Tired of making dinner decisions? End your day on a good note with one of these “under an hour” easy dinner ideas. With chicken, beef, seafood and vegetarian recipes, there are plenty of recipes that will work for even picky eaters!
Getting dinner on the table every night is an ongoing challenge for me. Making good recipes for my family for dinner sometimes seems like it’s an impossible task.
Because sometimes I swear I’m only capable of making grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes or quesadillas. Now that I think about it, I can’t even tell you how much I love my griddle.
What makes an easy dinner recipe?
I went on a quest to find real recipes that can be made for dinner tonight.
Thats right, I truly mean you can make the tonight! What does that mean?
Quick to prep and/or quick to cook
Some of these dishes take as little as 10 minutes to make, and every single one is ready in an hour or less.
Easy ingredients
These recipes all have ingredients that are relatively popular and easy to find.
I doubt you’ll have all the ingredients for each one of these dinner recipe in your kitchen, but you should be able to throw at least one of them together.
Popular recipes
This might be the most important part: these are all dinner recipes that families love. I found most of them on Facebook.
These are viral dinner recipes. I read the comments, then I went to the source and read the actual recipes.
While I haven’t actually tested each of them, there’s enough social proof to say that the recipes are popular for a reason.
Easy dinner ideas for families
It’s time to get to the list! Each dinner idea has a link to the recipe plus 2 different images. One sharable image and one that shows you what the dish looks like. Because I want you to see why I was drawn to them.
Even better, I’ve categorized them according to their main protein.
The most popular main ingredient is chicken, and beef takes a close second. You’ll also find seafood dinner recipes. The final category has recipes that let you choose your own protein or leave it out for a vegetarian dinner.
Family dinner ideas with chicken
Chicken Alfredo Crescent Roll Ups
This crescent roll dinner recipe is a great hack for an easy family meal! These cheesy chicken alfredo roll-ups are ready to eat in just 30 minutes, and they’re easily one of the best crescent roll dinner recipes I’ve ever had!
Sheet Pan Baked Chicken Fajitas
This recipe for sheet pan chicken fajitas is a delicious quick and easy dinner that’s a family favorite meal!
Juicy pieces of chicken mixed with crisp peppers and onions tossed in delicious, flavorful spices. This great sheet pan recipe is an easy meal to prep and quick to make!
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Is Million Dollar Chicken Casserole the best chicken casserole ever? The ingredients sure makes it seem like it is!
With creamy, cheesy, shredded chicken underneath a rich layer of buttery crackers, it tastes like a million bucks, and everyone always comes back for seconds.
Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla
This quick and easy Chicken Quesadilla Recipe is a meal you’ll turn to again and again!
With simple, fresh ingredients and a fast prep time, these quesadillas are an easy meal for the whole family to enjoy on busy weeknights or for a quick lunch. Top them with salsa, guacamole, or your favorite taco fixings.
→ Click here to get the recipe!
8 can chicken taco soup
Only 8 cans needed to make the MOST delicious easy chicken taco soup. It is just what you need to make a simple weeknight meal that the whole family will love!
You are going to fall in love with this quick and easy 8 Can Chicken Taco Soup recipe! It is the perfect dinner when there is no time to run to the grocery store but the family needs dinnerASAP.
Grab these ingredients right out of your pantry and whip up a delicious and flavorful soup!
Chicken pot pie pasta
Cooked in 20 minutes, this Chicken Pot Pie Pasta is a classic chicken pot pie turned into a flavorful noodle dish!
One-pot chicken pot pie noodles are creamy, flavorful, and super filling! With all the vegetables and ingredients you love about chicken pot pie, this creamy noodle recipe is enjoyed by everyone. It gives you the comfort of a chicken pot pie without all the work.
Bacon ranch chicken hobo dinner
Cheesy Ranch Chicken Hobo Dinners – A delicious mix of stuffing, chicken, broccoli, bacon, and cheese all layered and cooked in foil packets. They can be grilled or baked for the easiest dinner ever.
→ Click here to get the recipe!
