These quick and Easy Dinner Ideas are made with simple ingredients and perfect for every night of the week. Here’s a list of 30+ quick prep, sheet pan, crockpot, and one pot meals that will become part of your regular rotation!
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Making dinner can be a struggle, especially when it involves a ton of ingredients, prep time, and cooking methods.
That’s why I compiled this huge list of the easiest and quickest dinner recipes so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying life!
Below, you’ll find a list of over 30 dinner ideas that you’ll come back to again and again, from low-effort crockpot meals to 30-minute sheet pan dinners.
Don’t forget to check out the end of the post where I share some easy tips to making dinner an effortless event!
One Pot BBQ Chicken Chili Mac
This One Pot BBQ Chicken Chili Mac is the perfect meal in one! It’s loaded with protein, fiber, veggies and made in one skillet in 30 minutes! An easy, healthy weeknight meal.
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Crockpot Tuscan Chicken recipe
This Crockpot Tuscan Chicken is made up juicy chicken breasts slow cooked in a rich and cheesy cream sauce. This recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and makes the perfect dinner served over your favorite pasta!
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Easy Orange Chicken Recipe
This Easy Orange Chicken recipe is so easy to make at home in less than 30 minutes! Seasoned chicken breast is sautéed until golden and smothered in the very BEST homemade orange sauce!
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup has everything you love about traditional chicken noodle soup but the broth is deliciously thick and creamy. It's a wonderfully comforting recipe that's so easy to toss together in one pot.
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Healthier One Pot Skillet Lasagna: a 30 Minute Meal!
This Healthier Skillet Lasagna is loaded with sneaky veggies, ground chicken or turkey, and a homemade tomato sauce making it an easy, healthy dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes!
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Marry Me Chicken recipe
Marry Me Chicken features golden chicken breasts simmered in a medley of bold ingredients like bacon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and more! This one pan chicken recipe is served smothered in a creamy sauce that's so good, you may just hear wedding bells.
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Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper
This Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper is easily made entirely in the Crockpot, with ground beef and macaroni in a cheesy, tomato-y sauce with extra veggies! It's hearty comfort food made easy!
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Easy Crockpot Chili Recipe
This Crockpot Chili Recipe has ground beef, vegetables and beans in a flavorful sauce — the low and slow process makes it incredibly delicious! Perfect for busy weeknights — just load it with your favorite toppings!
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast (the BEST gravy!)
This Slow Cooker Pot Roast has such incredible flavor and the best gravy! Creamy potatoes, tender carrots, fall apart roast beef — it’s pure comfort food!
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Easy Taco Soup recipe
This easy Taco Soup is made with just 8 ingredients and minimal prep! It's hearty and comes together in 30 minutes or less.
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{Slow Cooker} Mongolian Beef
Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef is so much better than your average take-out! Tender strips of steak are smothered in a rich, dark, flavorful Asian sauce that's got just the right touch of sweetness. The best part? It's so easy to make by tossing everything in a slow cooker!
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Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan is a classic comfort food made healthier in the air fryer. Breaded chicken is air fried until golden and crispy, then topped with your favorite tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
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Crockpot Meatloaf recipe
This Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe is a comfort food classic made easier in the slow cooker. It's perfectly moist, packed with flavor, and takes a quick 10 minutes to prep!
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Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts
These Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts are an easy, one-pan dish that’s ready in just 25 minutes. The juicy chicken breasts are cooked in a rich, creamy tomato sauce that's packed with flavor!
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Air Fryer Burgers
Air Fryer Burgers are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! Perfectly seasoned, make ahead and freezer friendly.
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Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken Breasts
This Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken Breasts Recipe is an easy chicken dinner recipe that you can set and forget in your pressure cooker! Serve the chicken and sweet, tangy sauce over rice or noodles for the perfect weeknight dinner! Includes step by step recipe video.
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Zuppa Toscana soup
This Zuppa Toscana is the perfect heart dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes! It's packed with Italian sausage, potatoes and kale, and parmesan cheese!
