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Life can be hard—but these easy dinner recipes sure aren't. Think of this collection as your ultimate resource for quick, crowd-pleasing dinners. You'll find so many simple family meal ideas, from sheet pan dinners that save time on clean-up to speedy 30-minute meals that fill everyone up fast. These are the same dishes Ree Drummond prepares at home, where she likes to focus on flavor without all the fuss. "I find myself gravitating toward recipes that are delicious but don't require a lot of prep," she says. So, if you're anything like Ree, these easy dinner ideas are sure to be weeknight winners in your home!
When deciding what to make for dinner, you can choose from recipes for steak, pork, salmon, and chicken. There are also plenty of outside-the-box pasta recipes and other imaginative ideas to ensure you'll never be stuck in a cooking rut again. For instance, you can try the pretzel-crusted chicken with broccoli, the skillet lasagna, or the sloppy Joe casserole for an updated take on a comfort food classic. There are also several air fryer recipes, like the crispy air fryer pork chops that come together in just 12 minutes. It doesn't get much easier than that!
1
Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
C.W. Newell
Can't choose between chicken enchiladas and sweet potatoes? With this inventive dish, you won't have to! Each tender, roasted sweet potato is stuffed with a flavorful combination of rotisserie chicken, green chiles, and jalapeños, all enveloped in a smooth, tangy sauce.
This simple stir-fry is so easy to throw together! It's full of all the flavors you crave from the takeout version, including fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper. Best of all, a bowl of beef and broccoli calls for just 20 minutes of prep time and simmers to perfection throughout the day, thanks to the slow cooker.
Creamy shrimp Alfredo is comfort food at it's finest. What's even more comforting, though, is the fact that it comes together in just 30 minutes, thanks to a four-ingredient Alfredo sauce and frozen shrimp.
This hearty meatball sub will give your local deli a run for its money. The use of ground chicken in the meatballs not only lightens up the dish but gives the sandwich all the cheesy goodness of chicken parm.
This cheesy, fiery mac only takes a little more effort than the typical boxed version. With just ten minutes of prep time, you'll be on your way to a steaming bowl of mac and cheese with a spicy twist—tangy buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and shredded rotisserie chicken guarantee it.
If the 15 minutes this recipe requires don't make it easy enough, the edible squash bowl that diminishes the need for any dishes sure will! Just scoop it, roast it, stuff it with a hearty filling of sausage, rice, and kale, and pop it back in the oven until the whole thing is mouthwateringly melty.
Spruce up that pack of ravioli sitting in your fridge with a few ingredients you probably have on hand: black peppercorns, salted butter, heavy cream, and grated pecorino romano.
Everything tastes better in soup form, and this chicken pot pie-inspired soup is no exception. Like classic pot pie, this dish features tender chicken, buttery veggies, and creamy gravy. And, of course, the crust—which consists of cheese and parsley-encrusted pie crusts you can use to dunk.
Add some green to your dinner plate with this simple shrimp and pesto pasta. The fresh and foolproof pesto sauce is made from a blend of spinach, parsley, and pistachios that you can make while the noodles cook.
Beef up your go-to mac and cheese—literally! The addition of ground beef makes this a hearty, family-friendly meal that even the pickiest of eaters will love.
Cozy chicken and dumplings are made even easier with a secret, store-bought ingredient: canned biscuits. Then, the slow cooker does most of the work so you can kick back and relax.
It only takes half an hour to make this Tex-Mex favorite. Keep things light with an array of veggies or pack in the protein with your favorite grilled steak or chicken. Just don't forget the pico de gallo!
This comforting casserole is made with hearty meat sauce, noodles, and tons of gooey cheese. You can even switch up the ground beef for ground chicken or ground turkey.
Wondering what to do with that leftover can of coconut milk? Whip up this easy weeknight curry! The quick-cooking shrimp and creamy curry sauce will taste so good over a bowl of rice.
This dish is everything you love about a cheeseburger—ground beef, crispy bacon, and cheese—in soup form! There are even a few chunks of potato, so it's like having a classic side of fries.
This skillet supper transforms chicken cutlets into a stunning main course with marinated tomatoes, pesto, and melty mozzarella cheese. The finishing touch? A drizzle of balsamic reduction and fresh basil.
Ree swears this is one of the "easiest and most delicious ways to prepare pork chops." They're coated in a tangy BBQ glaze and popped in the oven for a fuss-free dinner.
Beef stew typically requires time and patience, but this recipe lets the slow cooker do the hard work. Thanks to the handy kitchen appliance, the meat becomes meltingly tender and full of beefy flavor.