Crack chicken pasta
This Crack Chicken dinner is a tasty blend of sour cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, onion, garlic and dry ranch seasoning! The flavor is savory, tangy, rich, and creamy. This easy pasta dinner is a must-make and most definitely picky eater-approved.
Cheesy, creamy, and loaded with ranch flavor and chunks of juicy chicken, Crack Chicken pasta is a dinner that will have everyone raving! Even better, it’s ready in 30 minutes from start to finish!
This is the recipe that’s always a hit for family dinner. You can’t go wrong with pasta tossed with bacon and chicken breast chunks, then covered in a creamy ranch sauce.
→ Get the recipe here!
Forgotten Chicken
Forgotten Chicken is a super easy, delicious dinner recipe!
Chicken breasts, rice, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and Lipton onion soup mix. Creamy, savory, and absolutely delicious. This one-dish chicken dinner is easy to prepare and perfect for busy weeknights.
30 minute white chicken enchiladas
Creamy and filling, this white chicken enchiladas recipe is perfect for any family dinner. The dish is ready in 30 minutes, so they’re perfect for any of those busy, on-the-go nights!
→ Click here and get the recipe!
Cilantro Lime Chicken
One reader said, “This cilantro lime chicken recipe is our favorite go to meal! Dinners can be so tough when it comes to my 2 year old and 3 year old. But when I put this on their plate I know I won’t hear any complaining! Thank you for making my life that much easier!”
Chicken Broccoli Rice casserole
This Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner for busy families! It’s an easy-to-make dish that combines chicken, broccoli, brown rice and cheddar cheese in a creamy sauce.
The best part? You can make it ahead of time and freeze it for when you need a quick and delicious meal. With this hearty casserole, you’ll have a delicious meal the whole family will love!
Honey Butter Chicken
This honey butter chicken recipe is epic, and a family favorite weeknight dinner! Tender chicken covered in a caramelized sauce, it’s crazy quick and easy to make, plus it’s done in under 30 minutes!
Make this with bite-size pieces of chicken to maximize how much delicious sauce you get in each bite.
Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi
Take a look at this easy one-pan dinner. Starting with packaged gnocchi, a delicious one-skillet dinner of Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi with sundried tomatoes and spinach is only 25 minutes away with this easy pasta recipe!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Ranch Wraps
These Chicken Cordon Bleu Ranch Wraps are an easy way to get dinner on the table quickly. With the perfect combination of chicken and ham, paired with fresh spinach and mozzarella, and topped with ranch dressing, this is sure to be a new family favorite.
Ready in under 20 minutes, this wrap recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, on the go lunch recipes, and when you’re heading outdoors for a family picnic.
Skillet Chicken Cacciatore
Creamy Skillet Chicken Cacciatore has the most amazing creamy red sauce with peppers, mushrooms, and fresh basil.
Easily served with pasta or rice, the chicken is tender and juicy, and it’s all on the dinner table in 30 minutes!
Chicken spaghetti
Chicken spaghetti is a cheesy delicious casserole that’s an easy weeknight hit. Get it on the table in about 30 minutes!
This easy chicken spaghetti recipe is made with cooked chicken, spaghetti, and two kinds of cheese. It’s a favorite with kids.
Bang Bang Chicken
Easy and flavorful Bang Bang Chicken is made with crispy chicken bites topped in a delicious sweet chili mayo sauce (like yum yum sauce).
Make this bang bang chicken recipe for dinner over white rice with a favorite side. You can also serve it as an appetizer with the dipping sauce.
Chicken caesar pasta salad
Chicken Caesar Pasta salad is a fun twist on the classic!
Fresh romaine lettuce is tossed with chicken, cherry tomatoes, shredded parmesan cheese, croutons for your traditional ceasar salad, while the addition of pasta adds heartiness with a fun new texture!
Click here to get the recipe!
Easy family dinner ideas with beef
Ground Beef Stuffed Shells
Just like Grandma’s ground beef stuffed shells recipe! Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ground beef and covered with melty cheese is the perfect family meal to have on the table.
