Skip to content

Top Navigation

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Course
  • Baking
  • Global
  • Healthy
  • Favorite Ingredients
  • Holidays and Occasions
  • Quick and Easy
  • Convenience Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling
  • How To
  • Extra Crispy
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore MyRecipes

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. Read More
    • The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      Trust me, it’s so worth it. Read More
    • 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time.  Read More
  • Course

    Course

    See All Course
    • Best Appetizer Recipes...Ever
    • Best Drink Recipes for Any Occasion
    • Salad Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Sensational Sides
    • Soup and Stew Recipes
    • Easy Entertaining for Everyone
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Main Dishes and Entrées
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
  • Baking

    Baking

    See All Baking
    • Bread Recipes
    • Our Most-Loved Cake Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Pie Recipes
  • Global

    Global

    See All Global
    • Spanish Recipes
    • Thai Recipes
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Middle Eastern Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Malaysian Recipes
    • Korean Recipes
    • Japanese Recipes
    • Italian Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
    • Greek Recipes
    • French Recipes
    • Chinese Recipes
    • African Recipes
    • American Recipes
    • Cajun and Creole Recipes
    • Caribbean Recipes
    • South American Recipes
    • Southern Recipes
    • German Recipes
  • Healthy

    Healthy

    See All Healthy
    • Easy, Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfasts
    • Healthy Dinners
    • Healthy Desserts
    • Diabetic Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Diet and Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Low Carbohydrate Recipes
    • Low Cholesterol Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Low Sodium Recipes
    • Low Calorie Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Favorite Ingredients

    Favorite Ingredients

    See All Favorite Ingredients
    • The Ultimate Guide to Chicken
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Cheese Recipes
    • Chocolate Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Shrimp Recipes
  • Holidays and Occasions

    Holidays and Occasions

    See All Holidays and Occasions
    • A Foodie's Guide to Halloween Recipes
    • The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
    • Hanukkah Recipes
    • Your Ultimate Christmas Recipe Guide
    • Our Most Festive New Year's Recipes
    • Best-Ever Super Bowl Sunday Recipes
    • Best Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Mardi Gras Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Easter Recipes
    • Cinco de Mayo Recipes
    • Labor Day Recipes
    • The Ultimate Fourth of July Guide
    • Memorial Day Recipes
    • Touchdown-Worthy Tailgate Recipes
    • Wedding and Shower Recipes
  • Quick and Easy

    Quick and Easy

    See All Quick and Easy
    • 15-Minute Recipes for Busy Home Cooks
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Dinner Tonight
    • No-Cook Recipes
    • 45-Minute Recipes
  • Convenience Recipes

    Convenience Recipes

    See All Convenience Recipes
    • Budget-Friendly Recipes
    • Our Top Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Our Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling

    BBQ and Grilling

    See All BBQ and Grilling
    • Grilled Beef Recipes
    • Grilled Fish Recipes
    • Grilled Shrimp Recipes
    • Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • Grilled Pork Recipes
    • Grilled Vegetable Recipes
  • How To

    How To

    See All How To
    • 7 Ways With...
    • Videos
    • Ingredients and Tools
    • Kitchen Cleaning
  • Extra Crispy
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Convenience
  3. Family Recipes
  4. 22 Kid-Friendly Dinners You Can Make In 20 Minutes

22 Kid-Friendly Dinners You Can Make In 20 Minutes

By MyRecipes Updated August 07, 2018
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Between coordinating pick ups, running errands, and picky eaters, hectic weeknights are when it’s most tempting to phone it in when it comes to getting dinner on the table. These recipes just made those nights a heck of a lot easier—they’re ready in only 20 minutes, they’re nutritious, and they’re simple and tasty enough for even the pickiest of eaters to get behind. From cheesy pastas and flavor-packed fajitas, to kiddie classics like chicken fingers and mini pizzas, there’s a guaranteed family favorite on this list.

Start Slideshow

1 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas

20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Quick tip: While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken. For a spicy kick, top with chopped jalapeños.

