Seven ingredients, zero hassle. That’s the promise behind these recipes, which prove that cooking at home doesn’t need a laundry list of ingredients or hours of prep. Whether you’re after a zesty one-pan chicken dinner, buttery prawn udon noodles, or steak with crispy, cheesy kimchi rice, these dishes keep things simple without compromising on flavour.
Take the one-pan garlic and lemon chicken orzo: bright, bold, and all in one pan, it’s dinner that practically cleans up after itself. Or the miso garlic butter prawn udon – rich, silky noodles meet juicy prawns in a dish that feels far fancier than the time it takes. And if you’re craving comfort with a spicy twist, the honey gochujang steak with cheesy kimchi rice is bold, gooey, and guaranteed to steal the show.
These recipes, from our Budget Bites column in collaboration with Sorted Food, are all about smart shortcuts and big rewards, perfect for anyone looking to save time and effort in the kitchen while still serving up something special. With just seven ingredients, they’re the kind of meals you’ll keep coming back to – simple, satisfying and absolutely delicious.
Shopping list
- 10 cloves garlic
- 30g fresh parsley
- 2 lemon
- 2 sirloin steaks
- 300g raw king prawns
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 100g cheddar
- 50g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp miso paste
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 200g kimchi
- 250g microwave white rice
- 300g straight to wok udon noodles
- 200g orzo
One-pan garlic and lemon chicken orzo
This dish is all about bold, zesty flavours in a single pan – a bright, comforting dinner that’s quick to make and easy to clean up. Win!
Ingredients:
5 tbsp olive oil
4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
6 cloves garlic
15g fresh parsley
1 lemon
200g orzo
1 chicken stock cube
Method:
1. Fill the kettle with water and put it on to boil – this will be for the sauce later. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
2. Pop the chicken into the pan and sear on all sides for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and no longer opaque, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Once cooked, remove onto a plate.
3. Peel and slice 6 cloves of garlic and finely chop 15g of parsley – we’ll use this a little later on. Halve 1 lemon, then cut one half into 1cm pieces.
4. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently until the garlic is soft and aromatic.
5. Add the chopped lemon to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until lightly caramelised.
6. Pop 200g of orzo into the pan and stir to coat. Toast for 1-2 minutes until it smells nutty.
7. Crumble in 1 chicken stock cube and pour over 600ml of boiled water from the kettle. Give it a good stir to combine. Nestle the chicken on top of the orzo.
8. Bring everything up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the orzo is soft, the liquid has reduced and coats the orzo. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait.
9. Add the chopped parsley to a small mixing bowl, then squeeze in the juice from the remaining half lemon. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Give it a good stir.
10. Take the pan to the table and drizzle on the parsley sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Miso garlic butter prawn udon
This one’s a team favourite here at Sorted! Sweet, juicy prawns meet umami-rich miso butter in this luxurious dinner that’s ready in minutes!
Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
15g fresh parsley
300g raw king prawns
50g unsalted butter
2 tbsp miso paste
1 lemon
300g straight to wok udon noodles
Method:
1. Fill the kettle with water and put it on to boil – this will be for the noodles later.
2. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic and finely chop 15g of parsley.
3. Butterfly 300g of prawns by gently running a sharp knife along the back so that they open up, then remove the black vein if they have not already been de-veined.
4. Heat 50g of unsalted butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add 2 tbsp of miso paste and the garlic. Fry for 2 minutes until sizzling.
5. Toss the prawns in and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until they’ve turned pink.
6. Add 300g of udon noodles and 30ml of water to the pan, then stir fry to coat in the sauce and prawns. Finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze in the juice. Season with salt and pepper, add in the parsley, then stir to combine.
7. Serve up the noodles in bowls and tuck in!
Honey gochujang garlic steak and cheesy kimchi rice
Steak is paired with crispy, cheesy kimchi rice for an irresistible meal. Perfect for when you’re craving something bold and comforting in one go!
Ingredients:
200g kimchi
250g microwave white rice
2 tbsp gochujang
100g cheddar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 sirloin steaks
½ tbsp honey
Method:
1. Finely chop 200g of kimchi and pop it into a large mixing bowl.
2. Crumble 1 250g packet of microwave rice into the bowl. Add 1 tbsp of gochujang and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give this a good mix with a fork until the rice is coated well.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Meanwhile, coarsely grate 100g of cheddar cheese.
4. Add half of the rice mix to the hot pan in an even layer, pressing down lightly with a spoon to flatten. Add half of the grated cheese, followed by the remaining rice mixture on top, then smooth it out. Cover with a lid and cook this for 5-6 minutes, to heat the rice mixture through and get it crispy on the bottom.
5. Place a 2nd large frying pan over a high heat. Rub 2 steaks with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and season them with a generous pinch of salt while you wait. Remember to wash your hands after handling raw meat.
6. Once the pan starts to smoke, lower in the steaks. Fry them for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden on the surface and light pink throughout. Cooking times will depend heavily on the thickness of the steaks and your preferred done-ness.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp of gochujang and 2 tbsp of water to loosen it.
8. Once the steaks are ready, add the gochujang mix and 0.5 tbsp of honey. Continue to fry for a further minute or so, tossing occasionally until the gochujang and honey reduce to a glaze that sticks to the steaks.
9. Transfer the steaks to a chopping board to rest for 5 minutes while you crack on with the rest of the dish.
10. Preheat the grill broiler to its highest temperature. Add the remaining cheddar cheese on top of the rice and pop the whole pan under the grill for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling and a light golden brown.
11. Once the steaks have been resting for 5 minutes, cut them into thick slices crossways.
12. Arrange the steak slices on top of the cheesy rice, pouring over any resting juices. Take it to the table and serve!
In response to the rising cost of living, we have teamed up with Sorted Food to bring you easy, affordable, quick and (most importantly) tasty recipes once a month. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick at sortedfood.com/sidekick.