9 Best Dinner Recipes

Figuring out what to make for dinner night after night can feel like a never-ending puzzle, especially when you’re trying to please everyone at the table. These are the best dinner recipes that’ll take the guesswork out of mealtime with dishes that are flavorful, satisfying, and surprisingly simple to pull together.

You’ll find everything from one-pan meals to hearty casseroles and restaurant-inspired favorites that come together in your own kitchen. They’re guaranteed to win over even your harshest critics, who are hard to please.

1. Smothered Chicken

Smothered chicken in a skillet with creamy gravy. — Photo Credit: xoxoBella

Golden chicken gets simmered in a bacon and onion gravy until every bite tastes like pure comfort. It’s ready and on the table in about half an hour, making it an easy option for busy nights.

Get the Recipe: Smothered Chicken

2. Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Cheesy Chicken Parmesan meatballs in a skillet. — Photo Credit: Blue’s Best Life

These homemade meatballs bring all the Italian flavors you crave and are made with ground chicken. Baked in marinara with melted mozzarella on top, they’re just as good tucked into a sub as they are served over pasta.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

3. Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp

Garlic butter noodles with shrimp and lemon slices in a casserole dish. — Photo Credit: The Feathered Nester

Buttery noodles meet garlicky shrimp in a sauce that has the perfect amount of fresh lemon. It feels fancy but comes together quickly enough for a weeknight.

Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp

4. French Onion Pork Chops

French onion pork chops in a skillet. — Photo Credit: Princess Pinky Girl

These pork chops are covered in sweet caramelized onions and topped with melted cheese. The homemade gravy brings everything together for a dinner that’ll leave everyone happy.

Get the Recipe: French Onion Pork Chops

5. Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

Beef and broccoli with rice on a plate. — Photo Credit: Nourish and Fete

Marinated sirloin tips roast alongside broccoli and peppers in a single pan while you turn the leftover marinade into a sauce on the stove. It’s takeout flavor without the wait or the delivery fee.

Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

6. Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

Top view of Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole with melted cheese and parsley. — Photo Credit: Princess Pinky Girl

Layers of spaghetti, meat sauce, and a blend of three cheeses (including cream cheese) get baked into one seriously satisfying casserole. It feeds a crowd and somehow tastes even better as leftovers the next day.

Get the Recipe: Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole

7. Chicken Piccata

Chicken piccata with lemon slices and capers in a skillet. — Photo Credit: The Feathered Nester

Pan-seared chicken cutlets combine with a tangy sauce made from lemon juice and capers. It looks and tastes like something from a restaurant menu but is surprisingly straightforward to make at home.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Piccata

8. Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake

Chicken broccoli casserole in white dish — Photo Credit: Valerie’s Kitchen

Chicken, rice, and broccoli bake together under a blanket of melted cheddar for a complete meal that practically makes itself. Plus, everything gets mixed right in the baking dish with no extra bowls to wash.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake

9. Pesto Baked Mozzarella Tomato Chicken

Pesto baked mozzarella tomato chicken in a skillet. — Photo Credit: Nourish and Fete

Chicken breasts get browned in a skillet, then baked with cherry tomatoes and pesto before being topped with melted mozzarella. Plus, it takes only 10 minutes of hands-on time, so you can go about your evening while it bakes.

Get the Recipe: Pesto Baked Mozzarella Tomato Chicken