Your kitchen
One-pan meals
Protein, vegetables and a starch cooked in a single pan or tray. How to time the ingredients so everything finishes together, and how to keep it safe.
Why one pan works
One-pan cooking means the protein, the vegetables and often the starch share a single frying pan, pot or baking tray. There is less to wash up, and the juices from the meat season everything else. It is also easy to track: the whole recipe sits in one vessel, so weighing it and dividing it into portions is simple.
Getting the timing right
Ingredients cook at different speeds, so stagger them. On a tray, give potatoes and root vegetables a head start, add chicken thighs or sausages next, and put in quick vegetables such as broccoli or peppers towards the end. Cut dense vegetables small and leave quick-cooking ones large.
Leave space. Food packed tightly traps steam and stews instead of browning, so use a tray large enough for a single layer, or use two. In a frying pan, brown the meat first, lift it out, cook the vegetables in the same pan and return the meat to finish.
Raw meat and vegetables together
Sharing a pan is safe as long as everything is cooked through together. The meat sets the finish line: 74°C (165°F) for poultry, 71°C (160°F) for mince, and 63°C (145°F) with a three-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb. Anything added late sits in raw juices, so cook it until it is steaming hot as well.
Serve with clean utensils onto a clean plate, not the ones that carried the raw meat. If you are cooking extra for later, divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate them within two hours. Reheat them later until they are steaming hot all the way through.
Worth knowing
- Ovens, trays and portion sizes all vary. Check the thickest piece of meat with a food thermometer instead of trusting the clock.
Common questions
Can I cook raw chicken and vegetables on the same tray?
Yes. Cook until the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part and the vegetables are steaming hot. Use clean utensils and a clean plate to serve.
How do I work out the macros per portion?
Weigh the finished dish, divide by the number of servings and portion to that weight. One pan makes this easier, because everything is in a single vessel.
Sources
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
