The Easiest Weeknight Dinners Featured on The Kitchen
Ready to eat in an hour or less, The Kitchen co-hosts' go-to supper ideas are timesaving showstoppers.
Related To:
Escarole, Beans, Sausage and Peppers Cheat Sheet
This sheet-pan recipe is a hearty, flavorful recipe your whole family will love. Jeff serves it over pasta, but you can use rice if you prefer.
Get the Recipe: Escarole, Beans, Sausage and Peppers Cheat Sheet
Jeff's Original Chicago-Style Cheesesteaks with Taylor Street Sauce
The secret ingredient in this dish is Jeff’s Taylor Street Cheese Sauce, which uses three different types of cheese and hot sauce for a welcome punch of heat.
Get the Recipe: Jeff's Original Chicago-Style Cheesesteaks with Taylor Street Sauce
Cod With Brown Butter Lemon Sauce
Spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying this restaurant-worthy dish with the help of GZ’s recipe. If you’re new to seafood, start here; it’s full of bright, zesty flavors.
Get the Recipe: Cod With Brown Butter Lemon Sauce
Fish Tacos
GZ’s spice blend includes chili powder, paprika and garlic powder to boost the flavor to the delicate white fish. Warm the tortillas directly over a gas burner at medium heat to get even more smoky flavor.
Get the Recipe: Fish Tacos
Tofu and Pork Stir-Fry
Cook the tofu and pork in advance and reheat in the skillet as you cook the vegetables for an easy, no-fuss weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Tofu and Pork Stir-Fry
Strawberry Balsamic "BLT"
Jeff’s “Mauro Method” of cooking bacon ensures a crisp cook and easy cleanup with no stovetop splatter. He uses a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to create a barrier for the bacon while it cooks in the oven so the fat will not come in contact with the metal. Once the fat is cooled on the parchment, just toss it in the garbage!
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Balsamic "BLT"
Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Make this easy, no-fuss dish almost entirely in the oven. Even the picky eaters will love this one.
Get the Recipe: Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Bake
Frozen Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Use up those bags of frozen vegetables by making Alex’s cozy soup. She explains, “You can mix and match vegetables here or double up on one and remove another.”
Get the Recipe: Frozen Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Sunny's Easy Mushroom, Peas and Pasta with 1-2-3 Alfredo Sauce
Bold garlic and nutty Pecorino Romano cheese deliver tried-and-true flavor to Sunny's quick-fix alfredo sauce. Follow Sunny's lead and forgo defrosting the peas before adding them to the pan with the pasta to save time in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Easy Mushroom, Peas and Pasta with 1-2-3 Alfredo Sauce
Shrimp with Garlic and Olive Oil
Quick-fix meals shouldn’t lack flavor. Using only one pan, throw together dried red chiles, lemon zest and a lot of garlic for a bold shrimp dinner.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp with Garlic and Olive Oil
Sunny's Easy Salmon Bowl
Meal prepping is easy thanks to Sunny’s quick-fix salmon dish, which she finishes with a spicy lemon-wasabi dressing.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Easy Salmon Bowl
Tempeh Reuben
Katie makes her own version of the classic diner sandwich by using thinly sliced tempeh instead of meat.
Get the Recipe: Tempeh Reuben
Spring Green Minestrone Soup
In need of a lighter soup? GZ’s recipe is packed with vegetables, white beans and tiny noodles for a fresh, springy bowl.
Get the Recipe: Spring Green Minestrone Soup
Thai-Style Tacos
If you have 20 minutes, try these Thai-Style Tacos. Shredded rotisserie chicken gets tossed in a spicy peanut sauce, and a sweet and tangy coleslaw rounds out the flavors.
Get the Recipe: Thai-Style Tacos
Easy Juicy Chicken Breast
Say goodbye to plain dry chicken breast. The key here is cooking the meat in chicken stock so that it stays nice and moist!
Get the Recipe: Easy Juicy Chicken Breast
Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
Katie’s creamy gnocchi mac and cheese is made with Dijon mustard and butternut squash puree. It’s topped with a crispy mix of bacon, butter crackers and sharp cheddar, and served straight out of the skillet so cleanup is a breeze.
Get the Recipe: Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
Grilled Buffalo Wings
Homemade seasoning, sauce and grilling in under an hour? It’s possible with Katie’s recipe! These wings are rubbed in a mix of salt, pepper and garlic powder before they’re quickly grilled and tossed in a buttery hot sauce.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Buffalo Wings
Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pancetta and Fresno Chiles
Geoffrey Zakarian’s recipe calls for red pepper flakes and Fresno chile peppers, but you can add more or less if you’d prefer.
Get the Recipe: Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pancetta and Fresno Chiles
Thai Green Curry Meatballs with Zoodles
This dish brings the flavors of a classic Thai curry to next-level spaghetti and meatballs. Jeff uses zoodles (curly zucchini noodles!) as an alternative to classic pasta.
