30+ One-Dish Dinners That Are Perfect for Busy Nights - MyRecipes (2024)

Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Simplify weeknight cooking with these wonderful, one-dish dinners that come together in a flash. From easy pasta suppers to versatile chicken recipes, you're definitely going to want to bookmark these great dinners to add to your weekly rotation.

Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette image

Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe

This elegant single-skillet meal for two is deceptively easy to make. Ready in under an hour, this skillet chicken dinner includes your protein (perfectly golden-crisp chicken thighs), green veggies (peas and asparagus), a starch (baby Yukon gold potatoes), and a whole lot of vibrant flavor (hello, shallot vinaigrette). A great recipe for anyone cooking for one or two, this easy weeknight chicken dinner is one you're sure to come back to again and again.

Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Casserole

Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice Casserole Recipe

This healthy whole-grain spin on a comfort food classic is indulgent, creamy, and a guaranteed family-pleaser.

One-Pan Broccoli-Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese

One-Pan Broccoli-Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese Recipe

Butternut squash puree enhances the color of this one-dish wonder without distracting from the cheesy flavor, and it sneaks in another serving of vegetables.

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Peppers

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Peppers Recipe

This dish comes together in just one pan, making for quick cleanup and tons of flavor as the elements build on each other.

Taco-Tot Casserole image

Taco-Tot Casserole Recipe

Tex-Mex meets tater tots in this easy, inexpensive, and all-around comforting one-dish dinner. Our spicy twist on the classic tater tot casserole consists of a succulent ground beef filling—featuring creamy black beans, crisp-sweet corn, cheese, and mild green chiles for a kick—topped with crispy tater tots, and finished with a drizzle of an addictively spicy and tangy sour cream sauce. Top this fiesta of a casserole with fresh garnishes, such as avocado, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro, and it's as perfect to serve at your next football feast as it is for a casual weeknight meal. We use 85/15 lean ground beef for this recipe and recommend that you do not go with anything leaner, as the higher fat percentage both contributes to the filling's rich flavor and keeps it from drying out while baking.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

These enchiladas are a cinch to assemble and easy to freeze--just cover one of the pans with foil.

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry Recipe

Red bell peppers are the star vegetable in this stir-fry, a crisp, sweet counterpoint to the serrano chile heat. Use any vegetables you like, but keep it simple; one or two vegetables, plus the basil and chicken, are all you need.

One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce

One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce Recipe

This dish is a revelation. Throw all of your ingredients into one pot over medium-high heat, and about 25 minutes later you'll have noodles perfectly coated in a luscious tomato-basil sauce. This is any busy mom's weeknight dinner perfection. If entertaining, serve with one of our easy green salad recipes for the complete dinner experience.

Meltingly Tender Chicken with Miso, Ginger, and Carrots

Meltingly Tender Chicken with Miso, Ginger, and Carrots Recipe

There is very little hands-on prep here; your oven does most of the work. The combination of flavors is exuberant, and the texture of the chicken is as succulent as can be.

Pesto Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine

Pesto Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine Recipe

Put your knife away—store-bought pesto and precut broccoli florets mean no chopping required. Your Dutch oven pulls triple duty in this recipe by cooking the pasta, blanching the broccoli, and bringing the whole dish together, all in one pot.

Pork Medallions with Grainy Mustard Sauce

Pork Medallions with Grainy Mustard Sauce Recipe

Supper doesn't get any simpler than one pan and five ingredients. To easily round out the plate for this elegant entrée, serve with a spinach salad and roasted potatoes or a bed of wild rice, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Spanish-Style Snapper with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Spanish-Style Snapper with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Scoring the skin allows for fast, even cooking and super-crisp texture. Look for snapper from the Gulf of Mexico, or use one of the recommended substitutes.

One Pot Beef Stew

One-Pot Beef Stew Recipe

The quintessential comfort food, chicken and dumplings is the classic one-pot chicken dinner.

Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs

Spring Pea Pasta with Ricotta and Herbs Recipe

Our one-pot primavera brings together seasonal favorites: fresh herbs, crunchy sugar snap peas, and sweet peas. Combining ricotta cheese with the salty water left over from boiling the pasta makes a super-easy, creamy sauce.

Crispy Trout with Warm Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette

Crispy Trout with Warm Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette Recipe

Look for farm-raised lake trout, an environmentally friendly choice. If you can't fit all four fillets in one pan, divide the oil in half and cook in batches of two.

One-Pot Chicken with Farro image

One-Pot Chicken with Farro Recipe

This easy dish is perfect for a casual get-together with friends. Inspired by arroz con pollo, it is hearty with satisfying complexity. Cumin, saffron, and oregano season rich chicken thighs and nutty farro as the dish simmers. If using saffron, deploy it sparingly; those tiny threads bring subtle flavor and a little color to the dish, but too much will yield a medicinal taste. Serve with a side salad to complete the meal.

Shrimp Scampi image

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Elegant dinners don't have to take a long time and a ton of effort—this one only takes 10 minutes.

Chicken Spaghetti II

Chicken Spaghetti II Recipe

The original recipe for this comforting one-pot dish from River Road Recipes called for "boiling a hen in seasoned water." We've adapted it for today's cooks.

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Cutting the chicken into pieces before roasting speeds up the cooking time of this sweet and savory dish.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

Although the yellow and green squash give this chicken and rice casserole a colorful appearance, you can use one or the other, if you prefer.

Lamb Keema with Potatoes and Peas

Lamb Keema with Potatoes and Peas Recipe

This simple one-pot recipe is easy and quick enough for a weeknight dinner. Feel free to substitute ground beef for the lamb, and in season, try fresh peas for frozen, cooking them a little less time.

Black Bean and Chicken Casserole

Black Bean and Chicken Casserole Recipe

This simple Black Bean and Chicken Casserole uses a slow cooker, canned beans and rotisserie chicken to make a super-convenient family meal.

Garlic-Pork Stir-Fry

Garlic-Pork Stir-Fry Recipe

Garlic-Pork Stir-Fry is a one-wok wonder that will satisfy the appetites of your hungry crew and meet your desire for a simple, fast dinner.

Chicken Marsala Tetrazzini

Chicken Marsala Tetrazzini Recipe

This hearty chicken dish is the epitome of a comfort food classic. It doesn't get better than chicken marsala, spaghetti noodles, and fresh veggies.

Steamed Fish with Rataouille

Steamed Fish with Ratatouille Recipe

Dinner is ready--thanks to this one-dish meal of Steamed Fish with Ratatouille. The vegetables--zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion--create a built-in side dish with the steamed fish.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken Tamale Casserole Recipe

Corn muffin mix is a quick and easy substitute to give your casserole a Tamale-like flavor. You'll taste a hint of sweet from the cream-style corn and spice from the chopped green chiles

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad Recipe

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad delivers a wonderful combination of flavors, and this one-dish meal is on the table in just 40 minutes. The mango adds a nice sweetness to the overall dish while the peanut butter adds a mild peanutty flavor to the dressing.

Chicken Cutlets with Herbed Mushroom Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Herbed Mushroom Sauce Recipe

Cleanup is easy with this one pan dinner (you'll make the sauce in the same pan you used to cook the cutlets). Serve the dish over mashed potatoes or with a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the earthy sauce.

One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

One-Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes Recipe

This pasta dinner is a game changer: You use just enough liquid to cook the pasta--no colander needed.

Chicken-and-Cabbage Fried Rice

Chicken-and-Cabbage Fried Rice Recipe

One-dish meals make weeknight dinner a breeze, and Chicken-and-Cabbage Fried Rice is no exception. This family meal is ready in only 30 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta

Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta Recipe

Add grilled chicken, spinach and a light cream sauce to linguine for an easy one-dish meal.

Thai Spring Beef Stir-Fry

Thai Spring Beef Stir-Fry Recipe

For a quick dinner, cook up Thai Spring Beef Stir-Fry. You'll hardly need any oil when you sitr-fry this one-dish meal in a cast-iron skillet.