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    • 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
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  3. 20 Effortlessly Delicious Dump Dinners

20 Effortlessly Delicious Dump Dinners

Updated August 05, 2019
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup
Credit: Greg DuPree

On hectic weeknights, nobody has time to stand around and babysit multiple pans simmering away on the stove top—and that is exactly why we have dump dinners. Never heard of ‘em? Well, dump dinners are one of the easiest (and most effective) weeknight meal strategies you can deploy. Basically, these are recipes that involve gathering up a handful of ingredients, dumping them into a single cooking vessel—a slow cooker, casserole dish, sheet pan, or Dutch oven—and walking away until it’s time to eat. No stress, just delicious, hands-off meals the entire family will love. 

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Easy Slow-Cooker Jambalaya

MR_051019_Jambalaya139.jpg
Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Tori Cox and Gordon Sawyer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Easy Slow-Cooker Jambalaya Recipe

Have dinner ready when you come home with this ultimate, slow-cooker Jambalaya. Featuring chicken, shrimp and smoked sausage, this classic Creole rice dish is perfect for the slow-cooker as all the flavors blend together over time in a marvelous way. As a simple one-pot meal, bring Jambalaya to your next potluck as a crowd-pleasing dish that doesn't skimp on flavor or presentation. Don’t be afraid of making too much because leftover Jambalaya still tastes great warmed up the next day with a splash of your favorite hot sauce.

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Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet

mr-Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet Image
Credit: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Kay Clark; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet Recipe

If you’re in need of a simple, tasty dish that works for a weeknight meal, consider that need fulfilled. This skillet dish is effortless to throw together and super customizable—you can use black beans or kidney beans instead of pinto. If you’re not in the mood for chicken, try shredded pulled pork from your favorite BBQ place. You can tailor the toppings as you see fit, so keep an open imagination. Serving is simple: just put everything on the table and let everyone make their own tacos. 

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Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Chicken
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Recipe

This may be our easiest slow cooker recipe yet. There’s no browning in the skillet, no last-minute stovetop sauce—all the magic happens right in the slow cooker. Craving crunch? Serve it as a wrap in the cabbage of your choice.

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Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil image
Credit: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil Recipe

For a classic summery meal without a fuss, look no further than this slow cooker shrimp boil. With a simple ingredient list and a largely hands-off cooking method, this easy seafood boil is a perfect recipe to plan on for casual warm weather entertaining or even as a low-effort meal to make at the rental house during a beach vacation. We opted to pull the corn out after 30 minutes of cooking as we preferred it on the crisp side, but as long as your slow cooker is large enough, feel free to leave it in the pot as the shrimp and sausage cook. 

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Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans

mr-Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans Image
Credit: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Kay Clark; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans Recipe

This simple baked chicken packs a ton of flavor atop a nice, toasty mixture of beans, tomatoes, and herbs. Since the chicken cooks on top of the vegetables, its juice add to the sauciness of the burst, roasted tomatoes, the buttery olives, and the tender creamy beans. A little bit of lemon zest makes a lovely finish. The entire combination is just as satisfying as it is visually pleasing, especially faro or another grain. This dinner is easy but has a grown-up feel, and the combined ingredients are meant to be together. If you like, you can add in or substitute other olives or vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and onions—whatever fits your palate. 

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Easy Huevos Rancheros Bake

Huevos Rancheros Bake
Credit: Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Easy Huevos Rancheros Bake Recipe

You and your brunch crowd will love digging into the cheesy, spicy layers of this egg-topped casserole. Unlike tortillas, crisp corn tostadas will soften during baking but still maintain a good texture. You’ll find them at the supermarket near the tortillas. The eggs are cooked in a separate skillet at the end of the casserole cook time; slide them on top of the cooked casserole before topping with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapeño.

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Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast

MR_051019_PotRoast191.jpg
Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Tori Cox and Gordon Sawyer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast Recipe

We've adapted this recipe from Phyllis Good's Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook. Just throw the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, and you'll have a meal that the whole family will love by dinnertime. 

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Easy Chili

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Credit: Photography: Greg DuPreeFood Styling: Rishon HannersProp Styling: Thom Driver

Easy Chili Recipe

Look no further for the ultimate, easy chili recipe. You may think you know how to make chili, but our homemade chili recipe is a gamechanger. With just a push of a button, your weekday dinner is taken care of as the chili cooks away in the slow-cooker. Add chili to your next barbeque to top grilled sausages for an upgraded version of chili dogs. You can easily substitute ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter option and the rest of the ingredients should already be stocked away in your pantry. To top the hot, spicy chili, add shredded Cheddar cheese and corn chips for extra flavor and texture. To go beyond our favorite classic recipe, find more chili recipes here. 

