Kid-Friendly Dinners You Can Make In 20 Minutes
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.
20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas
20-Minute Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Quick tip: While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken. For a spicy kick, top with chopped jalapeños.
1 of 12
Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas
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.
2 of 12
Chicken Potpie Skillet Pizza
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.
3 of 12
Sweet and Sour Chicken
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.
4 of 12
Cheesy Chicken Fajitas
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.
5 of 12
Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti
Family-Style Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
A family favorite swaps jarred sauce for fresh--which requires just a few ingredients and less than 10 minutes.
6 of 12
Silky Tomato Soup with White Beans and Garlic Oil
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.
7 of 12
White Bean and Vegetable Bowls with Frizzled Eggs
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.
8 of 12
Turkey and Swiss Sloppy Joes
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.
9 of 12
Chicken-Barley Soup
Hint: Using chicken stock guarantees more flavor than traditional broth and a nicer golden color in this chicken soup recipe.
10 of 12
Spicy Chicken Shawarma
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.
11 of 12
Shrimp and Broccoli Rotini
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.