I can’t believe we are about one month away from one full year (!!!) of 30-minute budget meals! I started this series because my sister expressed interest in quick meals with cost-saving ingredients, and now there are almost 50 recipes in the series!

It has been such a fun challenge for me each week to come up with easy-to-make recipes with good flavors that won’t break the bank, and as long as everyone is loving it, I don’t have any plans to stop cooking anytime soon!

I’ve been really into the one-pot rice skillets, and it has been a second since we did one with chicken. I like to use chicken thighs because 1. They’re usually cheaper than chicken breasts and 2. When you cook them skin side down to start, the chicken fat releases into the pan and adds flavor to the whole dish.

Something I’ve been thinking about lately for people who make a lot of my 30-minute meals: garlic presses are a great time saver. I use a lot of garlic in my recipes, and I always use my garlic press instead of mincing it with a knife. It’s an inexpensive purchase and something I recommend if you like to cut down on prep time!

This recipe calls for za’atar, which I know may not be as readily available to some people. It’s one of my favorite spices (it has roots in the Middle East and the Levant), and it’s worth buying to add to your spice rack. My favorite za’atar is from Z and Z, but it is a little on the pricier side, although it is a family-owned business that I love to support! It will also last you awhile. In terms of budget-friendly options, Thrive Market has a cheap option, and there are some other options you can explore on Amazon, but you can also go to a local Middle Eastern market and find some za’atar there.

If za’atar is not accessible to you, you can leave it out and season the dish with 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp thyme. If you have sesame seeds or sumac, I would throw in a pinch of those as well!

I’m going to be so honest with you all here because I love you and I cannot lie: this recipe does push a little bit closer to 35-40 minutes. But trust me, it’s worth it.