1 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Skillet Red Beans and Rice

ck- Skillet Red Beans and Rice
Credit: Photography: Linda Pugliese; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Thom Driver

Skillet Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Look for trinity blend (a mix of onion, bell pepper, and celery) with the prepared produce. Or make your own with 3/4 cup onion, 3/4 cup celery, and 1/2 cup bell pepper.

2 of 22

3 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas

Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas
Credit: Jennifer Causey Styling: Claire Spollen

Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas Recipe

Finishing your peas and carrots is exponentially more exciting when bacon is involved. In fact, almost every dish is more exciting when bacon comes to play, so feel free to swap your family's favorite veggies into this versatile pasta.

3 of 22

Advertisement

4 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pork Stir-Fry with Snow Peas

Pork Stir-Fry with Snow Peas
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Pork Stir-Fry with Snow Peas Recipe

A great stir-fry needs only 2 or 3 vegetables as the base; any more would slow cooking and interfere with the sear, or keep other elements from shining through. Use vegetables with bold, contrasting colors (green snow peas, green beans, or broccoli florets; red bell pepper; and yellow squash). We love lean, flavorful pork tenderloin here, though you could substitute chicken thighs or thinly sliced flank steak. A little meat goes a long way here; slice and sear the remaining pork tenderloin for sandwiches, grill and top with a fresh salsa, or dice and sear for soup.

4 of 22

5 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza

Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza
Credit: Greg DuPree; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza Recipe

Try this quick, playful spin to turn pizza night on its head—in a good way. You get all the creamy goodness of chicken potpie, in a fun, eat-with-your-hands way that kids will love. Grown-ups will dig it, too, especially if you offer hot sauce at the table. Cooking the pizza in a preheated cast-iron skillet makes the crust wonderfully crispy so that it doesn’t sog out when the creamy sauce goes on. Be sure to use only 10 ounces of dough (though you’ll likely have to purchase in a 1-pound or larger ball); save the remaining dough to make breadsticks the next night.

5 of 22

6 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Our take saves 446 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 1,260 milligrams of sodium over one serving of a leading chain's sweet and sour chicken.

6 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Cheesy Chicken Fajitas 

Cheesy Chicken Fajitas
Credit: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks

Cheesy Chicken Fajitas  Recipe

Chicken taco meets 7-layer dip in this fiesta of a skillet supper. You can swap in black beans or kidney beans for the pintos. For extra zest, serve with cilantro and lime wedges. Savor all the flavors of Taco Tuesday without any of the guilt. You can easily make vegetarian fajitas by removing the chicken and adding sliced zucchini, diced carrots and potatoes. Convert taco night into a buffet taco bar and let everyone build their own fajita. 

7 of 22

8 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Creamy Chicken Quesadillas

creamy-chicken-quesadillas
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Creamy Chicken Quesadillas Recipe

A creamy base helps the cheese go further and keeps the chicken moist. For a crisp exterior, coat the filled tortillas with cooking spray instead of coating the pan.

8 of 22

9 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti

Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

A family favorite swaps jarred sauce for fresh--which requires just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes.

9 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil

Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil
Credit: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks

Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil Recipe

Creamy, silky tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food. We've elevated the traditional soup with the addition of white cannellini beans and toasty garlic oil. You won't miss any of the cream or calories from this dairy-free tomato soup as the texture is still silky from blending the tomato base. Serve alongside our revamped Grilled Cheese Skillet "Panini" for a meal kids and adults will all approve of. With the addition of the white beans, each serving provides 8 grams of protein making this vegetarian meal foolproof. 

10 of 22

11 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

White Bean and Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs

White Bean and Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Claire Spollen

White Bean and Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs Recipe

This easy bowl of brothy goodness is loaded with both veggies and umami depth--it's comfort food you can feel good about. It's also great for times when the food budget is tight, as it costs only about $11 for 4 servings.

11 of 22

12 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes

Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes image
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes Recipe

This twist on a classic sandwich swaps the sweet, barbecue-style sauce for a white sauce enriched with nutty Swiss cheese.

12 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chicken Fingers and Green Beans with Tahini Sauce

Chicken Fingers and Green Beans with Tahini Sauce
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Chicken Fingers and Green Beans with Tahini Sauce Recipe

Chicken fingers aren't just for kids. Savory-sweet and addictive, the tahini-tomato dipping sauce offers a palate intrigue adults will love but enough flavor familiarity to keep it kid-approved.

