I don’t know what it is about when the air starts to turn crisp, but it makes me crave some cozy meals. Cooking in college is always a bit of a challenge — sometimes it’s a small, awkward kitchen, a random assortment of pots and pans brought from many different roommates and often times it’s just as simple as not having any idea of what to make!
Well, I’ve taken some of the guess work out of what to make this week and am including a few of my favorite simple meals that you can easily make in your college kitchen. All of these recipes include chicken as your protein and I’m sure you can swap out some of the ingredients if you don’t have all the items listed. Finally, they are all family favorites so you’re guaranteed to be the favorite roommate for the week (or at least have some amazing leftovers for the rest of your meals this week)!
Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma — New York Times
This is a year-round favorite in our home and I make this at least twice a month. I always make it with rice and be sure to grab some naan or pitas at the grocery store for on the side or to make a wrap with the shawarma. The white sauce recipe in the comments is a family favorite!
White Chicken Chili — Lovely Little Kitchen
This is my go-to chili recipe in the Fall. I haven’t served this to anyone who didn’t love it and I regularly get asked by my college students to pass along the recipe. It’s super simple if you have a crockpot (might be worth the investment if you don’t — you can find great ones at Target for decent prices) and if you don’t I’d recommend cooking the chicken separately, shredding it, then adding all the ingredients into a pot to simmer before the final step. Either way, this chili will become the cozy, comfort meal you’re craving with plenty of leftovers that will freeze nicely for a night when you need a quick homemade meal!
Sheet Pan Honey Buffalo Chicken with Broccoli — Half Baked Harvest
This is a new favorite in our house and I love how simple it is! You can adjust the sauce to be as spicy or as mild as you’d like or even just coat some of the chicken with it if you have roommates with different tastes! This is a one-pan meal that I promise you will come back to again and again. It’s such an easy weeknight make and the best part is you’ll only need to clean one pan! I love everything that Tieghan does over at Half Baked Harvest so be sure to check out more of her recipes!
Hope this is one easy way you can simplify your college life this week. Let me know if you happen to try any of the recipes or if you have any go-tos this time of year! Or if you’d be interested in more cooking/meal-planning content, let me know!
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