Five Weeknight Dishes: Baked chicken drumsticks, harissa shrimp, sheet-pan mushroom parm and more

By Emily Weinstein The New York Times We live to help you serve here at New York Times Cooking but never more so than this time of year Thanksgiving the holidays New Year s there s a lot to eat and we want to make it all delicious In that spirit I ve got five weeknight dishes for you below including a simple baked chicken recipe that would pair well with just about any holiday side dish Baked Chicken Drumsticks Chicken breasts and thighs are perennial favorites when it comes to weeknight dinner recipes but for another quick-cooking and flavorful chicken dinner consider these baked drumsticks Coated with a mix of everyday pantry spices and roasted until browned and tender they are reliably delicious with very little effort Like chicken thighs drumsticks are forgiving to cook While technically cooked through at degrees they remain juicy and moist at even degrees and higher Serve them with your favorite weeknight side dishes such as rice pilaf and lemony steamed broccoli or a big plate of crudit s and ranch dressing for dipping Completely if you like things on the spicier side add a pinch of ground cayenne to the spice mixture or sprinkle with a inadequate shakes of your favorite hot sauce when the chicken comes out of the oven By Lidey Heuck Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients teaspoons smoked paprika teaspoons onion powder teaspoon garlic powder teaspoons kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal teaspoon black pepper chicken drumsticks about pounds tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Chopped fresh parsley optional for serving Preparation Heat the oven to degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper In a small bowl combine the paprika onion powder garlic powder salt and pepper and mix with one of the measuring spoons Pat the drumsticks dry with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl Drizzle the drumsticks with the olive oil and toss to coat then sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss again until well-coated Arrange the drumsticks evenly spaced on the prepared pan Bake for minutes then flip and bake for to more minutes until the drumsticks are browned and cooked through An internal thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of a drumstick should register at least degrees and preferably closer to degrees Serve hot or warm Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to days To reheat bake at degrees loosely wrapped in foil for about minutes until heated through To recrisp the skin adjust heat to degrees unwrap the foil and cook for minutes more Harissa Shrimp With Greens and Feta Five no-stress meals for the week before Thanksgiving Food Stylist Simon Andrews Ryan Liebe The New York Times Harissa Shrimp With Greens and Feta For any ingredient lucky enough to float its way harissa offers so much beyond the bright red tint it lends A fruity concentrate of pur ed peppers garlic spices and oil this jammy paste deepens in flavor once it s kissed by the heat of a broiler This sheet pan shrimp dish complete with roasted greens and topped with fresh avocado feta onion and cilantro can be a quick lunch or light dinner The shrimp is marinated briefly here but if you have time you can cover and refrigerate the shrimp for up to hours By Yewande Komolafe Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients pound peeled and deveined large shrimp cup harissa paste garlic cloves grated teaspoons ground cumin tablespoons olive oil limes divided Salt and black pepper bunch fresh chard or kale about ounces leaves and stems chopped into -inch pieces medium avocado sliced cup chopped red onion cup crumbled feta cup chopped fresh cilantro Couscous or rice optional for serving Preparation Move a rack in the oven about inches from the top Heat oven to degrees In a medium bowl combine the shrimp harissa garlic cumin and tablespoon oil Zest and juice lime right into the bowl and cut the other into wedges and set wedges aside Season shrimp mixture lightly with salt and pepper toss and marinate for minutes If you have time you can cover and refrigerate the shrimp to marinate for minutes and up to hours for a deeper flavor Place the greens on a large rimmed baking sheet Drizzle with tablespoons oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper Use your hands to toss and coat the greens and spread in an even layer Pour cup water into the baking sheet Roast on the top rack rotating once and stirring with a pair of tongs until the greens are wilted and stems softened with a slight crunch about minutes Move the greens to one side of the baking sheet and turn the oven setting to broil Add the shrimp in a single layer on the other side and drizzle the shrimp and greens with the remaining tablespoons oil Broil on the top rack rotating the pan once until the shrimp are just cooked brown around the edges and the greens are brown in spots to minutes Toss the shrimp and greens together Top with avocado onions feta and cilantro Serve this instant over couscous or rice if you d like with lime wedges for squeezing Coconut curry chickpeas with pumpkin and lime Five no-stress meals for the week before Thanksgiving Food Stylist Barrett Washburne Ryan Liebe The New York Times Coconut Curry Chickpeas With Pumpkin and Lime Canned pumpkin puree and coconut milk heavily seasoned with curry spices and lots of fresh lime juice make a sweet-sharp sauce for chickpeas It s a rich creamy curry that you can eat on its own or serve over rice or couscous If you want to incorporate more vegetables stir in specific spinach baby kale or sliced green beans during the last insufficient minutes of cooking letting them soften in the sauce By Melissa Clark Yield to servings Total time minutes Ingredients tablespoons neutral oil such as sunflower or canola large onion chopped jalape os seeded or not thinly sliced bay leaf knob ginger about inch minced garlic cloves minced teaspoons garam masala teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon ground turmeric -ounce cans chickpeas rinsed -ounce can coconut milk