There are some weeks where you want dinner to feel a little bit special without asking anything extra of you, and that's exactly the vibe we’re going for here. This lineup leans into the cozy, warming fall energy — creamy curries, sheet pan dinners, saucy noodles — but every single one of them comes together in 30 minutes or less (except one sheet pan situation that's mostly hands-off anyway). It’s not fussy. Nothing requires a special trip to a specialty grocery store, just good food that happens to be easy on a weeknight. And don't skip the pumpkin cold foam at the end, it's the kind of tiny, extra touch that makes the whole week feel a little more fun.
DINNER #1: Butter Chicken Meatballs | Total time: 30 minutes | Serves: 6
We’ve been making these butter chicken meatballs from Half Baked Harvest for years now and it continues to be one of our favorite spins on a classic butter chicken. It’s warming, creamy, and full of spices. If you don’t already keep them on hand (garam masala might be a little out there for some of us) buy these spices once and you can use them all fall and winter. We usually double the recipe and freeze half because it reheats like a dream!
Notes:
Shortcut: The meatballs are fun, but if you need to make this extra simple you can use cubed chicken thighs instead of making the meatballs. Just cut chicken thighs in 1 inch cubes and toss them in the sauce to cook for 10-12 minutes. Feel free to use quick rice and store-bought naan to make it faster as well!
Fall Meal Plan #4
Four cozy, quick dinners for fall — plus a pumpkin cold foam recipe you'll want on repeat.
