Weeknight dinners don’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Whether you’re wiped from work, shuttling kids around, or just not in the mood to cook, these 21 lazy meals have your back. From crispy chicken legs to cheesy casseroles and saucy skillet favorites, each recipe is big on flavor and low on effort. You’ll find juicy pork chops, spicy Thai chicken, and even cozy shepherd’s pie — all easy enough for your busiest nights. Click through and discover which one’s going on your menu tonight!

Crispy Chicken Legs Skin

chicken legs
Crispy Chicken Legs Skin. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Crispy Skin Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe only takes 2 min. prep and you get extra crispy skin on the outside and a juicy bite on the inside.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Chicken Legs Skin

Creamy Loaded Baked Chicken Potato Casserole

A baked casserole in a white dish, featuring diced potatoes topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and garnished with fresh parsley. The dish rests on a yellow and white checked cloth.
Creamy Loaded Baked Chicken Potato Casserole. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This easy loaded baked chicken potato casserole recipe features baked potatoes, chicken, and seasonings topped with bacon and cheese.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Loaded Baked Chicken Potato Casserole

Juicy Thai Chicken

thai chicken with coconut on it.
Juicy Thai Chicken. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This spicy Thai chicken recipe cooks up juicy, flavored packed chicken breasts in 30 minutes for an easy weeknight meal everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Juicy Thai Chicken

Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

A white rectangular dish filled with golden-brown baked chicken breasts, garnished with lemon slices, herbs, and spices, placed on a white and yellow checkered cloth.
Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy to make baked lemon pepper chicken combines fresh zesty lemon, mellow baked garlic, and the slightly spicy taste of black pepper.
Get the Recipe: Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

Delicious Sofritas Chipotle

A bowl of Mexican-style food with white rice, black beans, seasoned tofu, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and guacamole, garnished with cilantro. A fork rests on the edge, and a striped napkin is nearby.
Delicious Sofritas Chipotle. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Skip the takeout and recreate iconic sofritas Chipotle at home! This smoky, spicy, and tangy vegan dish is ready in just 20 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Sofritas Chipotle

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

A plate of spaghetti topped with homemade chicken parmesan, marinara sauce, and melted cheese, garnished with fresh basil leaves. The dish is served on a red and white plate, with a grater and a striped cloth napkin in the background.
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This Easy Crockpot Chicken Parmesan Recipe takes tender chicken breasts, coats them in Panko bread crumbs, and cooks them with marinara in a slow cooker.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Juicy Boneless Pork Chops

Four golden-brown seasoned chicken breasts cooking in a black cast-iron skillet, garnished with sprigs of fresh thyme, with a red handle and a beige and red cloth underneath.
Juicy Boneless Pork Chops. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

These boneless pan fried pork chops cook up golden brown and juicy with a quick butter baste and simple spices in 20 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Juicy Boneless Pork Chops

Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

single serving shepards pie with mashed potatoes and cheese on top in a small cast iron skillet
Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

No bake shepherd’s pie takes under 30 minutes from stove to table. Budget-friendly ingredients and satisfies even the hungriest eaters.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Seasoned Ground Meat Taco

A skillet with cooked ground beef mixed with diced tomatoes, stirred with a wooden spoon. Nearby are bowls of shredded cheese, salsa, and jalapeños on a wooden board. A striped cloth napkin is partially visible.
Seasoned Ground Meat Taco. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Homemade seasoned ground meat taco recipe is quick, easy, and packed with bold flavors for great beef taco meat.
Get the Recipe: Seasoned Ground Meat Taco

Delicious Pan-Seared Tilapia

tilapia with lemon butter sauce
Delicious Pan-Seared Tilapia. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Enjoy this pan-seared tilapia with lemon butter that cooks up in 10 minutes. With a hint of tart lemon, cilantro, and sweet creamy butter.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Pan-Seared Tilapia

Savory Spaghetti Sauce

A fork lifts spaghetti with meat sauce from a green plate. The pasta is topped with a rich, chunky tomato meat sauce, suggesting a hearty meal. A red and white striped cloth is partially visible in the background.
Savory Spaghetti Sauce. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Spaghetti sauce creamy crock pot recipe is a rich, protein-packed, blend of ground beef, velvety cottage cheese, and tangy tomato sauce.
Get the Recipe: Savory Spaghetti Sauce

