One-Pan 500-Calorie Dinners to Make This Week (& Shopping List)

Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!

Can you believe it’s already the middle of September? I know I had a nice summer, and I made plenty of memories to look back on, but I still wonder where the time went. And given that my birthday is on Sunday, I’m pondering that even more—where did all those years go?! Moments like this are a great reminder to slow down and appreciate the little things in life, like cooking a nice dinner and sharing it with a partner, family or friends. I hope you find the time to do that this week. This week’s meals are all made in a single pan (whether a sheet pan or a skillet) and contain around 500 calories per serving. While most people will be satisfied with this amount of calories, this number is just meant to be a guide, and you should listen to your body.

Your Weekly Plan

Sunday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli
Monday: Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta
Tuesday: Chickpea Dumplings in Curried Tomato Sauce
Wednesday: Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Thursday: Delicata Squash & Tofu Curry 
Friday: 20-Minute Creamy Chicken Marsala with Prosciutto

Sunday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli

For this recipe, you’ll whisk up a flavorful mixture of honey, soy sauce, garlic, cider vinegar and crushed red pepper and use half of it to marinate the chicken and the rest as a dressing for the chicken and vegetables after they’re cooked. I love it when recipes have a component that can do double duty… and when they’re as easy to throw together as this one.

Total Calories: 475

Monday: Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta

Monday night’s dinner is a quick and easy pasta dish, packed with protein from turkey sausage and lots of vitamins and nutrients from kale, bell peppers and whole-wheat pasta. The whole-wheat pasta stands up to the hearty kale, which wilts and softens as it cooks. I like to serve this dish with a little whole-grain bread.

Total Calories: 538 (including 1 ounce whole-grain bread)

Tuesday: Chickpea Dumplings in Curried Tomato Sauce

Tender dumplings made with chickpea flour are the stars here. Using chickpea flour instead of all-purpose means the dumplings have an extra 2 grams of fiber per serving. You’ll build a flavorful tomato sauce in the skillet and nestle the dumplings and some mustard greens right in to cook. For a sweet finish, I like to serve some Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters afterward.

Total Calories: 529 (including 1 serving Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters)

Wednesday: Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

While salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli sounds ordinary, this rendition is anything but. Inspired by the flavors of elotes, the salmon is coated with a spicy mayo before baking and topped with crumbled cotija (or feta) cheese and cilantro after it’s cooked. Then, the whole dish is drizzled with mayo brightened with lime juice and zest.

Total Calories: 504

Thursday: Delicata Squash & Tofu Curry

With delicata squash, ginger and warm spices, this dish is perfect for transitioning into fall. Tossing the tofu in curry powder and browning it in oil blooms the spice and flavors it. Some coconut milk creates a creamy, dairy-free sauce that ties all the components together. With 16 grams of protein per serving, this vegan dish is ultra-satisfying. Spoon it over some cooked quinoa.

Total Calories: 483 (including ¾ cup cooked quinoa)

Friday: Creamy Chicken Marsala with Prosciutto

Chicken marsala is such a comforting dish. This skillet version takes only 20 minutes, building flavor in the pan by first browning lightly floured chicken cutlets and then prosciutto and mushrooms. Shallots, garlic, thyme and equal parts chicken broth, cream and marsala complete the rich, fragrant sauce. Serve it with some farro to soak it all up.

Total Calories: 486 (including ½ cup cooked farro)

I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.