Inside: When you’re so freaking tired of hearing, “What’s for dinner?”, try choosing this week’s meal plan from these lazy dinner ideas. Each recipe has either super simple ingredients, speedy cooking, or even better – both.
If you had been a fly on the wall in my house around 11 p.m. last night, you would have seen me lying on the living room floor, post-it notes and sharpie in hand, completely incapable of coming up with a coherent meal plan.
My brain just…stalled out. It couldn’t be bothered to go through the necessary steps to feed people that week, I guess.
“What meals do we eat, again?” I asked my brain. There was silence on the other end. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with a single meal to put on that post-it note.
On those kind of days when you’re trying to meal plan, you’re drawing a complete blank AND you have no energy to cook that week, you need a back-up plan. These lazy dinners ARE that back-up plan!
Ok, sometimes frozen Stouffer’s lasagna and enchiladas also have to pull their weight, but when you need a break and don’t want to resort to frozen food (or pricey take-out), start here.
Lazy Dinners for Families: The Easiest Possible Recipes
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I reached out to fellow bloggers to supplement my own go-to lazy dinner recipes, and they delivered! You’ll find hearty recipes that don’t take a lot of time or effort – real food, way less work (just the way I like it).
Personally, I want to try the Greek lemon chicken and potatoes next week, and the apricot glazed chicken sounds divine, too.
P.S. The copycat Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches have been a staple in our house for the past several weeks.
You Might Also Like: 27 Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
1. Easy Costco Chicken Sausage Stir Fry
If you love Costco, you’ll love THIS easy chicken sausage and veggie stir fry made with Kirkland chicken sausage, bell peppers and onions.
It’s healthy, easy, fast and delicious! Add plain white rice, box rice pilaf or baguette if you need to make it go further.
2. Easy Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwiches
Need a cheap and easy dinner this week? Pick up ingredients from Costco and your local grocery store for these easy copycat Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches.
Around $2 a sandwich and just a few ingredients? Yes, please!
Related: A Typical Costco Grocery Shopping List for Families (What We Buy Regularly)
3. Easy 20-Minute Blackened Chicken Recipe
This blackened chicken recipe is an easy, no-fail meal that yields juicy, flavorful meat every time!
You can adjust the heat level of this Cajun dish to suit your family’s tastes. Serve with steamed frozen veggies and/or boiled corn on the cob.
4. 3-Step Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you want a super fast chicken tortilla soup that goes light on the broth but heavy on the flavor, then you’ll love this quick and easy, three step chicken tortilla soup made with shredded rotisserie chicken.
Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese and avocado!
Related: Easy Mexican Dinner Recipes for Families (Go Beyond Old El Paso)
5. Easy Stovetop Turkey Chili
Looking for a sweet and healthy easy stovetop chili recipe? This easy stovetop turkey chili is my favorite healthy dinner because it tastes delicious, and it comes together in no time at all!
Plus, it’s super easy to change things up to suit your family’s tastes (possible substitutions included)
6. Chicken Alfredo Crescent Roll-Ups
Premade crescent rolls are a great hack for easy family dinner. These Chicken Alfredo Roll-ups are ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
They rely on premade crescent rolls and jarred Alfredo sauce, plus you can use Costco shredded rotisserie chicken as the “cooked chicken” ingredient.
Related: 27 Easy Recipes to Use Costco’s Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
7. Mini BBQ Naan Chicken Pizzas
If you’re craving California Pizza Kitchen’s BBQ chicken pizza, skip the frozen aisle and try making these mini BBQ chicken naan pizzas at home, instead!
They can be made in a toaster oven OR conventional oven, and easily tripled or quadrupled to feed a crowd.
8. Easy Raspberry Walnut Salad
This “dump and go”, ridiculously easy raspberry walnut salad recipe is the perfect quick, filling meal.
Serve alone for a lighter dinner OR alongside a rotisserie chicken and/or baguette.
9. Pistachio Crusted Salmon
This pistachio crusted salmon sounds fancy and hard to make, but it’s really not! The salmon is basted with olive oil, then cooked in a delicious sauce made of honey (or maple syrup), crushed pistachios and garlic.
Serve with a salad or premade soup for a complete meal!
10. Sheet Pan Chicken Drumsticks, Potatoes & Green Beans
This sheet pan chicken drumsticks, potatoes & green beans is the definition of lazy dinner, except even better, this recipe calls for whole food ingredients only.
It’s an easy, one-pan dinner with seasoned drumsticks, roasted potatoes, and tender green beans — a flavorful meal with barely any cleanup!
11. Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Sticking with the whole foods theme, this baked Greek lemon chicken and potatoes dish is packed with flavor. Just whisk together the marinade, chop the potatoes and throw the chicken thighs and potatoes in a baking dish with the marinade.
Make sure to cover as directed for juicy, yumminess (because no one likes dry chicken).
