Family-Friendly Weeknight Dinner Recipes
Please the whole family with these quick and easy weeknight dinner recipes from Food Network chefs.
Related To:
Baked Pork Chop
This simple preparation is perfect for a weeknight — just shake and bake!
Get the Recipe: Baked Pork Chop
Pasta Pizza
Store-bought pizza dough makes Trisha's tortellini-topped pizza a breeze to make.
Get the Recipe: Pasta Pizza
Chicken Tortilla Dump Dinner
Enjoy all your favorite Tex-Mex flavors in a comforting casserole that's fast and easy to throw together.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Dump Dinner
Ohio Turkey Chili
There's nothing more Ohio than Valerie's Cincinatti-style chili spaghetti.
Get the Recipe: Ohio Turkey Chili
Make-Ahead Chicken Tetrazzini
Need a night off? This family-friendly chicken and pasta casserole can be made up to a day in advance and stored in your refigerator until you're ready to bake it.
Get the Recipe: Make-Ahead Chicken Tetrazzini
Lighter Taco Skillet
Ree's taco skillet dinner is delicious and easy, and thanks to ground turkey, a lighter (but still satisfying) way to feed the fam in one fell swoop.
Get the Recipe: Lighter Taco Skillet
Butternut Squash-Stuffed Shells
These stuffed shells are packed with a flavorful spinach and ricotta filling and nestled in a cozy roasted butternut Alfredo sauce. There's no better way to eat your veggies!
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash-Stuffed Shells
Spinach-and-Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Get the Recipe: Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Pasta e Fagioli with Chickpeas
Comforting pasta e fagioli, or pasta and beans, gets a weeknight makeover in this easy version that uses chickpeas instead of the usual cannellini.
Get the Recipe: Pasta e Fagioli with Chickpeas
Chicken Tamale Pie
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tamale Pie
Eggs in Purgatory
To some it's eggs in purgatory. To others, it's shakshuka. To us, it's super delicious tomato-baked eggs that make the perfect casual weeknight dinner!
Get the Recipe: Eggs in Purgatory: Shakshuka
Pizza Pot Pies
Get the Recipe: Pizza Pot Pies
Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Gnocchi Casserole with Ham and Peas
Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs
Using ground chicken, make Giada's zesty meatballs to serve in a hearty pasta dish with orecchiette and fresh mozzarella.
Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs
Waffle Chicken Fingers
Combine chicken and waffles for an inventive take on a classic.
Get the Recipe: Waffle Chicken Fingers
Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce
Get the Recipe: Tortellini With Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Sunny uses quick-cooking chicken tenders and cuts them into bite-size chunks for her easy, satisfying pot pie.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Here's a family dinner trick from Ree: Make meatballs ahead of time and freeze them for later. When you and the fam need to eat next, just pop them out and cook them in this quick Asian-inspired sauce.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Beef and Cheddar Casserole
Get the Recipe: Beef and Cheddar Casserole
Halibut Fish Tacos
Get the Recipe: Halibut Fish Tacos with Cilantro Savoy Slaw
Fast Fake-Baked Ziti
Get the Recipe: Scuderi Kids' Fast, Fake-Baked Ziti
Pork Chops with Roasted Kale and Walnut Pesto
Get the Recipe: Pork Chops with Roasted Kale and Walnut Pesto
Skillet Chicken Parmesan with Artichokes
Get the Recipe: Skillet Chicken Parmesan with Artichokes
Fish Sticks with Broccoli
Get the Recipe: Fish Sticks with Broccoli Rice
Bacon-Tomato Linguine
A brighter riff on carbonara, this cheesy, bacony weeknight pasta feels somehow more substantial thanks to the addition of tomatoes and basil.
Get the Recipe: Bacon-Tomato Linguine
Lighter Chicken Parmesan
Can you believe The Pioneer Woman's version of chicken Parmesan is not only lighter but also takes just 16 minutes to cook?
Get the Recipe: Lighter Chicken Parmesan
Crispy Pork Chops with Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
This dinner for four is ready in just 40 minutes thanks to boneless pork chops. Plus, change up the everyday roasted sprout with a quick honey-Sriracha sauce.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Pork Chops with Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs
Ellie proves that white meat isn't the only "good-for-you" part of the chicken. She uses bone-in chicken thighs and removes the skin, brushing the meat with a tangy glaze.
