80 Cheap & Easy Dinner Recipes So You'll Never Cook A Boring Meal Again (2024)

One-pot taco spaghetti is a fast-as-can-be weeknight dinner that pairs all your favorite taco fixin’s with spaghetti rather than taco shells. Everything comes together in one pot—from browning the beef to simmering the sauce, even boiling the spaghetti!

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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!

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Our simple, flavor-packed cornbread provides the perfect base for our shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and plenty of melty cheese. If you're looking for the coziest weeknight dinner, this has gotta be next on your list.

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Bell peppers are strong enough to hold their shape in the oven, and the flavor is subtle enough to go well with just about anything. This is our favorite recipe, but the customization options are endless—check out all our stuffed pepper recipes here too.

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From the realms of cheesy pizza and bubbling baked pasta comes a new family favorite: pizza casserole. Loaded with sausage, veggies, and plenty of cheese, this easy weeknight dinner has all of the cheesy, tomato-filled goodness of our favorite take-out pizza, neatly packaged in a 13"-by-9" pan.

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Craving homemade enchiladas and being in a hurry aren't really compatible since the classic Mexican dish requires many steps and a fair amount of time. Enter these chicken enchiladas, a quick take on the dish that comes together in one skillet.

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

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Focusing on only 3 key ingredients, our chicken fajita recipe requires minimal prep and cook time, meaning dinner on the table FAST. Follow our classic recipe for our best-ever version or use it as a jumping-off point to experiment with your favorite proteins, veggies, and toppings.

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This sheet pan dinner works with whatever veggies you already have and requires basically zero effort. Most of the time spent is waiting while the sheet pan is in the oven, and there are minimal dishes to clean when it's all said and done. What more could you need?

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Craving BBQ pulled chicken? Good news—this slow-cooker recipe makes it easier than ever to create delicious, tender, and extra-flavorful pulled chicken right at home with minimal effort.

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Filled with a creamy sauce, two kinds of cheese, and plenty of chicken, there’s something in this dish for everyone. While this is certainly not a super-authentic Mexican dish, it does combine lots of flavors and ingredients that will remind you of tacos, enchiladas, and your favorite Mexican/Tex-Mex meals.

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We've all been there: You're craving homemade pizza, but you want it fast—no time to deal with rolling out finicky pizza dough. The solution? Grab a loaf of French bread, and get ready for the pizza hack of a lifetime.

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This is probably THE simplest recipe... ever? The chicken falls apart and becomes immensely tender, flavored with the familiar flavors of chunky salsa and taco seasoning, and brightened up with bursts of lime juice. Serve this over rice, in lettuce cups, as tacos...

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Tostadas might just be the perfect meal—these crunchy corn tortillas are easy to buy (or make!) AND they can act as a vehicle for whatever toppings you like. Here, that means creamy refried beans and a chile-spiked shredded chicken topping, but feel free to get creative.

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Use your favorite jarred or homemade salsa verde to make this extremely easy and flavorful dish. Everything cooks in the same pot for a mess-free and, most importantly, quick weeknight dinner. It's about to be one of your new favorites.

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Juicy pork tenderloin seriously deserves its own spotlight. We keep the seasoning simple here: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder. If you want another flavor profile, the world is your oyster: oregano and Italian seasoning, ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, or even just salt and black pepper will do.

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Is there anything better than a one-skillet meal? We don’t think so, particularly if it’s as family-friendly and quick as this one, featuring spiced ground beef, flavorful rice, hearty beans, and lots of cheese. It all comes together in just 40 minutes with minimal prep too!

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We love a classic lasagna, but it can be a lot of work. This easy skillet version instead tosses the cooked noodles in an oniony marinara sauce, dollops them with pesto, and tops them with ample slices of fresh mozzarella and a shower of grated Parmesan.

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A breaded fried cutlet is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and these cabbage schnitzels are no exception. Coated in crispy golden brown bread crumbs and drizzled with a luscious mushroom gravy, this vegetarian spin on a meaty classic will delight meat lovers and vegetarians alike.

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If there's one thing we find magical about Instant Pots, it's how quickly and perfectly they cook chicken and rice. The rice is the perfect texture and the chicken is wildly tender. This is 100% the meal we cook in the Instant Pot the most often.

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