24 Lazy Back-to-School Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
When you're in a pinch, here's what to cook.
Every item on this page was chosen by an editor from The Pioneer Woman. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
Back-to-school season is no joke. Between stocking up on school supplies, bringing your little ones to after school activities, and orientation, the weekdays can get busy. When you want to prepare a home-cooked meal for your family but just don't have the energy, turn to these easy dinner recipes. They're just the remedy to those hectic nights and will keep your entire family nourished without a whole lot of work.
All of these lazy back-to-school dinner ideas come together in under an hour and many of them take advantage of single-appliance cooking. Think: one-skillet dinners, sheet-pan meals, air fryer mains, and more. Not only does it make getting dinner on the table easy, but it also reduces the number of dishes that you need to wash at the end of the night. Win-win! There are plenty of pasta dishes here that adults and kids alike will love—and a lot of them pack in the veggies, too! Try lemon pasta when you want something bright and fresh or the jammy cherry tomato pasta for a last taste of summer.
You'll also find recipes that take advantage of shortcut ingredients and leftovers, like this pork fried rice or Ree Drummond's chicken pot pie soup, which uses a whole rotisserie chicken. No one will ever know just how easy they both were to prepare. So when you're too overwhelmed to cook, turn to these lazy back to school dinner recipes that will satisfy you and your kiddos!
Lemon Pasta
Between carpooling and chores, it can be a tricky task to get a family-friendly dinner on the table. That's where this 30-minute lemon pasta comes in. Bonus: It uses ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.
Get the Lemon Pasta recipe.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
When you're craving a comforting slice of chicken pot pie without all of the work, make this cozy soup. It uses a whole rotisserie chicken and store-bought pie crust dough, both of which save so much time.
Get Ree's Chicken Pot Pie Soup recipe.
Asparagus Pasta
This veggie-packed pasta is colorful and nourishing. Want to make it vegetarian? Just omit the bacon! You can also easily add chicken or shrimp for more protein.
Get the Asparagus Pasta recipe.
Shrimp and Grits
This Southern staple is totally doable on a busy weeknight—seriously. The trick is using quick-cook grits, which are mixed with not one, but three kinds of cheese and tons of butter for a bite that's just so good.
Get Ree's Shrimp and Grits recipe.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cauliflower
Sheet pan dinners are a weeknight winner—especially during the busy back-to-school season. This fall-friendly version features in-season produce and lots of warm and cozy spices.
Get Ree's Sheet Pan Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cauliflower recipe.
Cherry Tomato Pasta
Take advance of juicy cherry tomatoes while they're still at their peak with this easy pasta dish. A duo of grated Parmesan cheese and whole milk ricotta deliver a creamy texture and savory notes.
Get the Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe.
Marry Me Chicken
Ree insists that even if you don't score a proposal, everyone at the table will still be more than satisfied. That's because the combination of sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese is irresistible.
Get Ree's Marry Me Chicken recipe.
White Chicken Chili
Some chili recipes take hours to simmer, but this one comes together in just 45 minutes. It's a nourishing, protein-packed dinner that will feed a hungry group after an exhausting week.
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
When you need a low effort, high reward dinner, this sheet pan recipe will save the day. A package of refrigerated gnocchi bake up with a bevy of colorful vegetables, tons of gooey fresh mozzarella, and fragrant basil.
Get the Sheet Pan Gnocchi recipe.
Bow Tie Pasta
When in doubt, make pasta. After all, who could resist this hearty dish that's studded with Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli? A snowfall of freshly grated Parm ties it all together.
Get the Bow Tie Pasta recipe.
Veggie Fajitas
These vegetarian-friendly fajitas take advantage of just about every veggie in sight—bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, poblano peppers, and mushrooms. You can make the pico de gallo a day or two in advance.
Get Ree's Veggie Fajitas recipe.
Lemon-Thyme Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes
Chicken thighs are flavorful and super easy to cook. Here, a sprinkling of fresh thyme, lots of aromatic garlic, and lemon brightens the whole thing up.
Get Ree's Lemon-Thyme Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes recipe.
Pork Fried Rice
When you're craving the ease and comfort of takeout, but still want to enjoy a home-cooked meal, make this 30-minute fried rice. It's such a good use of leftover rice from dinner the night before.
Get Ree's Pork Fried Rice recipe.
Spicy Salmon Rice Bowls
You don't need to do much to salmon to make it shine. This savory, umami-packed recipe features a glaze for the fish made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and Sriracha.
Get Ree's Spicy Salmon Rice Bowls recipe.
Chicken Tortellini Soup
There's so much more you can do with cheese tortellini than dousing it with tomato sauce. This cozy soup tastes like a lighter, brighter version of chicken pot pie—and it's so much easier to make.
Get the Chicken Tortellini Soup recipe.
Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken
Ree says that if there was one cut of chicken she could eat for the rest of her life, it would be chicken thighs. And this fragrant, herbaceous dish might just be the best way to cook them.
Get Ree's Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken recipe.
Hamburger Soup
Ree first developed this soup recipe on a cold night and it quickly became a favorite among her family members. Think of it as a clean out the fridge recipe featuring juicy ground beef.
Get Ree's Hamburger Soup recipe.
Coconut Chicken Curry
A can of unsweetened coconut milk and diced mangoes help to balance the spicy flavors in this quick curry recipe. It's delicious with chicken thighs, which are super forgiving.
Get the Coconut Chicken Curry recipe.
Garlic Shrimp
A relative of shrimp scampi, this lemony, buttery, garlicky shrimp dish will quickly be on repeat in your house. Serve it with crusty bread for sopping up all of that delicious sauce. Yum!
Get the Garlic Shrimp recipe.
Air Fryer Salmon
Skip the oven! The best way to cook salmon might just be in the air fryer. It yields crispy, tender fish that's also mess-free. Plus, it only takes ten minutes in total.
Get the Air Fryer Salmon recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
5 Easy Tricks to Keep Dahlias Blooming Until Frost
Cauliflower Soup
7 Gardening Tasks to Tackle Before the Summer Ends
