mushrooms
A fried pepper condiment of puréed bell peppers and onions known in Yorùbá as ọbẹ ata dín dín is common across West Africa as a base for stewed greens and meat. This sauce is an expression of balance in a pot, often packed with fresh, dried, fermented and hot ingredients, each rich and distinct in flavor. Here, mushrooms and chicken thighs are the lucky recipients of this mother sauce. The pivot is to simply chop jarred roasted peppers instead of crushing fresh vegetables with a grinding stone, which is a traditional yet lengthy process. Oil-packed anchovies and miso deliver exactly as expected, adding savoriness to the depth of mushrooms. A squeeze of lime lends a tart zing to the sauce; a scatter of chopped basil adds a piquant burst.
By Yewande Komolafe
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs Salt and black pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a large knife 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, minced (without seeds for mild) 8 to 10 oil-packed anchovies 2 tablespoons white or red miso 12 ounces mixed mushrooms (any kind), wiped clean and sliced 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped (2 cups) 1 cup chicken broth or water 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish (optional) 1 lime, cut in wedges, for servingPreparation
1. Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Place the chicken smooth side down and cook without moving until dark golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional minute. Move the chicken to a plate, browned side up.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon oil in the skillet and add the onion, garlic, cumin, chile, anchovies and miso. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, the miso is broken up and the anchovies have completely broken down, about 4 minutes.
4. Increase the heat to high and stir in the mushrooms and red peppers. Cook, stirring frequently to allow the mushrooms to soften and release their liquid. Add the broth and continue to cook until the liquid collects toward the center of the pan, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Use a wooden spoon to create divots in the sauce. Nestle the chicken in the divots, browned side up.
6. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes, adding an additional 1/4 cup water if the sauce begins to dry out. The mushrooms and peppers should be soft. Top with chopped basil if using.
7. Serve immediately over rice with lime wedges and top with basil leaves if using.
Cilantro lime rice and salmon. Spicy chicken thighs and mushrooms, seared tofu with kimchi and turkey chili start the year with flavor and ease. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. (Julia Gartland, The New York Times)2. Cilantro-Lime Salmon and Rice
Bright and vibrant cilantro and lime liven up this weeknight-friendly, one-pot meal. Start by toasting rice in butter in a skillet to create a flavorful base, then, when the rice is almost finished cooking, add green beans and briefly marinated salmon to steam. Like many one-pot meals, this one is carefully calibrated so that each of the ingredients finishes cooking at the same time. Give the beans a head start to ensure they tenderize in the short time it takes the delicate salmon to cook through. To serve, garnish the finished dish with more cilantro and lime juice.
By Yossy Arefi
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
4 limes 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar Salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice 2 3/4 cups water or low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock 8 ounces green beans, trimmed 1 pound salmon, skin removed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems Black pepper, to tastePreparation
1. Zest and juice 3 of the limes into a medium bowl until you get about 1/4 cup lime juice. Stir in the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reserve half of the juice and zest mixture in a small bowl. Cut the remaining lime into wedges.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir until the rice is opaque and light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the water or stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the water is mostly absorbed and the rice is al dente.
3. When the rice is al dente, turn the heat to low, add the green beans to the pan in an even layer on top of the rice (if the pan seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of stock or water). Cover and cook the beans for 5 minutes.
4. While the beans are cooking, add the salmon to the medium bowl with the lime mixture and toss to combine.
5. Uncover the skillet and shift the green beans to one side of the pan, then add the salmon to the other side, drizzling any remaining liquid from its bowl on top. Put the lid back on and steam until the salmon and beans are just cooked through, 10 to 15 more minutes.
6. Remove the salmon and green beans to a platter, then add the reserved lime mixture in the small bowl to the rice, along with all but 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Stir gently to combine, then season the rice with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top. Serve rice, salmon and green beans with more lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Ras el Hanout chickpea and spinach stew. Spicy chicken thighs and mushrooms, seared tofu with kimchi and turkey chili start the year with flavor and ease. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. (Christopher Testani, The New York Times)3. Ras el Hanout Chickpea and Spinach Stew
This warming one-pot stew delivers the depth and comfort of a long-simmered meal in a fraction of the time. Chickpeas and spinach braise in a richly spiced tomato base, creating layers of warmth and complexity. Ras el hanout, a fragrant Moroccan spice blend, gives the dish its signature aromatic depth; gently toasted tomato paste intensifies its flavor even further. A splash of soy sauce provides an unexpected but welcome hit of umami, rounding out the dish with a richness that mimics a stew that’s been bubbling away for hours. Served with a generous spoonful of yogurt (or a squeeze of lemon) and a drizzle of harissa oil to cut through the richness, it’s perfect with crusty bread or spooned over grains like rice, barley, bulgur or quinoa.