13 of 22

14 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pork Medallions with Scallions and Magic Green Sauce

Pork Medallions with Scallions and Magic Green Sauce
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Pork Medallions with Scallions and Magic Green Sauce Recipe

Scallions are used three ways: in a sauce, as a vegetable, and as a garnish. The sauce can be made a day ahead and magically transforms the simplest food into something spectacular. Try it on chicken or steak, too, or as a spread in a sandwich.

14 of 22

15 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups

Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups Recipe

A little sugar balances the vinegar tang in the turkey mixture and helps develop wonderful crispy bits in the pan. Delicate butter lettuce leaves have a nice cup shape for filling; you could also use romaine.

15 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Chicken-Barley Soup

Chicken-Barley Soup

Chicken-Barley Soup Recipe

Hint: Using chicken stock guarantees more flavor than traditional broth and a nicer golden color in this chicken soup recipe. 

16 of 22

17 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Pasta with Chickpea Sauce

Pasta with Chickpea Sauce
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Pasta with Chickpea Sauce Recipe

17 of 22

18 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

Spicy Chicken Shawarma
Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Spicy Chicken Shawarma Recipe

This chicken shawarma is a Middle Eastern version of a gyro and features thin slices of chicken mixed with yogurt and wrapped in pita bread spread with a tahini mixture. The sandwiches are then topped with fresh cucumber, tomato and onion.

18 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mac and Cheeseburger

Mac and Cheeseburger
Credit: Greg DuPree; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Mac and Cheeseburger Recipe

Mac and cheese gets heartier, and possibly even more family-friendly, when you stir ground beef and fire-roasted tomatoes into the cheese sauce. Make sure to drain the tomatoes so the sauce doesn’t get too thin. We call for whole-grain rotini, but any short pasta shape will work here; just do try to go whole-grain for more nutrition. This budget-friendly dinner costs less than $9. If you don't have dry mustard (used for added depth), stir in a teaspoon of Dijon.

19 of 22

20 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Mini Mozzarella-and-Kale Pita Pizzas

Mini Mozzarella-and-Kale Pita Pizzas

Mini Mozzarella-and-Kale Pita Pizzas Recipe

We split the pitas in half before toasting so the crusts can get extra crisp.

20 of 22

21 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Nutty Fried Rice

Nutty Fried Rice image
Credit: Romulo Yanes; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Nutty Fried Rice Recipe

We incorporate lots of nutty flavor into traditional fried rice using sesame oil, cashews, peanut butter, and sesame seeds.

21 of 22

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 22

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email

Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini

Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini Recipe

This is a great go-to pasta recipe that you can whip up in a pinch with essentially whatever you have on hand. You can try swapping the shrimp for white beans to turn the lemony seafood pasta into a vibrant vegetarian entrée.

22 of 22

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By MyRecipes

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 22 20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas
    2 of 22 Skillet Red Beans and Rice
    3 of 22 Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas
    4 of 22 Pork Stir-Fry with Snow Peas
    5 of 22 Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza
    6 of 22 Sweet and Sour Chicken
    7 of 22 Cheesy Chicken Fajitas 
    8 of 22 Creamy Chicken Quesadillas
    9 of 22 Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti
    10 of 22 Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil
    11 of 22 White Bean and Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs
    12 of 22 Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes
    13 of 22 Chicken Fingers and Green Beans with Tahini Sauce
    14 of 22 Pork Medallions with Scallions and Magic Green Sauce
    15 of 22 Thai Turkey Lettuce Cups
    16 of 22 Chicken-Barley Soup
    17 of 22 Pasta with Chickpea Sauce
    18 of 22 Spicy Chicken Shawarma
    19 of 22 Mac and Cheeseburger
    20 of 22 Mini Mozzarella-and-Kale Pita Pizzas
    21 of 22 Nutty Fried Rice
    22 of 22 Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email
    MyRecipes

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright MyRecipes. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.myrecipes.com

    Sign in

    View image

    22 Kid-Friendly Dinners You Can Make In 20 Minutes
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.