Get the Recipe: Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs
Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad
Ree's pasta salad is loaded with bacon and cheese, so even the kids will devour it.
Get the Recipe: Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad
Meatball Marsala
Why should chicken have all the fun? Give meatballs the Marsala treatment and prepare to be amazed (and in only 40 minutes).
Get the Recipe: Meatball Marsala
Chicken Noodle Soup
Thanks to the help of quick-cooking chicken breasts, Ree's pot of comforting chicken noodle soup is ready in just 35 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Noodle Soup
Oven-Fried Chicken
Get the Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicken
Shrimp Tacos
Shrimp is perfect for workdays because it cooks up fast. Take, for instance, The Pioneer Woman's shrimp tacos; they're ready from start to finish in just 16 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Tacos
Beef and Black Bean Sliders
Get the Recipe: Beef and Black Bean Sliders
Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs
Barbecue Mac and Cheese
Damaris adds barbecue sauce and beer for a twist on this classic dish. Shred your own cheese for the creamiest mac and cheese – pre-shredded packages often includes cellulose to help prevent clumping, but can leave you with a gritty cheese sauce.
Get the Recipe: Barbecue Mac and Cheese
Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Garlic Oil Sauteed Pasta with Broccoli
Get the Recipe: Garlic Oil Sauteed Pasta with Broccoli
Bacon and Broccoli Rice Bowls
Get the Recipe: Bacon and Broccoli Rice Bowl
Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Get the Recipe: Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry
One-Pot Super Easy Fusilli
This dinner is as simple as dumping everything into a pot — dry noodles, tomatoes and all — and letting it simmer. The liquid from the stock will absorb into the pasta and create a rich, flavorful sauce.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Super Easy Fusilli
Salmon and Polenta
Salmon fillets are perfect for family dinners. Serve them with grilled polenta, a sweet and comforting carb alternative to potatoes, which take forever to cook.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Salmon and Polenta
Sesame Soba Noodles
Get your family eating healthy with Rachael's delicious alternative to take-out. This noodle dish is loaded with fresh veggies and a flavorsome honey-soy dressing even the kids will love.
Get the Recipe: Sesame Soba Noodles
Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken
Bring the family together for a whole chicken dinner. Tyler's recipe is simple and classic: He stuffs the cavity with lemon, garlic and herbs and roasts it over new potatoes that absorb the bird's flavorful juices.
Get the Recipe: Lemon And Herb Roasted Chicken With Baby Potatoes
Classic Chicken Parmesan
Get the Recipe: Classic Chicken Parmesan
Salmon Cakes with Salad
Get the Recipe: Salmon Cakes With Salad
Sausage and Peppers Sheet Pan Dinner
For a nearly hands-off take on this classic dish, place sweet Italian sausage, sliced bell peppers and onions on the pan.
Get the Recipe: Sausage and Peppers Sheet Pan Dinner
Couscous-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Leave it to Guy to come up with a recipe for boneless, skinless chicken breasts that's anything but boring. He stuffs them with a Mediterranean couscous studded with feta, olives and tomatoes.
Get the Recipe: Couscous Stuffed Chicken Breast with Feta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives
Fontina Risotto with Chicken
Get the Recipe: Fontina Risotto with Chicken
Pasta with Broccoli and Almond Tomato Sauce
Get the Recipe: Pasta With Roasted Broccoli and Almond-Tomato Sauce
Glazed Chicken and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner
Fill the pan with chicken drumsticks tossed with teriyaki, broccoli florets sprinkled with packaged fried shallots, and fingerling potatoes with salt and pepper. Depending on their size, the potatoes might need a little longer to cook, so put them in 5 to 10 minutes before everything else.
Get the Recipe: Glazed Chicken and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner
Mexican Tortilla Pizzas with Chorizo
Get the Recipe: Mexican Tortilla Pizzas with Chorizo
Cranberry-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Combine cranberry and red currant jelly to make a beautiful glaze for pork tenderloin. With everything ready in less than an hour, you'll want this recipe in your weekly roundup.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry-Glazed Pork Tenderloin