10 Dinners With Six Ingredients or Fewer
Ten complete dinners with six ingredients or fewer, counted honestly — short lists, short shopping trips, macros and cost per serving included.
Most "5-ingredient" recipes cheat: they don't count the oil, the salt, or the three things they assume are in your pantry. These are counted honestly — every item on the ingredient list, seasoning included, six or fewer, no asterisks.
Anychef catalog data: only 29 dinners in our 1,763-recipe library clear that bar, at a median 20 minutes. Short lists are rarer than the internet suggests. Sorted by ingredient count, shortest first.
The list
1. BBQ Chicken and Sweet Potato
38g protein380 cal$2.80/serving40 min
Tender chicken thighs glazed with tangy BBQ sauce alongside sweet potato wedges, comfort food that happens to be surprisingly wholesome.
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2. Cheesy Baked Hot Dog Tots
14g protein360 cal$2.50/serving35 min
Hot dog pieces wrapped in tater tots and baked until crispy, a mashup that kids find irresistible and surprisingly easy to make.
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3. Buttered Egg Noodles with Peas
12g protein320 cal$1.50/serving15 min
Simple, silky egg noodles tossed with butter, peas, and a touch of Parmesan-no long ingredient list needed, just comfort in a bowl.
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4. Crispy Tortilla Pan Pizza
22g protein520 cal$3.20/serving15 min
Charred flour tortillas topped with marinara, mozzarella, and crispy pepperoni baked in a hot skillet for a homemade pizza that rivals the delivery box.
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5. Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Spinach
30g protein240 cal$4.00/serving15 min
Plump shrimp with garlicky lemon butter sauce over creamy spinach, a light yet luxurious dinner that takes just minutes.
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6. Garlic Butter Cod Fillets
35g protein240 cal$4.00/serving18 min
Delicate white fish fillets in a simple garlicky butter sauce with fresh herbs, elegant yet so easy you'll make it on busy weeknights.
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7. Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken Breast
45g protein240 cal$3.50/serving18 min
Perfectly juicy chicken breast kissed with lemon and fresh herbs, so simple it feels fancy, so quick it's a weeknight lifesaver.
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8. Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Steaks
36g protein410 cal$2.20/serving20 min
Thick ham steaks seared and glossed with a buttery brown sugar glaze, holiday flavor on a Tuesday night in 20 minutes.
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9. Ham and Cheese Roll Ups
25g protein420 cal$1.70/serving20 min
Warm tortilla pinwheels of deli ham and gooey melted cheese, a fast finger-food dinner little hands love.
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10. Pan Seared Salmon with Asparagus
42g protein360 cal$5.00/serving20 min
Crispy-skinned salmon fillet alongside roasted asparagus spears with a bright lemon finish, restaurant quality in your home kitchen.
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Every recipe above comes from the Anychef library of 1,700+ recipes, each with cost per serving and full macros — browse the quick & easy collection and all beginner-friendly recipes. Or skip the browsing entirely: scan your fridge with the Anychef app and get recipes built from what you already have, macros and grocery list included.