do not use light coconut milk -ounce can pumpkin pur e teaspoons fine sea salt more as needed cup chopped cilantro more for serving to tablespoons fresh lime juice plus wedges for serving Cooked rice or couscous for serving optional Preparation Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat Stir in onion jalape o and bay leaf Cook stirring occasionally until onion is golden on the edges about minutes Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant about minutes stirring frequently Stir in garam masala cumin and turmeric cook for an additional seconds Stir in chickpeas coconut milk pumpkin cup water and teaspoons salt Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for minutes stirring occasionally to let the flavors meld Add more water if it starts to look too thick Stir in cilantro and lime juice to taste Taste and add more salt if necessary Serve over rice or couscous if you like and top with more cilantro and lime wedges on the side Pasta aglio e olio with tuna Five no-stress meals for the week before Thanksgiving Food Stylist Cyd Raftus McDowell Armando Rafael The New York Times Pasta Aglio e Olio With Tuna Adding flaked tuna to pasta aglio e olio pasta with garlic and oil turns the ultimate Italian pantry pasta into an even more satisfying meal that requires no added time or effort While oil-packed tuna lends an especially nice lushness here you can use tuna packed in water too That s because marinating the tinned fish in lemon zest and juice while the pasta water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks helps even subpar tuna lose any muted canned flavor But perhaps the biggest win here is that by wilting in an entire clamshell of arugula or baby spinach or kale if you prefer at the end you ve got a complete dinner on your hands no salad required By Sheela Prakash Yield to servings Total time minutes Ingredients Salt - to -ounce cans or jars tuna drained small lemon zested and juiced pound spaghetti or other long pasta cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving garlic cloves thinly sliced teaspoon crushed red pepper plus more for serving ounces arugula about packed cups Preparation Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat In a small bowl combine the tuna lemon zest and juice set aside Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook minute less than package instructions for al dente Reserve cups of pasta cooking water then drain the pasta Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large -inch skillet with high sides over medium-low Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook stirring occasionally until very fragrant and the garlic just begins to turn pale golden to minutes Remove from the heat Add the reserved pasta water to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat Simmer until reduced by about half to minutes Add the pasta and continue to simmer tossing frequently until the pasta is al dente and coated in a glossy sauce to minutes Remove from the heat and stir in the tuna as well as the arugula handfuls at a time until the arugula just wilts Taste and season with salt Divide among bowls and serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and more crushed red pepper if desired Sheet-Pan Mushroom Parmigiana Five no-stress meals for the week before Thanksgiving Food Stylist Simon Andrews Johnny Miller The New York Times Sheet-Pan Mushroom Parmigiana This smart weeknight dinner offers all the comforting flavors of a classic Parmigiana but with minimal work Earthy portobello mushrooms are used here offering a perfect cradle for the red sauce and creamy mozzarella Use good quality store-bought marinara sauce vodka arrabiata or amatriciana a much-underrated pantry item that can turn around a meal briskly This flexible recipe can be scaled up or down without too much fuss It accounts for two portobello mushrooms per person but if you re serving them with pasta or a salad you could reduce to one each The basil-scented breadcrumbs finish the mushrooms with a lovely herbaceous crunch Extra breadcrumbs keep well in an airtight container and are wonderful for topping pasta salads soups and roasted vegetables By Hetty Lui McKinnon Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved pint garlic cloves finely chopped Extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and black pepper portobello mushrooms stems removed cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce cups ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cup panko bread crumbs cup ounce basil leaves finely chopped plus more leaves for topping Preparation Heat oven to degrees Arrange the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan along with half the garlic and drizzle with to tablespoons of olive oil Season with teaspoon of salt and teaspoon of black pepper and toss to coat the tomatoes To the sheet pan add the mushroom caps in between the tomatoes gill side up and drizzle each generously with olive oil Don t skimp here as the olive oil will add lots of rich flavor Scatter the mushrooms with the remaining garlic and season each mushroom with salt and black pepper Fill each mushroom with marinara sauce and top with cheese Place in the oven and roast for to minutes until the cheese is melted bubbly and golden Meanwhile heat a medium skillet over medium-high Add tablespoon of olive oil and add the breadcrumbs basil and teaspoon of salt Stir constantly for to minutes until golden Remove from heat forthwith and transfer to a bowl or jar To serve transfer mushrooms to serving plates along with a sparse of the roasted cherry tomatoes Top each mushroom with the basil breadcrumbs and scatter with a sparse basil leaves Related Articles Recipe I ve tried nearly every way to cook a turkey This one is perfect This simple polenta and mushroom dish will elevate your Thanksgiving table Recipes Here are dishes you can make ahead for Thanksgiving dinner Thanksgiving salad with pears Parmesan and pomegranate seeds starring puff pastry croutons Recipes A soup to keep the autumn chill at bay This article originally appeared in The New York Times Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox