The recipes in most cookbooks are designed to serve many diners. Joanie Zisk, a chef, decided to offer something else when she wrote The Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook, and started a website called OneDishKitchen.com. For these recipes, she uses chicken in different ways for three distinct meals that serve one person.

Chicken and Spaghetti

• 1 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, poached and chopped
• 2 ounces spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place chicken in saucepan, sprinkle with salt, cover with water by an inch or so, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer chicken for 10 to 12 minutes. Chicken is done when an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees or the juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife. Transfer chicken to cutting board and cover. Chop after 10 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.

Melt butter in skillet and add onions and cook until softened. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring frequently for one to two minutes. Add salt, pepper, seasonings, broth, and milk. Stir until smooth then cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened, about five minutes.

Place chicken, tomatoes, and cheese in bowl. Stir in sauce and cooked pasta and eat immediately.

Chicken Enchiladas

• ¼ cup canola oil
• 3 8-inch corn tortillas
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
• ½ cup tomatillo sauce
• ¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and warm for 30 seconds. Add tortillas one at a time until lightly browned, 20 seconds each. Set tortillas aside on large plate lined with paper towels.

To assemble enchiladas, place one to two tablespoons of tomatillo sauce on bottom of ungreased small baking dish. Place one tortilla in dish, top with half the cooked chicken, sprinkle with two tablespoons cheese, add another tortilla on top of cheese, and repeat with the remaining chicken and one tablespoon cheese. Add the last tortilla, cover with remaining tomatillo sauce, and top with remaining cheese. Place dish in oven and bake 15 minutes until cheese has melted.

Chicken with Chili

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 small red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• Shredded cheese for topping (optional)
• Sour cream for topping (optional)

In medium skillet, cook onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Add peppers, chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook for one minute. Pour tomatoes into pan and sprinkle in basil. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Add chicken to pan and simmer uncovered for another five minutes.

Transfer chili to bowl and top with cheese and sour cream, if desired.

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