Dinners don’t have to be complicated to be great, and these 26 recipes are the perfect proof. You’ll be double-checking the steps, convinced you missed something, but nope, it’s just that easy. Whether you’re a kitchen newbie or a seasoned cook, these meals will have you wondering why you ever spent more time cooking.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a lifesaver on those nights when even setting the microwave feels like too much. Ready in just 25 minutes, this dish tosses together pasta and shredded chicken with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan, all tossed in creamy Caesar dressing. It’s perfect for those evenings when cooking feels like a marathon you never signed up for. Just toss, serve, and call it a day.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Shake and Bake Pork Chops are the undercover agents of quick dinners. You add a thin layer of mayonnaise on the chops, toss them in seasoned breadcrumbs, and a few minutes after baking, you have a surprisingly juicy and crispy dinner. Ready in just 25 minutes, this dish is a solid backup for when you forget to plan for dinner but still want to pretend you’ve everything under control. It’s a perfect way to end a hectic day, showing that sometimes the best things in life are the simplest.
Get the Recipe: Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Reuben Bowls
Reuben Bowls are so straightforward you might check twice so you didn’t skip a step. In 30 minutes, you’ve got a bowl packed with browned corned beef, cabbage, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese, and just the right drizzle of Thousand Island dressing. These bowls are a godsend on those nights when you want a big flavor without the big production. It’s a perfect dish for fooling everyone into thinking you’re a kitchen wizard when you’re just a master of mixing things in a bowl. Still pretty cool if you ask us!
Get the Recipe: Reuben Bowls
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Tuna Macaroni Salad is the dinner you didn’t know you needed. It combines elbow macaroni, canned tuna, and hard-boiled eggs with mayonnaise, sweet relish, and mustard, creating new and exciting flavors in just 40 minutes. It’s perfect for those evenings when your fridge is nearly empty, and so is your energy. It’s quick and easy, leaving more time to ponder the big questions — like what to watch next on Netflix.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Macaroni Salad
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is your best bet for comfort food with a side of nostalgia. Crispy tater tots and shredded chicken are combined under a mountain of cheese and then baked until bubbling and golden. It’s ready in less than an hour and asks so little of you, making it perfect for those nights when cooking is the last thing on your mind. Plus, it’s a great way to use any leftover chicken, showing that leftovers can still be enjoyed in a whole new meal.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Fresh Corn Salad
This Fresh Corn Salad is a salad that’s as refreshing as a crisp summer morning. It’s a simple mix of corn, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, and herbs, all dressed in a refreshing lime dressing. Ready in just 40 minutes, this salad is the perfect sidekick for any meal, especially when you don’t want to spend much time cooking. It’s so easy to toss together that you might wonder if you forgot a step — but nope, it’s that straightforward. Perfect for those days when you want to keep dinner light and carefree.
Get the Recipe: Fresh Corn Salad
Baked Ravioli
Everyone loves a good cheat meal that doesn’t feel like cheating and this Baked Ravioli is here to save you from a messy weekday dinner. It’s as easy as layering frozen ravioli with marinara sauce and cheese, and then baking it until bubbly and golden. Ready in about an hour, it’s the kind of dinner perfect for when you’re too tired to cook but still want something that tastes — well, like a real dinner. Sometimes, you have to play it smart, not hard.
Get the Recipe: Baked Ravioli
Grilled Hot Honey Chicken
Grilled Hot Honey Chicken is a perfect choice when you’re craving something with a kick and a touch of sweetness. It is a no-brainer for any weeknight since you can make this in just 45 minutes. This dish features chicken glazed with a homemade hot honey sauce that packs flavor without complex steps. You can even prep the sauce beforehand, making your dinner rush feel like a breeze. If you thought you had to spend all evening in the kitchen for a meal this good, think again. It’s practically foolproof and guarantees a stress-free evening.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hot Honey Chicken
Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
The Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner is a real timesaver. Toss sausages and your favorite veggies on a sheet pan, bake, and voila—a meal ready in 30 minutes flat. It’s a great solution for those evenings when even ordering takeout seems too much effort. Plus, the clean-up is just as easy as the cooking. This dish is perfect for fooling everyone into thinking you’ve got your life together, even when you barely have time to breathe.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach
For a touch of Italian flair without the hassle, try Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach. In less than 30 minutes, you can serve a dish loaded with shrimp, fresh tomatoes, and spinach, all swimming in a garlicky sauce that’s simple yet sophisticated. It’s the kind of meal that makes it seem like you know what you’re doing in the kitchen, even on your busiest nights. Because who needs hours of prep and a pile of dishes when you can have a fabulous dinner ready in the time it takes to watch an episode of your favorite TV show?
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Garlic Shrimp and Spinach
Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
If you want to make dinner without the long hours of cooking, try the Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole. This dish is a straightforward mix of canned tuna, egg noodles, and peas, topped with a crispy breadcrumb and cheese topping, and baked until it’s perfectly golden. It’s the perfect example of dumping things in a dish and getting something great out. Ready in under an hour, it’s perfect for those nights when “chef” feels like a stretch, but you still want to eat something that screams home-cooked.
