10 Easy Delicious Dinner Recipes You'll Want to Try Tonight ... (2024)

1

Chicken Pesto Bake

This delicious, Italian-inspired dish is sure to be a hit and is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite pasta! It's also one of my favorite easy dinner recipes.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 cup mozzarella or Italian blend cheese
8 tbsp pesto (homemade or store-bought)
Canola or olive oil cooking spray
Oregano, salt, and pepper to taste
Fresh basil

Directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375° F. Generously spray baking dish with canola or olive oil cooking spray. Place chicken breasts on the baking dish, evenly spaced apart and season to taste with oregano, salt, and pepper. Top with 2 tbsp of pesto per breast. Evenly distribute sliced Roma tomatoes on top of the pesto, and sprinkle each chicken breast with ¼ cup cheese. Bake for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F. Garnish with basil, serve, and enjoy!

2

Pork Verde Tacos

For this fun twist on pulled pork, you’ll want to break out your slow cooker or pressure cooker. This recipe is so easy and delicious, you won’t believe it!

Ingredients:
3 lb. pork shoulder
(2) 16 oz. jars salsa verde
Taco shells (hard or soft)
Shredded lettuce
Pico de gallo (homemade or store-bought)

Directions:
Place pork shoulder in the slow cooker or pressure cooker and cover with 1½ jars of salsa verde. In slow cooker, cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. In the pressure cooker, cook on high for 60 minutes and naturally release. The internal temperature of the pork should be about 195° F. Shred pork and serve in taco shells topped with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and remaining salsa verde.

3

Chicken Wings & Tots

While the grocery store has done most of the meal prep for you, this quick and easy dinner still has that homemade feel.

Ingredients:
1 lb. pre-seasoned chicken wings (or plain chicken wings coated in homemade dry rub)
1 package of veggie tots (found in the freezer section of most grocery stores)
Canola or olive oil cooking spray
Ranch dressing and southwest sauce (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400° F. Generously spray a cookie sheet with canola or olive oil cooking spray. Place chicken wings on one half of the cookie sheet and veggie tots on the other half. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken wings reach an internal temperature of 165°F and veggie tots are crispy. Serve with ranch dressing and southwest sauce for dipping.

4

Sausage & Peppers

This yummy one-skillet dish is bursting with flavor – I guarantee you’ll make this one again and again!

Ingredients:
1 package turkey kielbasa, sliced into ½-inch pieces
1 small red pepper, sliced
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 small Vidalia onion, cut in half and sliced
1 jar sauerkraut
Canola cooking spray

Directions:
Generously spray a cast iron skillet with canola cooking spray – this dish will also work with a copper or non-stick pan. Turn heat on medium-high. Add kielbasa to the pan and sauté for about three minutes. Then, add peppers and onions. Continue to cook until kielbasa is golden brown and peppers and onions are soft. Scoop into a bowl and top with warm sauerkraut.

5

Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, but why pay those expensive take-out prices when you can make your own? Plus, this way, everyone gets exactly what they want!

Ingredients:
Premade pizza crust
Pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Toppings
Cooking spray

You can put just about anything you want on your pizza, but here are some of my top faves:
- Jalapeno and sausage
- Sausage and mushroom
- Ham and pineapple
- Veggie (tomato, green pepper, onion, and mushroom)
- Supreme (red and green pepper, onion, pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom)
For a fun twist, you can even make a chicken alfredo pizza – just swap the pizza sauce for alfredo sauce and add chicken!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425° F or set toaster oven to the pizza setting.
Spray pizza pan with cooking spray. Place pizza crust on a pizza pan, and spread a thin layer of sauce evenly over the crust. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella cheese and then add toppings. Bake until the edges of the pizza turn golden brown and the cheese bubbles, about 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness.

6

Chicken Marinara

This one-dish recipe has all the flavors of chicken parmesan you love, but you won’t need a deep fryer!

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts
32 oz. jar of marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese, grated
Oregano, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375° F. Generously spray a baking dish with canola or olive oil cooking spray. Place chicken breasts on a dish and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Cover chicken with marinara sauce. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Best served with your favorite pasta and/or with seasoned Italian bread.

7

Hearty Chili

Chili is the perfect comfort food in the wintertime – it’s full of flavor and is sure to keep you satisfied! You’ll want to dust off the slow cooker for this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
(1) 15 oz. can kidney beans
(1) 15 oz. can black beans
(1) 32 oz. can tomatoes, diced
(2) 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
(1) 5 oz. can green chilis
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 packet 30% less sodium chili seasoning
Extra chili powder and cumin to taste
Optional toppings: tortilla chips, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown ground meat in skillet with onion and garlic, and put all ingredients (except extra chili powder and cumin and toppings) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Taste and add extra chili powder or cumin if needed. Scoop into bowls and top with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.

8

Cherry Gorgonzola Salad

Need a light dinner? This yummy combination of flavors is sure to be your new favorite go-to salad!

Ingredients:
2 cups romaine lettuce
¼ cup red onion, sliced
2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup dried cherries, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic dressing
4 oz. grilled chicken, sliced (optional)

Directions:
Place lettuce in a large bowl. Add red onion, dried cherries, and chicken (if using); drizzle dressing and lightly toss. Top with blue cheese and enjoy!

9

Poor Man’s Lobster

Can’t afford lobster? No worries – I’ve got you covered. It’s so indulgent and rich you won’t even miss real lobster!

Ingredients:
1 lb. frozen cod
1 stick salted butter, cut into 1 tbsp tabs
Black pepper to taste
Canola cooking spray
Lemon, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375° F. Generously spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place fish in a baking dish, sprinkle with black pepper, and evenly distribute butter over the fish. Cover with tin foil and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, approximately 30-40 minutes. Finish with a spritz of fresh lemon juice, and serve in bowls, using the melted butter to keep the fish warm and for dipping (pairs perfectly with seasoned Italian bread).

10

Garlic Sautéed Shrimp

Not only is this recipe delicious, but it’s also super easy as it calls for pre-cooked shrimp!

Ingredients:
1 lb. pre-cooked shrimp, deveined
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Canola cooking spray

Directions:
Generously spray skillet with cooking spray. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add shrimp and butter and cook until shrimp are warmed through. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli for a complete meal.