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Instant Pot Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork
This Instant Pot Honey Balsamic Pulled Pork is a twist on a classic. It's cooked to tender and juicy perfection, then smothered in a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy honey balsamic sauce.
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Greek Sheet Pan Chicken | The Mediterranean Dish
Greek sheet pan chicken with zucchini, tomatoes, and bell pepper is juicy, tender, and takes just 45 minutes in this easy sheet pan chicken recipe.
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One-Pan Salmon Asparagus Recipe (VIDEO)
One-Pan Salmon Asparagus recipe with a lemon-garlic-herb butter. Every bite is so juicy and flavorful! A reader favorite, 20-minute salmon dinner.
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Crockpot Sesame Chicken
Crockpot Sesame Chicken knocks the socks off of traditional Sesame Chicken with the additional depth of sweet and spicy Asian Sweet Chili Sauce – you will never want to make another sesame chicken recipe again! Crockpot Sesame Chicken is a healthier version of your favorite takeout that is wonderfully tender, juicy and smothered in the most intoxicating sweet…
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Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken
This simple recipe for baked lemon pepper chicken makes a delicious dinner the whole family will enjoy. Low carb, gluten-free, and full of flavor!
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Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe – Little Sunny Kitchen
Deliciously seasoned shredded chicken tacos are the perfect choice for taco night. This chicken taco recipe is fast and simple to make any day of the week.
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Italian Beef recipe
Easy shredded Italian Beef made in the crockpot, just six ingredients! Tender chuck roast is simmered in a tangy broth for fall-apart goodness, perfect for serving on sandwiches.
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Instant Pot {Pressure Cooker} Hamburger Stroganoff
Instant Pot {Pressure Cooker} Hamburger Stroganoff ~ Our Favorite Meal Now in the Instant Pot! Only One Dish to Clean and You Have an Easy Dinner Recipe!
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Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are an easy dinner idea, ready in 30 minutes with only one dirty pan!
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Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice – The Salty Marshmallow
Creamy Parmesan One Pot Chicken and Rice is a creamy chicken and rice recipe made easy! The best chicken and rice full of juicy chicken and cheese!
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Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
This easy, cheesy, beefy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe is pure comfort food! A creamy layer of beef and veggies is baked to perfection beneath a layer of fluffy golden tater tots and plenty of cheese.
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London Broil Sheet Pan Dinner
This London Broil Sheet Pan dinner is a meal all on one pan. The London Broil is seared and then cooked in the oven alongside a colorful array of vegetables.
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Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a slow cooker version of a classic comfort food! Tender chicken, loads of veggies, and fluffy homemade dumplings are simmered in a thick and flavorful gravy.
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Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo
Creamy Chicken Broccoli Orzo made with sauteed chicken, fresh broccoli, orzo pasta in a cheesy sauce. This easy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Orzo Skillet 30-minute meal is creamy and delicious!
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Top tips for making dinner a breeze:
- Prep ahead: Chopping veggies or preparing the meat beforehand is a really simple way to cut down on prep time and make your life easier.
- Using canned foods: Canned beans, fruits, and vegetables is perfect for dump and go meals where you can’t be bothered to chop or cook beforehand.
- Keep carbs handy: Having quinoa, pasta, bread – basically any form of carbs handy is an easy way to bulk up a meal without complicating things.
- Stock up on essentials: Most of these recipes use common pantry staples that you probably already have in your kitchen. Keeping these stocked makes it easier to throw dinner together without taking a trip to the grocery store!
- Freezer meals: Whenever possible, I’ll make a double batch of any recipe that freezes well and save it for later because some nights you need that. Cut your future self some slack! Even with the longest list of easy dinner ideas in the world, there are still going to be some nights it just won’t happen.
- Kid-friendly options: If you’re feeding a family, I suggest switching things up a bit for the little ones. For example, I would omit any spicy ingredients in the recipe and serve them on the side if needed. If you’ve got picky eaters who won’t eat their veggies, you can chop them up super finely into the meals so they won’t even notice! You can also add fun sides like mac and cheese or dinner rolls to make mealtime more exciting.
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