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Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs

Crock Pot BBQ Ribs image
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs Recipe

If you’re skeptical about ribs in a slow cooker, prepare to be amazed by the tender and delicious results. Cooking ribs doesn’t get easier than this two-step method, and while they serve as the perfect summer entrée, you can make this crockpot ribs recipe just as easily at any time of year. Start by selecting the style you like: baby back ribs, spare ribs, St. Louis style ribs, or country style pork ribs. Combine with your favorite sweet and smoky BBQ sauce and let your Crock-Pot take it from there. These easy slow cooker ribs are fall-off-the-bone tasty.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Slow Cooker Chicken Posole image
Credit: Jennifer Causey

Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Recipe

Think of posole as chili's brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also a name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish.

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Taco-Tot Casserole

Taco-Tot Casserole image
Credit: Gina DeSimone; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

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. 

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One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce

One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

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. 

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Credit: Lee Harrelson

Chicken Tamale Casserole Recipe

If you’re craving tamales but just don’t have the time, this tamale casserole is a quick and easy answer. Homemade tamales can be too time-consuming to prepare on a weeknight, but corn bread mix captures the same flavor. Feel free to experiment with different types of meat, such as ground beef or turkey, or trying chile verde salsa instead of enchilada sauce. No matter how you prepare it, this dish will quickly become a family favorite. 
 

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Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash

mr-Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash Image
Credit: Jen Causey; Prop Styling: Kay Clark; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash Recipe

This easy, flavorful supper brings great taste and texture to the humble sheet pan. The juicy roasted pork tenderloin has a nice herb coating, and its delicious creamy tarragon mustard sauce is great with the butternut squash and the roasted broccoli florets. The sweet roasted squash balances the savory roasted broccoli, and the meat is perfect with just a schmear of the sauce. Pork tenderloins typically come in packages of two, so freeze one for later or double the recipe for a larger crowd. Make sure to preheat the oven with the rimmed baking sheet inside—this way, the tenderloin gets a nice sear and color before the vegetables hit the baking sheet. 

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Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels

Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels image
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey

Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels Recipe

Easy weeknight dinners don’t get any more impressive than these sheet pan mussels. Bold aromatics come together with curry paste and rich coconut milk for an incredible broth that goes right on the sheet pan to steam the mussels and infuse them with flavor. We keep the prep time low on this restaurant-quality dish by opting for prepared ginger, garlic, and lemongrass paste; however, feel free to substitute fresh, whole ingredients. In fact, if you have some time to spare, you could even try your hand at making your own curry paste.

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Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas Recipe

This easy dinner comes together in less time than it takes to wait for a table at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Mild poblano chiles and bell peppers get a nice char under the broiler and deliver more than double a day’s worth of immunity-boosting vitamin C.

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Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken
Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Recipe

Lacey Houseman, 29, Thomaston, Ga.

"I like to toss this together before I leave the house, and a few hours later, dinner is ready."

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Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Credit: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic Recipe

White meat can dry out after a long haul in the slow cooker, so we opt for bone-in thighs to guarantee optimal flavor and succulence. Make prep easier with prepeeled garlic, and pretty-up the platter with lemon slices and thyme sprigs.

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5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe

Three family dinners start with this one recipe for succulent and tender 5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork.

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Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup
Credit: Greg DuPree

Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup Recipe

Simple flavors and a rustic touch will make this soup an instant home-cooked favorite, especially on chilly, wintry days. Inexpensive dried lentils make up the bulk of the soup, helping fill in your fiber gaps and keep you full longer. Chickpeas are the secret ingredient to achieve supreme creaminess, which become delightfully smooth when blended, and sneak in an extra 3g fiber per serving.

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    1 of 20 Easy Slow-Cooker Jambalaya
    2 of 20 Cheesy Chicken and Pinto Bean Taco Skillet
    3 of 20 Slow Cooker Sweet-and-Sour Chicken
    4 of 20 Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil
    5 of 20 Easy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and White Beans
    6 of 20 Easy Huevos Rancheros Bake
    7 of 20 Crock Pot Easy Pot Roast
    8 of 20 Easy Chili
    9 of 20 Crock-Pot BBQ Ribs
    10 of 20 Slow Cooker Chicken Posole
    11 of 20 Taco-Tot Casserole
    12 of 20 One-Pot Pasta with Tomato-Basil Sauce
    13 of 20 Chicken Tamale Casserole
    14 of 20 Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
    15 of 20 Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels
    16 of 20 Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
    17 of 20 Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken
    18 of 20 Slow Cooker Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
    19 of 20 5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
    20 of 20 Slow Cooker Creamy Lentil Soup

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