By Nargisse Benkabbou
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the Stew:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to serve 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/4 teaspoons ras el hanout (see Tip) 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup vegetable stock, plus more if needed 1 tablespoon soy sauce Fine sea salt 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed 5 cups/5 ounces packed spinach leaves (stemmed and roughly torn if large) 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or lemon wedges (optional), for serving Crusty bread, couscous, bulgur or rice, for servingFor the Harissa Oil (optional):
3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon harissa pastePreparation
1. Prepare the stew: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add the garlic and ras el hanout and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until the tomato paste darkens slightly in color, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the stock, soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce slightly darkens in color and its flavors have melded.
3. Add the chickpeas and simmer until they are warm and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted and fully incorporated into the stew, about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. If the stew starts getting too thick, feel free to add a few more spoonfuls of stock or water.
4. If using, make the harissa oil: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and harissa until well incorporated.
5. Serve the stew warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt or lemon wedges on the side, and a drizzle of olive oil (or harissa oil), if desired. Enjoy with crusty bread or over grains like couscous, bulgur or rice.
Tip
Ras el hanout is widely available online and in larger grocery stores. If you’d like to make your own, stir together the following ingredients: 1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground ginger, ground cumin, ground cardamom and ground nutmeg, plus 1/2 teaspoon each ground aniseed, ground caraway seeds, ground fennel, ground cloves and ground black pepper. (This blend makes about 3 tablespoons ras el hanout.)
Seared tofu with kimchi. Spicy chicken thighs and mushrooms, seared tofu with kimchi and turkey chili start the year with flavor and ease. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. (Bryan Gardner, The New York Times)4. Seared Tofu With Kimchi
A simple, meatless weeknight recipe, this tofu and kimchi braise has deep flavors but comes together in just 30 minutes. The two main ingredients are tofu and kimchi. Equally delicious warm or at room temperature, this tofu braise makes a fun addition to meal prep. Serve it with rice, to soak up the delicious kimchi sauce, or tuck the tofu and kimchi into a sandwich. Store-bought kimchi vary in flavor and salt level and the more fermented kimchi will be softer, juicer, and a bit more sour. The recipe can take all levels of fermentation, but adjust seasoning as you see fit, sweetening with sugar or salting with extra soy sauce.
By Sue Li
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 8 equal slices 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 scallions, root ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces 2/3 cup store-bought or homemade napa cabbage kimchi, coarsely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons kimchi juice 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 teaspoon sugar Cooked rice (optional), for servingPreparation
1. Pat tofu pieces dry between sheets of paper towel.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium. When the oil is shimmering, add the tofu in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until lightly golden on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the scallions and kimchi to the same pan with the tofu and gently move the tofu pieces around to incorporate them into the kimchi mixture. Cook until the kimchi wilts a little, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the kimchi juice, soy sauce, sugar and 1/2 cup water.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then adjust heat to medium and simmer until the tofu has absorbed some of the flavors but the mixture remains saucy, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Serve with rice or on its own.
Turkey chili. Spicy chicken thighs and mushrooms, seared tofu with kimchi and turkey chili start the year with flavor and ease. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. (Armando Rafael, The New York Times)5. Turkey Chili
You might not think of chili as an easy weeknight dish, but this turkey version from Pierre Franey will change your mind. It’s fabulous, it’s healthy and it can be cooked in about a half hour. A combination of dark and white meat really adds depth and richness of flavor, so try to find a mix, but all white meat (or a mixture of ground beef and turkey) will yield a stellar batch, too.
By Pierre Franey
Yield: About 6 servings
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 pounds ground turkey, white and dark meat combined 2 cups coarsely chopped onions 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 large sweet red pepper, cored, deveined and coarsely chopped 1 cup chopped celery 1 jalapeño, cored, deveined and finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried 2 bay leaves 3 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 3 cups canned diced tomatoes 2 cups chicken broth, fresh or canned Salt and black pepper 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained 2 cups shredded cheddar 1 cup sour cream (optional) Sliced lime, for garnish (optional)Preparation
1. Heat the oil over high in a large heavy pot and add the turkey meat. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, chopping down and stirring with the side of a heavy kitchen spoon to break up any lumps.
2. Add the onions, garlic, sweet pepper, celery, jalapeño, oregano, bay leaves, chili powder and cumin. Stir to blend well. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
4. Add the drained beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes longer. Serve in bowls with cheddar, and sour cream and lime wedges, if desired.
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