ONE-POT RECIPES TO MAKE CLEANING UP EASY

SACHA VAN NIEKERK

YOU may love tucking into a plate of home-made food, you may even love preparing it yourself, but there is absolutely nobody who enjoys all the washing up that needs to take place afterwards.

If you've ever cooked a meal before, you’ll be well-versed in just how quickly the number of dishes in the sink can multiply.

From one measuring jug and two saucers, you’ll find a mountain of plates, cutting boards, knives, spoons and forks that need scrubbing.

To cut down on this tedious task, one-pot meals are a deliciously effortless solution to all your cleaning up woes. With all the ingredients simply tossed into a single pan, you won’t have to worry about spending an hour washing, rinsing, drying, and putting away dishes and cutlery.

From creamy alfredo to tender chicken on a bed of spicy rice – these meals were made to impress.

As a bonus, nearly anyone can make them as they require minimal kitchen skills, but pack a flavourful punch. So, grab your pot and let’s get cooking.

Tender morsels of spiced chicken and fluffy rice, enriched with flavours of paprika and stick, this mouth watering dish is too impressive to pass up on. Plus, the cooking time is way under an hour – so you’ll be feasting in no time.

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken stock

Paprika Chicken wings or drums or thighs

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 cups rice

Method:

Preheat the oven to 205°C. Warm stock with a little paprika in a pot. Season chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat an ovenproof pan with oil, and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove chicken. Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft. Add diced tomato and cook, stirring until thick. Stir in the rice then the hot stock. Mix and bring to a boil. Add the chicken on top. Cover the pan (can use aluminium foil) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for 10 more minutes, or until the rice is done.

CHICKEN ALFREDO BY @FOODWITHINDIA

Everyone loves pasta, but making it can sometimes be a major schlep. From boiling the noodles just right, to making the sauce and chopping all the ingredients – although it’s a scrumptious meal, it can seem daunting. This one-pot meal will change your mind on that, as it uses simple pantry staples and takes minimal effort.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, diced

salt

olive oil

500ml milk

300g linguine (or dried pasta of your choice)

150ml double cream

100g cheddar cheese

Parmesan

black pepper

Fresh parsley

Method:

Season the diced chicken generously with salt, and sear in a pan with a dash of olive oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once. Pour in the milk and set on a medium-high heat. Add the pasta and submerge completely. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Pour in the cream and grate in the cheese (recipe shown uses 100g cheddar and 20g parmesan on top). Stir, and season with salt and black pepper. If using, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.