Dinner plans don’t always survive reality. You meant to defrost the chicken, but now it’s rock solid and you’re staring at the fridge like it’s going to fix itself. No time to panic—there are plenty of great meals that don’t need thawed meat or an elaborate game plan. The air fryer, Instant Pot, and pantry staples are all ready to step in and save the night. From straight-from-the-freezer proteins to quick, no-defrost-needed meals, these recipes keep dinner on track without extra hassle.
Maple Mustard Air Fryer Frozen Salmon
No defrosting required. Just season, air fry, and dig in. The maple mustard sauce gives it the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
Get the Recipe: Maple Mustard Air Fryer Frozen Salmon
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts
Frozen chicken breasts go straight into the air fryer, and 30 minutes later, you’ve got dinner. No thawing, no waiting, just great chicken.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts
Lemon Feta Spinach Pasta
No meat, no problem. This pasta is packed with lemony spinach and crumbled feta, making it a great option when the fridge isn’t cooperating.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Feta Spinach Pasta
Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli
A creamy pasta dish that skips the defrosting drama. Just boil the pasta, toss in some broccoli, and stir in the sauce.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli
Lentil Pasta with Garlicky Greens
No frozen meat? Grab some lentil pasta, sauté some greens, and call it dinner. Quick, simple, and packed with flavor.
Get the Recipe: Lentil Pasta with Garlicky Greens
Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Five ingredients, zero defrosting, and a great bowl of pasta. Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and starchy pasta water come together for a creamy, cheesy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Bucatini Cacio e Pepe
Kale and Feta Egg Bake
Lazy dinner at its finest. Eggs, kale, and feta get baked into a quick, satisfying meal that works any time of day.
Get the Recipe: Kale and Feta Egg Bake
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Love Alfredo but need something lighter? This cottage cheese version brings the creaminess without all the heaviness. Easy to make, great to eat.
Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Dutch Oven 7 Can Soup
No defrosting, no chopping, no problem. Just crack open seven cans, dump them in, and let the Dutch oven handle the rest. A great way to make something hearty without touching raw meat.
Get the Recipe: Dutch Oven 7 Can Soup
Arugula Caesar Salad
Who needs thawed protein when you’ve got a salad that does the job? Peppery arugula, crispy chickpeas, and a creamy Caesar dressing make this a fast and filling meal.
Get the Recipe: Arugula Caesar Salad
Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Didn’t pull out the ground turkey in time? No big deal. Keep a batch of these meatballs in the freezer, then toss them into sauce straight from frozen. Easy dinner, no regrets.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Frozen salmon meets the air fryer, and dinner is handled in minutes. The teriyaki glaze caramelizes perfectly, and the whole thing takes less time than debating takeout.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Chicken, peppers, and onions hit one pan and go straight into the oven. No need to babysit the stove, and cleanup is a breeze. Great for those nights when you forgot to plan.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
Forgot to take out the chicken? The air fryer’s got you. Straight from the freezer, these cook up tender and juicy in under 30 minutes. No sad, dry chicken here.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Fish and Chips
Crispy, golden fish and chips without deep frying. The air fryer handles the crunch, and you handle eating it. Way faster than waiting in a drive-thru line.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Fish and Chips
Mahi Mahi
No need to thaw anything when you’ve got a great piece of frozen mahi mahi. A quick cook on the stovetop or air fryer gets you tender, flaky fish in minutes.
Get the Recipe: Mahi Mahi
Air Fryer Salmon
Season, air fry, and eat. This salmon comes out crisp on the outside, tender inside, and ready to go in under 20 minutes. No defrosting needed.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Salmon
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
Whip up a quick marinade, toss in some frozen chicken, and let it soak while it defrosts. By the time you’re ready to cook, it’s packed with flavor.
Get the Recipe: Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
Straight from the freezer to your plate in no time. No defrosting, no waiting—just perfectly cooked salmon with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Toss a whole frozen chicken into the Instant Pot and let it do its thing. No waiting for it to defrost, no store-bought rotisserie needed. Just juicy, pull-apart chicken in about an hour.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Puerto Rican Picadillo
This flavorful ground beef dish cooks up fast, no matter what. If the meat’s frozen, toss it in a pan and break it up as it cooks—dinner still happens on time.
Get the Recipe: Puerto Rican Picadillo
Spicy Shrimp Bowl Recipe with Rice and Peach Avocado Salad
Frozen shrimp to the rescue. Thaws in minutes, cooks even faster, and pairs perfectly with rice and a fresh peach avocado salad.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Shrimp Bowl Recipe with Rice and Peach Avocado Salad
Healthy Butternut Squash-Zucchini and Rosemary Soup
No defrosting needed when soup is this easy. Toss everything in a pot, let it simmer, and dinner is done. Simple ingredients, big payoff.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Butternut Squash-Zucchini and Rosemary Soup
Italian Tomato Spaghetti
Spaghetti is always a great call when nothing’s thawed. A quick, rich tomato sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, and dinner’s done before you even have time to stress.
Get the Recipe: Italian Tomato Spaghetti
Vegan Bolognese
No frozen meat? No problem. This plant-based Bolognese skips the meat but keeps all the flavor with roasted tempeh and Italian herbs.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Bolognese
Potato and Leek Quiche
Eggs, potatoes, and leeks come together in a quick quiche that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No frozen meat means no defrosting.
Get the Recipe: Potato and Leek Quiche
Authentic Hungarian Goulash
A slow-cooked beef stew packed with paprika and flavor. If your meat is frozen, toss it in the pot anyway—this one simmers long enough that it won’t matter.
Get the Recipe: Authentic Hungarian Goulash
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