Get the Recipe: Thai Green Curry Meatballs with Zoodles
Bang Bang Shrimp
This sweet and spicy dish is easy because it uses store-bought popcorn shrimp. All you have to do is make the sauce with chili sauce, mayonnaise, honey and Sriracha. Warning: These things are addictive!
Get the Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp
Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug
Who says that chicken pot pie has to be served as a huge casserole?! We’re big fans of this single-serving option.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug
Beef and Broccoli
Make tonight takeout-at-home night. Just add white rice to this hearty beef dish and you’re good to go.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli
Sunny's Easy as 1-2-3 Pizza
1-2-3 refers to Sunny’s pizza dough recipe, which comes together with just three ingredients. The best part about this recipe is that after you make the dough, you can customize the sauce and toppings to your liking. BBQ, alfredo or pesto are all go-to sauce options. And as for toppings? Pepperoni, sausage, cheese, whatever floats your boat.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Easy as 1-2-3 Pizza
Salmon and Vegetable "Stir-Fry Cheat Sheet"
Moist and tender, salmon fillets roast atop a bed of veggies on a sheet pan to create a satisfying stir-fry-inspired supper. Brighten up the dish by finishing it with pickled cherry peppers dressed with soy sauce and a splash of rice wine vinegar.
Get the Recipe: Salmon and Vegetable "Stir-Fry Cheat Sheet"
Buffalo Mac and Cheese
A generous splash of Buffalo sauce delivers a bold, tangy taste to the three-sauce sauce that coats the pasta, while add-ins like shredded chicken and (even more) blue cheese give a nod to the beloved wings.
Get the Recipe: Pass the Buffalo Mac and Cheese
Pesto-Rubbed Baked Salmon with Smashed Cucumber and Green Apple Salad
Get the Recipe: Pesto-Rubbed Baked Salmon with Smashed Cucumber and Green Apple Salad
Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
For a lighter take on classic fried rice, look no further than cauliflower to save the day. The secret to achieving a ricelike texture is using a food processor to chop up the cauliflower into tiny pieces; you want them to be coarse, not super soft like a puree.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Cauliflower "Fried Rice"
Sunny's Honey Chipotle Chicken Wet Burrito
Follow Sunny Anderson's lead and save time in the kitchen by taking advantage of a few shortcuts — like ready-to-go rotisserie chicken, a can of flavored beans and leftover white rice — when prepping this quick-fix burrito.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Honey Chipotle Chicken Wet Burrito
Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
Packed with lean, juicy chicken breasts, vibrant vegetables and a base of hearty rice, this satisfying stir-fry is an all-in-one meal that's ready to eat in just 25 minutes. The savory sauce, made with soy sauce, sriracha and bright lime juice, marries the flavors for bold results.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Follow Katie's lead and use a kitchen towerl to remove excess moisture from the steamed cauliflower; this helps to ensure the crust turns out crispy.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Eggplant Parm Soup
Get the Recipe: Eggplant Parm Soup
Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Brussels Sprouts and Kale Couscous
Get the Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Brussels Sprouts and Kale Couscous
Hot Dog Fried Rice
Get the Recipe: Hot Dog Fried Rice
Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Get the Recipe: Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Quickest Mac and Cheese
Get the Recipe: Quickest Mac and Cheese
West Virginia-Style Hot Dog
Get the Recipe: West Virginia Style Hot Dog
Creamy Chicken Succotash
Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken Succotash
Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle with Black Pepper and Pecorino
Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle with Black Pepper and Pecorino
Brown Sugar-Spiced Salmon
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon
Corn and Chipotle Ravioli Lasagna
Get the Recipe: Corn and Chipotle Ravioli Lasagna
Pasta with Mushrooms, Walnuts Asparagus and Apples
Make tonight pasta night with a meat-free option that uses up mushrooms, walnuts, asparagus and apples. The result is a light a flavorful dish that comes together in 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Pasta with Mushrooms, Walnuts, Asparagus and Apples
Salmon en Papillote
Dinner comes together in no time with these easy salmon fillets cooked in parchment paper and served with Yukon gold potatoes and fennel. The dish is finished off with a briny tapenade.
Get the Recipe: Salmon en Papillote
Put fajitas on your weeknight menu with this quick and easy recipe. Chicken breast strips get a 15-minute marinade before hitting a sizzling cast-iron griddle and combining with a blend of onions and peppers. It’s all finished off with avocado, salsa, shredded cheese and/or the fixins of your choice.
Get the Recipe: Sunny's Quick Sizzlin Chicken Fajitas
Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Lentil Soup
When you know you have a long day ahead, set this easy dinner up before you leave for work — you'll have a warm and delicious dinner that's just waiting to be devoured when you walk in the door.
Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Lentil Soup