Well-loved and family-friendly, this cheesy dish is the perfect one-pan dish for any night of the week, and can be prepped and frozen in advance for easier dinners later.
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Lasagna bowls
These lasagna bowls are probably one of the easiest and tastiest ways to enjoy your favorite pasta dish.
With minimal prep and the ability to customize the dish for picky eaters, a lasagna bowl gives you all the best flavors of lasagna in every single bite.
Big Mac Casserole
Meaty, cheesy, and chock full of tasty mix-ins like hash browns, pickles, and onions, Big Mac casserole is the perfect dinner to make this week! It’s an easy, deconstructed version of the classic burger we all know and love.
Cheeseburger egg rolls
This mouthwatering dinner recipe combines the best of both worlds: cheeseburgers and egg rolls! It’s a fun, filling dinner for the family or the perfect game day appetizer. Either way, you’ll have a hit on your hands!
skillet cowboy casserole
This one dish cowboy casserole is a delicious combination of savory ground beef, melty cheeses, and fire-roasted goodness. It’s all prepared in one cast iron skillet for minimal cleanup!
→ See the full recipe here!
Korean Beef
This Korean Beef recipe is perfect for a quick, easy and flavorful dinner! Serve it over rice for a meal the entire family will love! Broccoli would be an excellent addition, too.
→ Get the full recipe here!
Teriyaki Beef and Noodles
Want a quick and easy dinner recipe that’s ready in just 15 minutes? This delicious teriyaki beef and noodles recipe is exactly what you need!
It’s a simple dish that’s packed full of asian flavors, and it’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry.
Easy shepherd’s pie
Apparently, (according to many comments) this is not a traditional shepherd’s pie. I don’t know what makes the different or why this doesn’t count, because it looks like a shepherd pie to me! It also looks delicious.
This easy Shepherd’s Pie recipe is made with a saucy ground beef base, vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. It’s a hearty make-ahead meal for busy weeknights or Sunday dinner!
→ Click here to get the recipe!
Mexican Lasagna
This easy Mexican lasagna has layers of Tex-Mex flavor wrapped up in a cheesy casserole! With savory seasoned beef, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and cheese baked between lasagna sheets with zesty enchilada sauce.
This recipe is the ultimate comfort food that’s ready for the oven in 15 minutes or less.
→ See the full recipe here!
Busy Day soup
Busy Day Soup is perfect for those busy weeknights. It’s quick to make and requires little effort.
Who loves easy recipes and also needs to get dinner on the table? If it’s you, try making this soup tonight! Rich and savory broth, tender pasta, and loads of veggies and beef in each bite.
Philly cheesesteak casserole
Philly Cheesesteak Casserole is a delicious and easy family dinner idea that’s made in no time. It also happens to be low carb!
It’s an easy dinner idea and an amazing comfort food for any occasion. Sliced steak, peppers, mushrooms, and onions are cooked in the same skillet with cream cheese and then topped with melty provolone before baking.
Cowboy spaghetti
Upgrade your spaghetti with some cowboy fixings: sliced jalapenos, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and rotel tomatoes! It’s a hearty American version of a classic dish that everyone will love!
Just the hearty, flavorful dinner you need this week. Cowboy spaghetti takes classic tomato sauce pasta and makes it even better!
Throw in sliced jalapenos for heat, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese instead of parmesan, and smoky rotel tomatoes. One bite and you’ll be hooked.
Texas Beef Skillet
If you’re on the hunt for an easy weeknight meal that can be whipped up in a single pan, you’ll adore this Texas Beef Skillet.
The classic chili flavors offer a major kick of spice while the fluffy rice adds filling carbs and keeps you full for hours!
Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
It doesn’t get much tastier than this Skillet Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole! This easy weeknight dinner is a great spin on an American classic, and it cooks in less than 20 minutes.
This casserole is a real crowd pleaser, it keeps in the refrigerator for a few days and can easily be reheated later on.
Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls
These tender, juicy steak rolls are stuffed with sauteed bell peppers, onions, zucchini and mushrooms, then grilled and drizzled with this delicious rosemary-garlic balsamic glaze.
