There are words in food writing that pack more power than others. Crispy, creamy, crunchy — those are big — but I also like “smashed,” as in smashed burgers, smashed cucumbers, smashed pickle salad. “Double” is another; if you love garlic, lemon or chocolate, you can close your eyes and imagine the potency of double garlic mashed potatoes, double lemon chicken or double chocolate chip cookies.Then there is the Yiddish word “schmaltzy,” which has two meanings: slicked with rendered chicken fat (technically, any poultry fat), and overly sentimental, with high notes and big strings. It’s an over-the-top word with a showbiz quality to it. A schmaltzy chicken is a chicken doing a tap routine with a feather boa; it’s going to give you big flavor whether you like it or not. Personally, I like it.

So, without further ado, I’ve got Melissa Clark’s new recipe for skillet chicken thighs with schmaltzy tomatoes just for you. The caramelized pan drippings you get from roasting chicken thighs are tossed with the tomatoes, making them saltier and juicier. That recipe is below, along with four other possible dinners for the week.

1. Skillet Chicken Thighs With Schmaltzy Tomatoes

Golden pan drippings star in this simple dish of roasted chicken thighs, seasoning a juicy tomato and red onion salad with their caramelized, salty flavors. There’s minimal prep involved, just the slicing of an onion and halving of some cherry tomatoes, which can be done as the chicken roasts. Red-pepper flakes and lemon zest add bright, fiery notes, and fresh basil or mint sprinkled on at the end give this verdant freshness. Be sure to serve the chicken with crusty bread to catch all the sweet, earthy juices.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon fennel seeds (or cumin or coriander seeds)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
2 to 2 1/4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
Olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup torn fresh basil or mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the fennel seeds in a mortar and pound lightly with a pestle until the seeds are broken up (you don’t have to grind them to a powder). Alternatively, lay the seeds on a cutting board and use the flat side of a knife to crush them, pressing on the knife with your hand.
Combine the crushed seeds with lemon zest and salt, mixing well. Rub the chicken all over and underneath the skin with the salt mixture.
Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and let it cook until the fat renders and the skin turns dark golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and put the skillet in the oven. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, pinch of salt and red-pepper flakes, tossing to combine.
Remove the chicken from the oven and place the thighs on a platter. Carefully pour all (or just some) of the chicken fat from the skillet into the tomato mixture. Stir to combine and season with more salt, if needed. Pour tomatoes over the chicken on the platter, drizzle with olive oil, and top with fresh basil or mint, and more red-pepper flakes to serve.

2. Sticky Miso Salmon Bowl

Sticky Miso Salmon Bowl. This weeknight dinner combines grapefruit with honey, miso and ginger for a combination marinade and glaze. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Johnny Miller/The New York Times)

Miso salmon is an easy meal for any night of the week, but it gets taken to a whole other level here with the additions of grapefruit and honey. Combining the zest and juice from the grapefruit with honey, miso and a bit of ginger gives the fish a sticky-tangy finish when broiled. The sushi rice is mixed with a humble pat of butter and some sliced scallions, making it a comforting counterpart to this simple fish for an elegant weeknight dinner.

By Andy Baraghani

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sushi rice
3 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons fresh grapefruit zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, patted dry
Salt and pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed
Any combination of kimchi, chile crisp, toasted nori sheets, and sliced cucumber, avocado or radish, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Put the rice in a medium bowl and fill with cool tap water. Run your fingers through the rice, gently swooshing the grains around to loosen the starch. Dump out as much water as you can and repeat until the water runs slightly more clear, another two to three rinses.
Drain the rice and transfer to a small or medium saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Pour in 2 1/4 cups cool water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Give the rice a stir to help keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot, then cover and decrease heat to low. Cook without lifting the lid for 18 minutes. (Set your timer!)
While the rice is cooking, place a rack about 5 inches from the broiler heat source and set the broiler to high. Whisk the miso, honey, oil, ginger and grapefruit zest and juice in a large bowl. Season the salmon lightly with salt and add to the bowl. Gently toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature until the timer for the rice goes off.
Remove the pot of rice from the heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes, while you cook the salmon.
Using tongs, arrange the salmon on a foil-lined rimmed sheet tray. Make sure to leave the marinade on and spread any excess on top of the filets. (This step will make for better browning.) Broil the salmon until glossy and charred in most spots, about 5 minutes for medium-rare or 7 minutes for medium. Your timing will also depend on whether or not you’d like a little char on top.
Uncover the rice and add the scallions and butter. Season with salt and several grinds of pepper. Fluff the rice with a rubber spatula until each grain is coated. Serve the salmon over the rice and add any of the toppings you desire.