Get the Recipe: Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole
Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
If you’re tired of the dinner drama and looking for a shortcut, this Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole is your backdoor recipe. Forget the hassle of stuffing peppers — this dish has all the flavors without any acrobatics and deconstructs the classic stuffed pepper into an easy casserole. You’ll mix rice, ground beef, bell peppers, and a few more ingredients, then top it generously with cheese and broil until the top is golden brown. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s a lifesaver on busy nights, showing that you can still pull off a hearty meal without wasting time.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Spinach Chicken Bake
Spinach Chicken Bake is like the lazy person’s cooking dream. Marinated chicken thighs, spinach, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese are layered together and baked until the top is golden. It’s creamy, cheesy, and has just enough greens to add to your meals. In 30 minutes, you have a dish that looks like you tried harder than you did—but really, the oven did all the heavy lifting.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Chicken Bake
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
The Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a stress-free meal option where you add ingredients — split peas, carrots, ham, and a few pantry staples — into a slow cooker and let it do the work. This method lets you focus on your day without worrying about meal prep. When you come back, you’re welcomed by a fully prepared dish for days when you’re just too exhausted to engage in active cooking. This dish shows that you don’t need to stand over a stove to create a filling meal that satisfies and comforts you after a long day.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole is like sneaking in your greens with a side of indulgence — but without regret because you’re eating your veggies! It combines broccoli and cauliflower with bacon and a creamy cheese sauce, all baked to perfection and ready in just 30 minutes. This casserole is a crowd-pleaser and a perfect choice for those evenings when you need something hearty yet simple.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
Cabbage and Sausage
Cooking often feels too much work after a long day, but Cabbage and Sausage simplifies it. This one-pan dish combines the heartiness of sausage with the subtle sweetness of cabbage, seasoned with onions, a hint of butter, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. It cooks up in less than 30 minutes, which is great for those who want a hearty meal without turning the kitchen into a disaster zone.
Get the Recipe: Cabbage and Sausage
Broccoli Casserole
If the thought of cooking dinner makes you want to run for the hills, Broccoli Casserole might just pull you back. This dish is a creamy, cheesy combination of broccoli, cream of mushroom, eggs, and sour cream, all topped with a crunchy layer of cheese and crackers. It’s simple but still filling, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and have more time for yourself. Perfect for those evenings when your couch is calling louder than your kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Casserole
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad is the go-to meal for a big flavor without a big ordeal. It’s packed with cooked chicken breast, crispy bacon, and that fiery kick from charred jalapeños, all tossed in a creamy dressing. It’s bold, creamy, and best of all, it’s easy to make. It’s a great pick for spice lovers looking to add a little excitement to their mealtime without a ton of effort.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Skillet
Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Skillet is the dish that says, “You’ve got this!” even if your energy level says otherwise. This dish combines ground beef, cheddar cheese, and cauliflower rice simmered in a creamy base seasoned with just enough spice to keep things lively. It’s ready in 30 minutes and comes together in just one skillet — meaning less clean-up. Perfect for those nights when even ordering takeout feels like too much work.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Cauliflower Rice Skillet
Canned Chicken Patties
Canned Chicken Patties are a no-stress, no-mess solution to dinner that’ll leave you with more time to do literally anything else. Mixing canned chicken with eggs, Parmesan, and almond flour (sunflower seed meal or any flour you have on hand), these patties come together faster than you can say, “What’s for dinner?” They’re crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and just absolutely good. Perfect for those evenings when you want something good but can’t face the idea of real cooking.
Get the Recipe: Canned Chicken Patties
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup is like that friend who always knows how to comfort you after a long day. Throw in some chicken, broth, cheese tortellini, carrots, celery, and onions, and in 40 minutes, you’ve got a soup that tastes like you’ve cooked it all day. It’s so straightforward that you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on your favorite show or book you’ve been meaning to read last year.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortellini Soup
Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach is your secret recipe on nights when you can barely muster the energy to cook. It packs ground beef, cauliflower rice, spinach, and cheddar, all baked together in the oven. Thirty minutes later, a golden, bubbly dish is ready for you. It’s the gastronomic equivalent of putting on your comfy pants after a long day. This dish will save your evening, allowing you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing anything else.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Beef Casserole with Cauliflower Rice and Spinach
Creamy Dijon Chicken
Creamy Dijon Chicken is quick, easy, and lets you pretend you’re a much more sophisticated chef than you might be. Chicken thighs drenched in a creamy, tangy Dijon mustard sauce deliver a rich and comforting flavor without the fancy footwork. Pair it with a simple side, and this dish turns an ordinary evening into something more special.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Chicken
Sausage Curry
Sausage Curry is a retro, vintage recipe perfect for weeknight family dinners. Made with relatively inexpensive ingredients, it combines sausages, sweet potatoes, and carrots with curry powder and fresh ginger to create an unexpectedly simple yet flavorful dish. It’s all done in 30 minutes, which is just about the same time it takes to decide what to order for takeout. Serve it with naan or rice, and you’ve got a filling and thrilling meal without the ordeal of complex cooking.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Curry
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Creamy Garlic Chicken is easy enough for weeknight cooking but tastes like an impressive restaurant-worthy meal. It features chicken breasts cooked on the stovetop in a creamy white sauce made with grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, and heavy cream. Whether you’re new to cooking or just looking for a versatile chicken dish, this recipe delivers both ease and flavor. Plus, with its quick cooking time and one-pan preparation, you’ll have more time to enjoy your meal and less time spent cleaning up.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Chicken
Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken
Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken is the no-stress hero of weeknight dinners. Seasoned chicken breasts are layered with cream cheese, sweet mini peppers, and mozzarella, baked until golden, and topped with sour cream and chives before serving. Ready in 30 minutes, this dish is like hitting the easy button for dinner. Definitely the perfect way to enjoy a flavorful meal without drama.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Fajita Baked Chicken