10 Amazingly Beautiful Dinners
Gorgeous meals you'll want to
pin and make right now.
By Lynn Andriani
The Good-Looking and Good-for-You Supper
Deep, dark green and purple kale takes on an even richer hue when you slightly char it on the grill, and boneless, skinless chicken breast never looked so good, thanks to a brushing of a zippy basil marinade and a quick pass over the flames.
Get the recipe: Basil Chicken with Grilled Kale and Heirloom Tomatoes
A Light, Bright Thai Curry
Fluffy white jasmine rice is the ideal accompaniment for this saucy red curry. Strips of red bell pepper and whole basil leaves brighten the dish, making it prettier than usual curries (which are delicious but can sometimes appear a little goopy despite our best efforts).
Get the recipe: Thai Shrimp Curry and Rice
A Vertical Lasagna
A tower of color, this stacked tomato-and-zucchini salad is held together with dollops of a pumpkin seed spread, tomato sauce and basil-pistachio pesto.
Get the recipe: Rainbow Lasagne with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Castelvetrano Olives
A Crispy, Salty and Smoky One-Dish Dinner
Generally speaking, crispy bits of golden brown bacon can take a dish from "eh" to "ooooh!"—and this one-skillet meal of shredded rotisserie chicken, Cheddar and rice is no exception.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon
A Spanish Masterpiece
Spanish Serrano ham has a much deeper pink hue than cooked deli ham, and paired with golden peaches, bright green arugula and creamy goat cheese, it will make a flatbread pizza worthy of any dinner party.
Get the recipe: Grilled Cornmeal Flatbreads with Peaches, Serrano Ham and Spicy Greens
The Fruity Entrée Salad
Strawberries and spinach don't just complement each other visually—they're also a dynamic dietary duo (
their nutrients pack a much greater punch in tandem than solo). White cheese—whether ricotta salata, feta or any other—stands out against the brilliant produce.
Get the recipe: Fresh Strawberry and Spinach Salad
The Sneaky Way to Make Chicken Look Amazing
Ground ancho chili pepper and cumin add flavor to chicken thighs. They also give the meat a roasted-all-day appearance (and no one has to know this speedy recipe took you just 15 minutes to make). A salsa of cucumber, red pepper and avocado layered on top is a lovely addition.
Get the recipe: Spicy Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Avocado Salsa
Photo: Food & Wine/Quentin Bacon
Linguine, Pesto and a Sweet Little Broccoli Rabe Garnish
A plate of linguine dressed in pesto feels predictable, but the sauce for this creative dinner is actually made with broccoli rabe (instead of basil), and if you don't puree it too much, you'll wind up with mini florets decorating the finished dish.
Get the recipe: Linguine with Walnut & Broccoli Rabe Pesto
Perfectly Imperfect Kabobs
We admit it: We're suckers for grill marks, but that's not the only reason we've fallen for this simple Greek dish. Crumbled feta and roughly chopped dill give it a haphazard, lazy feel that reminds us that gorgeous food doesn't have to be perfect.
Get the recipe: Greek Shrimp Skewers with Feta
A Meat Makeover
A big honking plate of pork shoulder isn't going to win any dinner beauty pageants. But when that meat becomes an accent to a savory bowl of garlic-, lemongrass- and chili-spiked greens and noodles, you've got one dazzling meal.
Get the recipe: Broccoli Rabe with a Hint of Pork
Next: 29 ingenious cookie and brownie mix-ins
Published 02/14/2013
