Lunch

Bringing ramen home takes a trip to an Asian market, three days of work, and your largest pot, but this low-stress (really!) labor of love might be the best soup you'll ever make.

If you’d like, let the croutons sit in the pepper mixture until the bread is fairly soft; it’ll soak up the flavorful dressing.

Toasting grains and seeds is a simple move that adds texture and deep flavor to this green salad. The dressing will be milder if you use fresh horseradish, or sharp and a tad spicy if you use prepared.

At Ava Gene's, chef Joshua McFadden always dresses his salads with the acidic components first so the produce can absorb some of those flavors before being coated with oil.

An invigorating hit of citrus brings together crisp apples, toasty bread and nuts, and sharp cheese, making this one of our favorite recipes this year.

Chef Philip Krajeck, Rolf and Daughters, Nashville, says the key to this dish is getting a good char on the brussels sprouts, which helps balance the richness of the porky, eggy sauce. Salt draws moisture out of the leaves, which might make them soggy, so he doesn’t season them.

Browning the farro imbues it with a nutty flavor—a step you can add any time you prepare the grain.

At home, chef Gregory Vernick (Vernick Food & Drink, Philadelphia) always keeps miso on hand for an umami blast in everything from braises and mayo to this Asian-leaning chicken soup. You won’t believe how much depth it adds to canned broth.

Typically steamed or sautéed, fresh mustard greens are also great raw and simply dressed. “I like the strength they give to salads,” says chef Frederik de Pue, of Table, Washington, D.C.

As co-chefs at Hog & Hominy in Memphis, Michael Hudman and Andy Ticer see each other daily, but the old friends still cook together on days off. “Andy does the steak,” says Hudman, “and I do the pasta.”

Blanched garlic, which is sweet and mild, is blended with briny clam liquor and olive oil to make a creamy white sauce for this unconventional pizza.

This silky, aromatic soup is a complete meal in a bowl.

Chef Rene Ortiz of Sway in Austin, cooks a lot of tofu for his young vegetarian son. “He loves it,” says Ortiz, “and in order for all of us to eat it, it has to taste like something.” Ortiz’s solution: Let the porous tofu soak up the flavors of malty Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce.

Reheating the chicken in broth magnifies the flavors of both, and because you’re using rice noodles, the soup won’t get cloudy or starchy. And if it’s a cold you’re fighting, jalapeño and sriracha will help clear those sinuses.

This dish is equally as good at room temperature (read: picnics).

The jalapeño's ribs and seeds are the spiciest parts; be careful not to rub your eyes after handling (or wear gloves)!

Burgers aren't the only grilled things we want to eat with our hands. Thanks to a flavorful brine and a supershort cook time, sandwich-friendly boneless breasts take on a whole new life between two slices of bread.

A club salad is a great way to use grilled chicken leftovers for lunch

To keep these Turkey-Spinach Sliders juicy, don't pack the meat too tightly.

These chicken tacos are made with thighs, which are more flavorful than chicken breasts; plus, they're less expensive. Put them to work in any fast weeknight preparation, starting with these spiced tacos.

Avoid rookie mistakes when it comes to barbecuing chicken. If you apply the sauce too early, it will scorch. And most bottled sauces are too sweet, which is where this vinegary version comes in.