Steak roll-ups are eye-catching in presentation and drop-dead scrumptious to the taste.
Taco macaroni
Taco Macaroni and Cheese is the perfect easy weeknight meal you need to add to your meal planning menu.
It’s a blend of ground beef, macaroni and cheese, and taco seasoning all rolled into one fantastic dish. It’s fast, easy, and ready in under 30 minutes.
→ See the full recipe here!
Beef Taco Salad
Beef taco salad is a flavorful and easy to make family meal that’s sure to be on repeat all year long! It’s loaded with all your favorite taco goodies.
Dinner for the family done in only 30 minutes! This Beef Taco Salad is flavorful and easy to make.
Dorito casserole with ground beef
This Dorito casserole made with ground beef is layers of crushed Dorito chips, taco meat, and a creamy, melty cheese sauce. It all gets baked together to melted cheese perfection. Every bite has the just the right amount of chip, cheese, and meat in it!
Easy seafood family dinner ideas
Creamy tuscan Garlic Scallops
Tuscan Garlic Shrimp is the most amazing creamy shrimp dish. A creamy garlic parmesan sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes creates an unforgettable restaurant quality meal right at home!
This delicious and easy dinner comes together in about 30 minutes.
Honey garlic butter shrimp
Seared Buttery Honey Garlic Shrimp coated in the best honey garlic butter sauce is a quick and simple shrimp recipe guaranteed to impress.
This is the best easy shrimp recipe to hit your dinner table! Restaurant quality no marinade shrimp, tons of flavor and ready in less than 10 minutes.
Easy family dinner ideas with other proteins.
20 minute vegetable lo main
Craving takeout but short on time? This Easy 20-Minute Vegetable Lo Mein is the answer! It’s packed with flavor and comes together in under 20 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or side dish to your other favorite Asian meals.
This veggie lo mein recipe is way better than takeout. And it’s a breeze to prepare, so making it is a no-brainer! So grab your favorite vegetables and get cooking.
Vintage ramen noodle salad
This Asian Ramen Salad recipe is a crunchy cold salad with a sweet and tangy homemade dressing, loads of crunchy Ramen noodles, almonds, green onion, and more! Made in just 10 minutes!
Make it an easy dinner by adding rotisserie chicken or cooked strips of steak.
Thai Drunken Noodles
Taste the flavors of the streets of Thailand with Thai Drunken Noodles, or pad kee mao.
Featuring rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp and veggies in a spicy sauce, the ingredients create a dish that’s better than takeout. Quick and easy to whip up, these noodles bring a taste of Thai street food right to your table, bursting with bold flavors.
Better Than Take Out Fried Rice
Not only does this easy fried rice recipe taste better than most Chinese takeout orders, but it will totally satisfy your craving for Asian cuisine!
It is a super easy recipe with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!
Pepperoni crescent rolls
These easy pepperoni crescent rolls are perfect for a quick, family friendly dinner or a great party snack! They’re made with just 5 ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes!
Hobo dinner foil packets
Hobo Foil Packet dinners are insanely delicious and make for the easiest weeknight dinner!
A twist on classic hobo foil packets using sausage instead of ground beef. Adapted for kitchen cooking classic campground dinner has the classic carrots, onions, and thinly sliced potatoes.
These easy foil packet dinners truly comforting, filling, and hearty meal that’s great for a no-mess meal or campfire supper!
Pizza Grilled Cheese
This pizza grilled cheese is exploding with flavor as it combines a classic grilled cheese with layers of pepperoni and cheesy goodness and a garlic butter crust.
BLT Avocado Pasta Salad
BLT avocado pasta salad is fresh and crisp romaine lettuce tossed in bacon, tomato, pasta, and avocado. Topped with a creamy dressing and sprinkled with feta cheese this is one amazing salad!
Sausage Bread
This Sausage Bread recipe might be the most versatile recipe in your recipe box! It’s perfect as an appetizer or an easy weeknight dinner recipe. You can even serve it on game day or take it along on picnics or potlucks!
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