A quick pan sauce built on tangy pickle relish that keeps chicken from drying out and seasons rice at the same time. This is how you finish a jar that has been sitting in the back of the fridge, and it takes one pot.

Serves 2. 30 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 1300 calories a serving, 133 g protein, 120 g carbohydrate, 27 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a wide pot over medium-high until foaming. Salt and pepper 2 chicken breasts, then set them in the pot and cook until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes total; remove to a plate.8 min
2. In the same pot, stir 3/4 cup rice to coat it in the remaining butter, then add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover, and reduce to low heat.
3. After 12 minutes, stir the pickle relish into the rice, nestle the chicken breasts back into the pot, cover again, and cook until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. The rice is done when it has absorbed all the liquid.5 min

Note Swap in cooked shrimp for chicken if you have it; add them just before serving. Leftovers keep three days covered in the fridge and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed green beans.

Two tablespoons of pickle relish becomes a bright glaze for salmon fillets, using up what's lingering in the back of the fridge. The relish adds tang and sweetness while it crisps the fish skin. Dinner in under twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 18 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 940 calories a serving, 81 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 66 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Pat two salmon fillets dry with a kitchen towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Place the salmon skin-side down in the hot oil and cook without moving for 4 minutes, until the skin is deep gold and crisp, then turn and cook for 2 minutes more on the flesh side.6 min
3. Stir 2 tablespoons of pickle relish together with 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl, then brush this glaze onto the top of each fillet in the final minute of cooking until glossy and heated through.1 min

Note Swap the relish for equal parts whole grain mustard and honey if you prefer less vinegar. Leftover salmon keeps three days covered in the fridge and is good cold the next day. Serve with rice or roasted vegetables to round out the plate.

A half scoop of pickle relish goes into the beef to make these patties distinctly flavored and moist. The relish spreads its tangy warmth through the meat so you taste it in every bite, no condiment jar needed.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 51 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 55 g fat. From USDA figures for 86% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Slice one small onion into thin rings. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion rings, stirring often, until they soften and begin to brown at the edges, about five minutes. Push them to the side of the pan and adjust heat to medium.5 min
2. While the onion cooks, mix 12 ounces ground beef with 1/2 cup pickle relish, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, handling the meat gently until just combined. Form into two thick patties.
3. Set the patties in the cleared space of the pan and cook without moving them until the underside is browned, about four minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the center reaches 160°F [71°C], about three more minutes.7 min
4. Toast the two hamburger buns in the pan or in a separate toaster while the patties rest. Build each burger with a patty and the caramelized onion on top.2 min

Note Swap ground turkey for beef if you prefer it. Leftover cooked patties keep three days covered in the fridge and warm well in a skillet. Serve with the toasted buns and any other toppings you have on hand, or eat plainly to taste the relish.