12. Grilled Pesto Chicken Skewers
Five ingredients, minimal prep and tasty dinner? Yes, please!
The only possibly pesky thing about these grilled pesto chicken skewers is that you need to put the chicken and tomato on the skewers. But the minimal ingredients makes up for it, in my opinion, and if you’re already a whiz at the grill, I say go for it. Enjoy!
13. Walking Tacos (aka Tacos in a Bag)
These tacos in a bag are a genius way to eat tacos! Personally, I’d probably use tortilla chip bags, instead of doritos, but to each their own.
Especially awesome if you want to keep all those taco juices contained and not dripping all over the table.
14. Easy French Dip Sandwiches
Super EASY French Dip Sandwiches (aka Beef Dips)…with only 5 ingredients for the beef.
These sandwiches include strips of tender beef stewed in an au jus gravy sauce, topped with melted provolone cheese…all on a toasted hoagie roll!
15. 15 Minute Tomato Basil Pasta
Tomato Basil Pasta is a simple, classic Italian dish made with fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and olive oil.
This vegan dish is packed with flavor and can be made in fifteen minutes or less.
16. Three Ingredient Sloppy Joes
These classic sloppy joes are made with just three ingredients! They combine to make a delicious ground beef sandwich that’s saucy, sweet and savory with a bit of tang.
Get dinner on the table in no time with a meal the whole family will love.
17. 6 Ingredient Chicken Tator Tot Casserole
Shredded rotisserie chicken, mixed veggies, cream of mushroom soup, crispy tater tots and melted cheese combine in just five minutes of prep to make this tasty chicken tater tot casserole that’s ready after baking for thirty minutes.
I bet the kids will be begging for this casserole again and again!
18. Brown Sugar Ham Steaks
This brown sugar ham steak recipe turns an inexpensive ham steak into a sweet and savory dinner in less than 20 minutes.
A buttery brown sugar Dijon glaze caramelizes beautifully in the skillet, creating a “lick the plate” sauce that’s delicious over a side of mashed potatoes or your favorite vegetables.
19. Apricot Ginger Glazed Chicken
Apricot chicken with ginger is a flavorful chicken skillet meal that uses just three ingredients and takes less than 20 minutes to make.
If you need a “lazy” last minute dinner recipe, this quick chicken dish is for you!
20. Easy Slow Cooker Cheesy BBQ Chicken
For the days when you need seriously easy, this easy slow cooker cheesy BBQ chicken cooks tender chicken in your favorite BBQ sauce topped with melted cheese and sliced scallions.
Serve over mashed potatoes or shred for yummy sandwiches.
21. Sheet Pan Italian Chicken & Green Beans
This sheet pan Italian chicken is a dinner packed with flavor that’s ready in 30 minutes!
Made with boneless chicken breasts, green beans, and tomatoes, you’ve got a healthy, tasty dish for the nights when you just can’t with dinner.
22. Tuna Pesto Pasta
This tuna pesto pasta is a delicious, satisfying dinner that takes almost no effort!
The ultimate quick weeknight meal, it comes together in less than 15 minutes using simple pantry staples that you can keep on hand for whenever you need a lazy dinner option.
23. Easy 3 Ingredient Mac and Cheese
I swear they’ve changed Kraft mac and cheese since we were kids, so I’m always on the hunt for an easier, better quick mac and cheese option. This easy three ingredient mac and cheese delivered!
You might not believe that this mac and cheese can be this good with just three ingredients, but the reviewers swear that it’s “so much better than the boxed mac and cheese”. Give it a try and see if you agree.
Related: Grandma’s Baked Mac and Cheese (with Béchamel Sauce)
24. Quinoa Stir Fry with Shrimp and Veggies
If you like quinoa, you’ll love this shrimp and veggie quinoa stir fry!
It’s fresh and flavorful – healthy and satisfying at the same time. The best part? This one pan dinner comes together in less than 15 minutes.
25. Baked Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes
Speaking of shrimp, you’ve got to try this delicious shrimp, feta and tomato bake!
It looks SO tasty, especially served with buttery and crispy crostini. YUM.
26. Baked Cod with Crispy Garlic Herb Panko
This baked cod with crispy panko comes together in just a few minutes. All you have to do is quickly make the crunchy, garlicky topping on the stove. Then you spread it over the cod (drenched in lemon juice and sprinkled with salt and pepper) and bake – easy peasy.
I swear, if my husband didn’t despise all seafood, I would be making this for dinner next week.
27. Easy Pasta Arrabiata
Short on time but craving something more exciting than spaghetti and jarred sauce? This easy pasta Arrabiata could be just what you’re lookin for!
Throw together the simple sauce and let it simmer while you cook the pasta. Simple, filling AND delicious.
Read Next: 27 Easy Recipes That Use Shredded Rotisserie Chicken (Tons of Variety!)