Delicious Sweet Potato Pasta With Creamy Sauce

A white bowl filled with creamy pasta topped with grated cheese, featuring fusilli, spinach, and red bell peppers. There is a fork beside the bowl and another small bowl of cheese in the background on a marble surface.
Delicious Sweet Potato Pasta With Creamy Sauce. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This creamy sweet potato pasta recipe is made with smooth silken tofu, milk, and sweet potatoes for a rich, velvety sauce.
Get the Recipe: Delicious Sweet Potato Pasta With Creamy Sauce

Herb Crusted Chicken Recipe

texas roadhouse chicken
Herb Crusted Chicken Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Pan-seared, juicy herb crusted chicken Texas Roadhouse recipe is a family favorite you can whip up at home in under an hour.
Get the Recipe: Herb Crusted Chicken Recipe

Flavorful Taco Mac And Cheese

A white ceramic dish filled with pasta shells mixed with ground beef and diced tomatoes, all coated in a yellow-orange sauce. The dish is placed on a brown cloth.
Flavorful Taco Mac And Cheese. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make fusion with Taco Mac and Cheese! Creamy, cheesy goodness meets spicy taco flavors, perfect for family meals or parties.
Get the Recipe: Flavorful Taco Mac And Cheese

Creamy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

A white oval dish filled with creamy beef stroganoff pasta. The dish contains wide noodles, sliced mushrooms, and a creamy sauce, garnished with fresh parsley. A striped napkin is partially visible on the side.
Creamy Beef Stroganoff Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

This easy beef stroganoff with ground beef is creamy, budget-friendly, and ready in just 35 minutes. Perfect for feeding a family or hosting a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Beef Stroganoff Recipe

Honey Chicken Recipe (Sweet and Spicy)

honey dripping on chicken
Honey Chicken Recipe (Sweet and Spicy). Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Make this sweet and spicy honey chicken recipe for a quick weeknight dinner in less than 20 minutes. It’s sure to become a family favorite.
Get the Recipe: Honey Chicken Recipe (Sweet and Spicy)

Classic Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

chicken parmesan meatballs
Classic Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Cheesy Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs recipe is a twist on the classic dish. Italian chicken meatballs in marinara topped with melted cheese.
Get the Recipe: Classic Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Chicken Enchilada Layered Casserole

A casserole dish filled with cheesy enchiladas topped with melted cheese, chopped red onions, and fresh cilantro. A spatula is lifting a portion from the dish, revealing a rich, savory filling. A white napkin is in the background.
Chicken Enchilada Layered Casserole. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This simple-to-assemble layered Tex-Mex chicken enchilada casserole is a 15-minute from-scratch recipe that bakes up ooey gooey and full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Layered Casserole

Garlic Butter Pork Chops

pork chops
Garlic Butter Pork Chops. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These cast iron skillet pork chops are basted with a garlic and herb butter for a the most tender and juicy pork chops that you can make in less than 15 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Pork Chops

Crispy Quesadillas Fritas Recipe

A plate of golden fried empanadas arranged in a circle around a small bowl of salsa, garnished with sliced jalapeños and fresh cilantro, on a light marble surface.
Crispy Quesadillas Fritas Recipe. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Easy quesadillas fritas recipe with masa dough and cheese. A fast, flavorful dish perfect for family dinners or casual get-togethers.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Quesadillas Fritas Recipe

Savory Teriyaki Chicken

A close-up of a plate with teriyaki chicken garnished with sesame seeds, accompanied by steamed broccoli. A fork rests beside the food on a striped napkin.
Savory Teriyaki Chicken. Photo credit: Lauren’s Latest.

This Teriyaki Chicken recipe is tangy and savory all thanks to my homemade teriyaki sauce. Pair with fresh cooked broccoli and rice!
Get the Recipe: Savory Teriyaki Chicken

Easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners That Are Always a Win with Kids

A rectangular white baking dish filled with a baked dish featuring caramelized onions, melted cheese, and herbs in a rich brown sauce. The dish is set on a wooden board with a yellow cloth beside it.
Easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners That Are Always a Win with Kids. Image Credit: Intentional Hospitality

On those extra-hectic nights when cooking feels like a chore, dump-and-bake chicken dinners come to the rescue. No complicated prep or fancy techniques—just cozy, crowd-pleasing meals packed with flavor. From gooey French onion casseroles to spicy buffalo tater tot bakes, each recipe is designed to save you time and satisfy your cravings. You’ll want to scroll through every one—because easy, delicious, and stress-free is exactly what busy nights call for. Get All The Recipes: Easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners That Are Always a Win with Kids