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.

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From: Jeff Mauro, Katie Lee, Marcela Valladolid, Sunny Anderson, and Geoffrey Zakarian

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Photo By: Jason DeCrow

Photo By: David Katz

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Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

Photo By: David Katz

Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher

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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

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

Ideal for both simple weeknight cooking and dressed-up entertaining alike, Geoffrey Zakarian's salmon supper features a blanket of mustard-laced pesto sauce and a refreshing side dish of cool cucumbers and crisp apples. For added texture and flavor in the salad, he tosses in crunchy pine nuts and chopped mint.

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

Jeff Mauro transforms a traditionally involved Italian dinner into a 20-minute recipe by reimagining each of the classic elements: breaded eggplant, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. His secret is starting with prepared tomato soup, which he tops with a layer of gooey mozzarella and cubes of golden-brown fried eggplant.

Get the Recipe: Eggplant Parm Soup

Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Brussels Sprouts and Kale Couscous

Instead of preparing a series of separate meal components, stick with Katie Lee's all-in-one supper. Her one-pan recipe features protein-packed fish blanketed in salty prosciutto, plus vegetables and couscous studded with dried fruit.

Get the Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Brussels Sprouts and Kale Couscous

Hot Dog Fried Rice

Consider this next-level takeout-fakeout fare. Katie's quick-fix fried rice is laced with fresh ginger for a subtle bite, and it's finished with a fried egg and a drizzle of hot sauce, which promise over-the-top texture and flavor.

Get the Recipe: Hot Dog Fried Rice

Deconstructed Falafel Salad

Boasting all of the beloved flavor and texture of traditional falafel, this satisfying salad features a bed of romaine topped with crispy spiced chickpeas, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, and a creamy yogurt-tahini dressing.

Get the Recipe: Deconstructed Falafel Salad

Quickest Mac and Cheese

Made with a trio of rich cheeses — cream cheese, cheddar and American — this tried-and-true dinner is a comfort food classic.

Get the Recipe: Quickest Mac and Cheese

West Virginia-Style Hot Dog

The toppings are the star elements of Katie's fuss-free hot dog; she finishes the franks with contrasting meaty beef chili and cool coleslaw, plus a drizzle of yellow mustard for welcome tang.

Get the Recipe: West Virginia Style Hot Dog

Creamy Chicken Succotash

Sunny Anderson builds layer upon layer of flavor in her succotash by sauteing the juicy chicken thighs, peppers, corn and garlic in the same pan in which she crisped salty thick-cut bacon.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken Succotash

Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle with Black Pepper and Pecorino

The ultimate in quick-cooking seafood, shrimp require just a few minutes in the oven until they're ready to eat. Here Geoffrey tosses the roasted shrimp, fresh pasta and garlic-scented artichokes with a splash of the pasta water and butter to create a hassle-free sauce.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle with Black Pepper and Pecorino

Brown Sugar-Spiced Salmon

It takes only four ingredients to make the bold topping for Katie's moist salmon. While the brown sugar promises sweetness, the chile powder balances the flavor with a punch of smokiness.

Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon

Corn and Chipotle Ravioli Lasagna

The key to making Marcela Valladolid's hearty comfort food in a hurry is starting with packaged cheese ravioli. She mixes these timesaving beauties with a creamy chipotle-studded sauce, plus fresh zucchini, to create a rich, satisfying casserole.

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

Want More of The Kitchen?

Visit The Kitchen headquarters for more recipes, plus insider photos of the co-hosts and top videos. To find even more weeknight dinner ideas, check out Food Network's collection of speedy suppers.