If you’ve just moved into a Chicago apartment and have discovered that your kitchen is a little smaller than you thought, don’t sweat it! There are some excellent ways to get around the issues small spaces can present when cooking.
So, what do you need to create delicious dishes in your small kitchen space? Let’s take a look at the items you’ll need and some ideas on what and how to cook with them.

Microwave
There is no denying that microwave cooking is one of the easiest ways to get around dealing with small spaces. If you know how to handle the buttons, you can whip up an entire meal in a microwave without even raising the temperature in your Chicago apartment. Once you know how fast – or slow – your microwave cooks, you can easily branch out with your own recipes.
- CDKitchen Microwave Recipes
- Big Mama’s Microwave Recipes
- Microwave Recipes from Recipe Zaar
- All Recipes Microwave Cooking
- Cooks.com Microwave Desserts
Large skillet

This is a must have for any kitchen, small or large. A deep-dish skillet can work wonders for one-dish meals. Simple chop and drop meals like stir frys or omelets are easy to make on the stove and don’t involve a lot of dishes or clean-up. Check out some of the recipes below for one-dish skillet meals.
Crock pot

Photo by: The Flying Enchilada
If your stove can’t handle all the pots you need to cook a meal, the crock pot is an essential that can make one-dish cooking a breeze. All you have to do is throw all of your ingredients into one pot, cover it and six to eight hours later, you have a complete, hearty meal waiting for you. Check out the following sites for crock pot recipes:
- Slow and Simple Slow Cooker Recipes
- All Recipes Slow Cooker Main Dish Recipes
- Southern Food Crock Pot Recipes
- Crock Pot Recipes
Small kitchens can be challenging to navigate for large meals, but there are ways to compensate for a lack of counter space. The right kitchen essentials can make everyday cooking a breeze.
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Good recipe, thanx!
I wanted to thank you for this nice write up. I absolutely enjoyed every little part of it. I have you bookmarked and will be checking back.