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85 Amazingly-Quick Dinners For The Busiest Of Weeknights (You Know The Ones)

Take-out, who?

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mexican beef 'n rice skillet topped with melty cheese and cilantro
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Look, we're not proficient in quantum physics or anything, BUT we are pretty sure that dinner time on busy weekdays comes at you WAY faster than any other meal. You know the type of days we mean, where you have NO time to plan dinner and now need to get it on the table, fast. We’ve all been there. If you’ve got more important things to think about than what’s for your evening meal, let us help take some of those decisions off your plate. From meat to pasta to super-simple sheet-pan dinners, one-pot meals, and casseroles, there’s something in here for everyone. Check out our 85 best quick dinner recipes—they’re big on convenience and flavor, and they all come together in less than an hour (and some in only 25 minutes)? Now that’s a weeknight dinner miracle.

The best thing about these recipes is that they can be made for any occasion, any night of the week. Making a quick, casual meal before your whole crew heads out for the evening? Try our copycat chicken lettuce wraps (30 min.), our freezer burritos (25 min.), our pizzadillas (30 min.), or our smash burger tacos (40 minutes) for easy, semi-portable options everyone can take with them out the door. Looking for recipes that’ll get the whole family to actually sit at the dinner table? Try a quick pasta dish, like our taco gnocchi bake (30 min.), our grown up SpaghettiOs & meatballs (45 min.), our creamy peanut-lime chicken with noodles (45 min.), or our Tuscan chicken pasta (45 min.). Really craving take-out, but know you should cook at home? Make our Indian butter chickpeas (40 min.), our copycat Costco chicken bake (1 hour), our copycat CPK BBQ chicken skillet pizza (45 min.), or our egg roll bowls (35 min.). You might be able to make them faster than it’ll take for delivery to even arrive. Want to celebrate a special occasion? Even though time is tight, you can still turn out a remarkable meal. Try our pumpkin carbonara (45 min.), our marry me chicken (40 min.), our pork chops with apples (30 min.), or our brown sugar salmon (15 min.!). They all taste like labors of love, with much less work.

Need more easy dinners? Try our best cheap and easy recipes, our top 20-minute meals, and our favorite easy desserts too.

1

Chicken Curry

creamy chicken curry in a pan served with rice
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Looking for an easy, weeknight-friendly curry? This chicken version is IT. It’s rich, saucy, and perfectly spiced (but not too hot!), is made up of simple ingredients you might already have at home, and comes together in less than an hour.

Get the Chicken Curry recipe.

2

Indian Butter Chickpeas

indian butter chickpeas and rice in a bowl with pita
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Looking for your new favorite way to dress up canned chickpeas? You’re in the right place. Simmered in an aromatic tomato gravy, this vegetarian spin on classic butter chicken will forever change the way you look at a can of beans.

Get the Indian Butter Chickpeas recipe.

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3

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

chicken casserole topped with ritz crackers in a red dish
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

When the weather gets cold, your dinner making-mojo is low, or when comfort food is just what’s on the menu, you need a casserole. And if that casserole is easy, creamy, chicken-y, and cheesy, like this one is? With a crunchy topping? Your oven should already be preheating. 😉

Get the Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole recipe.

4

Chicken & Broccoli

stir fried pieces of chicken and broccoli
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This fast and easy one-pot chicken and broccoli recipe is coated in a sweet and savory sauce with plenty of ginger and garlic for a weeknight dinner that beats take-out. This dish comes together in 20 minutes with minimal prep work too. Win win!

Get the Chicken & Broccoli recipe.

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5

Sloppy Joes

sloppy joes served on a toasted bun with chips
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

If you're craving a reliable, nostalgic, easy (and cheap) weeknight dinner, then there’s no debate: A sloppy Joes’ night is in order. The perfect answer to, “How far can I stretch this package of ground beef?”, you only need only require a handful of simple ingredients to create this classic family dinner.

Get the Sloppy Joes recipe.

6

Pork Chops With Apples

pork chops with apples and onions
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Delicious pork chops that aren't dry are very much within reach this fall. These easy pork chops get cooked with apples and onions that provide tons of flavor, then simmered in apple cider for a little sweetness that helps keep them from drying out.

Get the Pork Chops With Apples recipe.

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7

Goulash

elbow macaroni in a tomato sauce
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: LAURA REGE

A classic nostalgic comfort dish, goulash is the hearty weeknight dinner we'll always crave. The best thing about this goulash recipe? Everything cooks together in one pot—even the pasta!