3. Basil-Butter Pasta

Basil-Butter Pasta. This recipe is a must for lovers of sweet summer basil. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times.)

This pasta captures the essence of basil, without pesto’s garlic, nuts and salty cheese tussling for attention. It smells like a sun-warmed basil plant, one of summer’s greatest moments. To make it, simply blanch basil leaves to lock in their color, then blitz them with butter. As the bright-green basil butter melts onto hot pasta, it carries the sweet pepperiness (and the smell, too!) of the herb into every nook and cranny.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Salt
3 cups packed basil leaves (about 80 grams, from 2 large bunches)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced, at room temperature
1 pound of any pasta, any type

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Place the basil in a heatproof colander. Once the water is boiling, submerge the colander with the basil into the pot and use a spoon to push the leaves into the water. Blanch for 10 seconds, then immediately rinse the leaves under cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze them dry with your hands. Reserve the boiling water.
Transfer the basil to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the butter and process, scraping the sides of the food processor as needed, until very smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Basil butter will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for several months.)
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pot, then add the basil butter and toss to coat. (Doesn’t it smell incredible?) If the pasta is dry instead of silky and glossy, add more pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt.

4. Grilled Shrimp With Spicy Slaw

Lightly charred, citrusy grilled shrimp are the star of this quick slaw made from a pile of thinly sliced, crunchy green cabbage tossed with a sweet-tart citrus dressing. Cilantro adds bright flavor, and this dish has a bit of spice in the form of fresh jalapeños. They range quite a bit in their heat level, so start with a small amount and add more as you see fit. (You can also add julienned mango to tame the heat, if you like.) Feel free to substitute any quick-cooking protein for the shrimp; grilled chicken thighs or slabs of grilled tofu would work wonderfully. The cabbage will soften as it sits, so serve soon after it has been dressed to maximize its crunch.

By Yossy Arefi

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)
1/4 cup neutral oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons thinly sliced jalapeño (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 pound large (16 to 20 count) peeled and deveined shrimp
4 packed cups thinly shredded green cabbage (1/2 medium head)
1 mango (optional), peeled and julienned
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 thinly sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lime juice, oil, honey, jalapeño and salt. Taste and add more jalapeño if you’d like more heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of the dressing to a medium bowl and toss with the shrimp; let the shrimp marinate while you heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing from the large bowl, then add the cabbage, mango (if using), cilantro and scallions to the large bowl; toss to coat.
Grill the shrimp until lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the slaw to a serving platter. Set the shrimp on top and drizzle shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of dressing; serve immediately.

5. Broccoli Korma

Broccoli Korma. Eat with rice or roti, or both. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

Broccoli florets are simmered in coconut milk and almond butter then topped with slivered almonds, resulting in a nutty, luxurious main or side in just 30 minutes. Malabar pepper, grown and commonly used in the south of India, has a delicate lingering heat. (You could use another black pepper, but if the former is an option, try it.) Garam masala dials up the spice, and an onion provides subtle sweetness. Serve with rice or roti.

By Zainab Shah

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond or cashew butter
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
8 ounces broccoli florets (from 1 large head broccoli), or use 8 ounces frozen broccoli
Salt
1 to 3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper (preferably Malabar)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Handful of slivered almonds (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional), for serving
Rice or roti, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a medium (10-inch) pot, heat ghee on high for 30 seconds. Stir in ginger and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it turns translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in almond butter and coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil.
Add broccoli and 1 teaspoon salt, and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in black pepper and more salt if desired, to taste.
Top with garam masala and with almonds, if you like. Serve with lemon wedges, if using, and rice or roti.

Related Articles

Here’s how to make Pre-Vacation Fried Rice

Discover the sweet health benefits of summertime melons

Recipe: Skillet Sausage and Peppers is a perfect weeknight dinner

Quick Fix: Veal Scallopini with Mango Salsa and Brown Rice and Peas

Summer dinner in a snap: Dishes we wait all year round to make