20-Minute Skillet Suppers

There’s pretty much just one tool you need to create fresh, complete meals in only 20 minutes. It’s your skillet! Kiss long waiting times at suppertime goodbye; before you’ve finished watching “Modern Family,” dinner’s ready!

These four winning recipes are as healthy as they are tasty. We cheated slightly by adding cooked pasta, rice, couscous or quinoa to some of them, but you can still prepare your grains from scratch while your skillet is cooking and meet the 20-minute mark without a problem.

Pick a Pan

There are a number of skillet options available, and different pans work better with certain foods. These recipes are foolproof no matter which skillet you choose, but select a larger size for these particular meals. All ingredients should come into contact with the bottom of the pan to create a good sear and golden brown color, so using a larger skillet ensures you don’t have to work in batches. Check them out:

Nonstick: When cooking delicate foods such as fish and eggs, reach for nonstick. You’ll use minimal oil or cooking spray yet still keep food from sticking.

Cast iron: Ideal for recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven or under the broiler like frittatas. Cast iron can handle higher heat, plus there are no rubber handles that may burn or melt. In addition, tomatoes and other acidic foods absorb iron from the skillet, automatically creating an iron-rich meal.

Stainless steel: Works for almost everything else. These skillets help create a wonderful sear and golden brown crust, which you won’t always get from a nonstick pan.

Cauliflower & Clams in Parsley Broth

Serves 4

Hands-on time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes.

Try Italian flat-leaf parsley in this recipe since it delivers more flavor than the curly variety. This meal has lots of options: By skipping the spaghetti, for example, you can take this recipe from main course to starter or tasting plate for a holiday party.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole-wheat thin spaghetti (or spaghettini or vermicelli)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• ¼ cup chopped shallots
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 36 small littleneck clams (about 3 ¼ lb.), scrubbed well
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

NOTE: Discard any clams that gape open and don’t shut when gently tapped.

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook 2 minutes until soft. Add cauliflower and broth and bring to a simmer. Add clams, cover and cook 5 minutes until all clams open; discard any clams that don’t. Add spaghetti and parsley to skillet, mix well and cook 1 minute to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrients per serving (9 clams and 2/3 cup spaghetti mixture): Calories: 350, Total Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 35 mg, Sodium: 160 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 54 g, Dietary Fiber: 10 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 27 g

Mango Mojito Chicken

Serves 4

Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

This spinoff of the classic rum-and-mint cocktail is a great twist to traditional chicken. Instead of rum, you use mango to create the perfect balance of minty and sweet. No highball glass required!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 4 4-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 1 tsp. finely grated garlic
• 2 cups brown rice, cooked

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and cook 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown.

2. Add mangoes, bell pepper, broth, scallions, mint, lime juice, lime zest and garlic and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and cook 5 minutes, undisturbed, until chicken is cooked through. Add rice to skillet and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute to heat through.

Nutrients per serving (4 oz chicken and 1 cup mango-rice mixture): Calories: 340, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 65 mg, Sodium: 200 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 44 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 27 g

Southwest Turkey Meatballs with Warm Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Serves 4

Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

To optimize the meatballs’ flavor, create a caramelized crust by first searing them in the skillet until golden brown on all sides.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey breast
• 2 large egg whites
• ¼ cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 15-oz. can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed well
• 2 cups diced vine-ripened tomatoes
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into 16 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.

2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and sear 3–5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned on all sides. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, broth, lime juice and cumin and mix well. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and cook 3–5 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Nutrients per serving (4 meatballs and 1 cup bean-corn mixture): Calories: 320, Total Fat: 4.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 55 mg, Sodium: 340 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 32 g, Dietary Fiber: 7 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 37 g

Seared Pork Chops with Apples & Leeks

Serves 4

Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Pork and fruit are natural companions at dinnertime since pork’s mild flavor easily takes on the fruit’s sweetness.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 4 4-oz. boneless pork loin chops, trimmed of visible fat
• ¼ tsp. each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 leeks, rinsed well and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 McIntosh apples, cored and diced (or Fuji or Gala)
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season both sides of pork with salt and pepper and place in skillet; cook 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.

2. Add leeks and garlic to skillet and cook 2 minutes over medium-high heat until soft. Add thyme and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in broth, apples and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Return chops to pan, partially cover and cook 3–5 minutes, undisturbed, until chops are tender.

Nutrients per serving (1 pork chop and ½ cup apple-leek mixture): Calories: 260, Total Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 75 mg, Sodium: 200 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 20 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 11 g, Protein: 27 g