Get the Goulash recipe.

8

Chicken Quesadilla

chicken quesadillas
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: LIBERTY FENNELL

You don't really need a recipe to make this popular Mexican dish, but if you're looking for some guidance, especially in cooking up some quick and easy chicken to stuff inside, this recipe won't let you down.

Get the Chicken Quesadilla recipe.

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9

Mexican Beef 'N' Rice Skillet

mexican beef 'n rice skillet topped with melty cheese and cilantro
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER, FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Is there anything better than a one-skillet meal? We don’t think so! This one features spiced ground beef, flavorful rice, hearty beans, and lots of cheese. It all comes together in just 40 minutes with minimal prep, and is perfect for when you want to spice things up.

Get the Mexican Beef 'N' Rice Skillet recipe.

10

Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles

chicken with noodles and carrots in a creamy peanut lime sauce topped with peanuts
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Who can resist rice noodles bathed in an abundance of sweet and creamy peanut butter sauce? Not us! In this recipe, the prep actually takes longer than the cooking, so feel free to make some elements ahead. With all them behind you, the dish comes together in a snap.

Get the Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles recipe.

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11

Brown Sugar Salmon

tender, flaky broiled salmon glazed with a sweet, slightly tart glaze of brown sugar, dijon mustard, lime juice, fish sauce, and berbere spice
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

When it comes to 15-minute weeknight dinners, nothing is better than a simple piece of flaky, tender, savory-sweet brown sugar-glazed salmon. It takes 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to cook, and cleanup is an absolute breeze.

Get the Brown Sugar Salmon recipe.

12

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

fettuccine alfredo with shrimp
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of life's greatest comfort foods—it's creamy, cheesy, carb-y, and super super flavorful. We especially love this version because the shrimp not only adds extra flavor, but also some lean protein to boot.

Get the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe.

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13

Chicken Stir-Fry

chicken stir fry with broccoli, cashews, and red pepper
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

A stir fry is our go-to weeknight dinner when we just don’t have the energy to spend a long time in the kitchen or hit the grocery store—this chicken recipe is no exception. Make it as is, then use it as a jumping-off point to create your own perfect version.

Get the Chicken Stir-Fry recipe.

14

Baked Feta Pasta

baked feta in a pan with roasted cherry tomatoes and shallots
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Obviously roasting a block of feta with bursting tomatoes is going to be amazing, but is it good enough to break TikTok like this one did? Our answer, begrudgingly, is yes. It's genius—super easy, but fancy enough for date night. 😍

Get the Baked Feta Pasta recipe.

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15

Taco Gnocchi Bake

a pan with gnocchi covered in enchilada sauce, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and cherry tomatoes
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

In this recipe, gnocchi gets the taco treatment for a simple weeknight meal. Along with some ground beef, black beans, and plenty of cheddar cheese, it’s a fun twist on the potato-based pasta that comes together in just 30 minutes.

Get the Taco Gnocchi Bake recipe.

16

Shrimp Scampi

shrimp scampi tossed with breadcrumbs, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Sometimes simple is the most satisfying. One of our favorite examples? The combo of lemon, garlic, and butter, and nowhere do these flavors shine better than in shrimp scampi. We like to keep things simple, but feel free to add pasta or rice if you like.

Get the Shrimp Scampi recipe.

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17

Chicken Tacos

flour tortillas on a plate filled with chicken, tomatoes, avocado and red onion
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We say the more toppings the merrier for these quick and easy tacos. We like ours topped with red onion (pickled onions would be great too), avocado, cilantro, and cheese, but pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, or some crushed corn chips would also be delicious.

Get the Easy Chicken Tacos recipe.

18

Egg Roll Bowls

ground pork, cabbage and carrot in a bowl
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

If you're a fan of crispy savory egg rolls, then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream healthy dinner. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour.

Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.

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19

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

sheet pan chicken fajitas
Chelsea Lupkin

Making a whole recipe on one sheet pan is perfect for meal prepping. Turn these easy chicken fajitas into tacos, serve them over rice, whatever you like!

Get the Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe.

20

White Chicken Chili

white chicken chili with cilantro, chips, sour cream and avocado
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Adding white beans makes this heartier than your average chicken noodle soup, and the addition of green chiles, jalapeño, and sour cream add the perfect amount of heat and creaminess to switch up classic chili. Plus, everything comes together in less than an hour!

Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.

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