Shay Spence shares recipes from cookbook 'Meals You Can't Mess Up'
Whether you're a seasoned home cook or someone who could use a little extra confidence in the kitchen, Shay Spence has recipes designed to take the stress out of mealtime.
The food writer and cookbook author joined "Good Morning America" to share recipes from his new cookbook, "Meals You Can't Mess Up," which is packed with approachable dishes for home cooks of all skill levels.
From cherry cola ribs and chicken chili tot pie to beer cheese broccoli orzo soup and Nashville hot chicken and pickle dip, check out Spence's recipes below.
Cherry cola ribs
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/4 hours
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
3lb (1.35kg) pork back ribs, about 2 racks, membrane removed or scored with a knife
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce, such as Stubb’s spicy sauce, plus more for serving
20fl oz (591ml) bottle cherry cola
4 corn cobs, grilled, to serve
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and place them on a large rimmed sheet tray. Season with the chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and pat the seasoning into the meat. Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the barbecue sauce and cherry cola. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes, until reduced by half and thickened.
Heat a grill over medium-high or preheat the broiler to high. Brush the ribs with the cola barbecue sauce on both sides and grill or broil for 10 minutes, flipping once, until charred on each side. Serve with the corn and more barbecue sauce.
Tips from Spence:
What's the deal with the membrane? One big debate about ribs is whether to remove the thin membrane on the back of the bones, which can have a chewy texture and prevent the sauce from penetrating the meat. My grocery store removes the back membrane of the ribs for me, which is amazing—so always ask if they can do that. Otherwise, you can score it with a knife by making shallow cuts so the membrane will shrink up as it cooks and the sauce can hit the meat.
Make it ahead: Once you’ve gotten past step three, you can store the covered ribs and barbecue sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you want to serve them, just fire up the grill, cook as directed, and finish with the barbecue sauce.
Chicken chili tot pie
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium poblano peppers, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
1 lb (450g) ground chicken or turkey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ancho chili powder
15.5 oz (439g) can spicy chili beans with juices
28 oz (794g) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 lb (450g) frozen tater tots
8oz (227g) block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Your favorite chili toppings, such as diced raw onion, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, and more cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
To a large oven-safe skillet or a sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil, onion, and poblanos and season with salt to taste. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is slightly softened.
Add the chicken, garlic powder, and chili powder and cook for 6 minutes, crumbling the meat with the back of a spoon or a potato masher (see note below), until browned. Add the beans and tomatoes and let simmer for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. Season with more salt to taste.
Top with the frozen tater tots and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until crispy. Top with the cheddar and return to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges. Serve with your desired toppings.
Tips from Spence:
Equipment intel: I like a fine mince on the ground meat for chili, which can be hard to achieve with lean poultry because it tends to clump together in larger chunks. My favorite tool to break it up is a potato masher! Simply let the meat brown first and start to break it up with a wooden or silicon spoon, then switch to the masher and put some elbow grease into it.
Ingredient intel: I always use ancho chili powder when making chili because it’s made from pure dried poblano chiles and lends a consistently deep, smoky, just-slightly-spicy flavor. Regular chili powder varies much more greatly from brand to brand and is usually a mix of various spices, but it works here in a pinch! For other ways to use ancho chili powder, try my Choriqueso Enchilada Casserole (page 160), Cherry Cola Ribs (page 167), or Chili-Lime Corn & Black Bean Tacos (page 197).
Beer cheese broccoli orzo soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
3 tbsp salted butter
2 small heads of broccoli, finely chopped (by hand or in a food processor)
1 bunch of scallions, sliced
1/3 cup flour
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning or seasoned salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
12oz (354ml) can or bottle of dark beer, such as Shiner Bock
4 cups (1 qt) chicken broth
1 cup orzo
Two 12oz (354ml) cans evaporated milk
1 lb (450g) block of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more to serve
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the broccoli and most of the scallions, reserving some of the green parts for garnish. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
Add the flour, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the beer, stirring constantly, and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and orzo, and boil for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Reduce the heat to low and add the evaporated milk. Simmer until heated through and the orzo is just cooked, about 1 minute.
Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the cheese a handful at a time until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the scallion greens as garnish, plus more cheese, if desired (and I do desire).
Tips from Spence:
Don’t mess it up! Even though evaporated milk is more stable than cream, it still runs the risk of breaking if boiled at too high a heat. Make sure the soup is at a low simmer when you add it at the end so it doesn’t curdle and ruin your whole soup!
Why freshly grated cheese? I know it’s tempting to buy a bag of pre-grated cheese, but they generally contain an anti-caking agent that prevents the dish from becoming a smooth soup, so you’ve really got to grate it yourself.
Nashville hot chicken & pickle dip
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Yield: Serves 6–8
Ingredients
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
12oz (340g) whipped cream cheese
8oz (225g) sour cream
1/2 cup cayenne-pepper hot sauce, such as Texas Pete or Crystal
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles and 2 tbsp of the brine, plus more pickles to serve
Kosher salt, to taste
3 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
Crinkle-cut potato chips, to serve
Directions
In a large bowl, add the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, pickles and brine, and salt; stir until combined.
In a small skillet over medium heat, add the butter, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder and heat until the butter is melted. Add the panko and cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Plate the dip, top with the toasted breadcrumbs, and sprinkle with more pickles and garnish with fresh dill, if desired. Serve with the chips.
Tips from Spence:
Make it ahead: If you’re having a party and want to prep something ahead, this is the perfect dish for that. You can make the dip up to 2 days ahead and cover it tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, and the breadcrumbs can be made the day before and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. When it’s time to serve, simply add the breadcrumbs on top and garnish with the extra pickles.
Reprinted with permission from "Meals You Can’t Mess Up" by Shay Spence, Copyright © 2026 by Shay Spence. Published by DK, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
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Meals You Can't Mess Up: 100+ Actually Easy Recipes for Big Flavor with Little Effort: A cookbook by Shay Spence (Author), Ree Drummond (Foreword by)
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