It may sound impossible, but I promise you, you really CAN make easy 30-minute meals! Not only are they incredibly simple, but they are also delicious recipes you will reach for again and again.
Weeknights get super busy and hectic, so I’m always looking for quick dinners to have in my back pocket. With this list of easy 30-minute meals, you’ll find fast and delicious main dish recipes that your family will love.
Dinner time is generally my favorite time of the day. I love getting to sit around the table and catch up with my family for an hour or so. What I don’t love as much is all the prep work that can go into making a meal. I don’t mind taking extra time every once in a while, but why spend an hour or more cooking when you can make quick 30-minute meals instead?
Thankfully, it’s super easy to find 30-minute meals that taste incredible. Whether it’s chicken or beef recipes, vegetarian favorites or healthy and low carb dishes…you’ll find it all here. These are meals that my family ask for again and again, and I’m happy to oblige! Here is a list of my favorite 30-minute meals that your family will love too.
Meals with Chicken
Chicken is a staple ingredient, but there are times when it can be a bit of a challenge to cook. If you want flavorful chicken, that often means it needs to be cooked longer than you might like.
I’m happy to say that these 30-minute meals with chicken have all the flavor with virtually none of the stress and time. Try them out and see—you may be surprised at how excellent these dinners are!
Chicken Stir Fry
This chicken stir fry is an easy 30-minute meal that's perfect for busy weeknights. It's loaded with fresh veggies and coated in a delicious stir-fry sauce. Serve over rice or noodles for the ultimate take-out style dish!
Juicy and tender chicken breast baked in a sweet and tangy BBQ glaze. This is a no fuss baked BBQ chicken recipe with 2 simple ingredients and only 5 minutes of prep!
These baked chicken tenders are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. A family-favorite recipe that's simple, delicious and ready in just 30 minutes!
This chicken marsala recipe is restaurant quality and makes the perfect dish to impress your guests. It's loaded with flavor and made in one pan in just 30 minutes!
One pot chicken caprese pasta is the easiest, most incredible pasta dish ever. It takes less than 20 minutes to make this dish and since it's only one-pot, clean up will be a snap too!
Buffalo chicken wraps are a quick and easy way to have a healthy flavorful lunch on the go. A tortilla filled to the brim with saucy buffalo chicken, and fresh veggies, drizzled with a homemade ranch dressing!
These baked chicken taquitos are crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and full of fabulous flavor. An easy and delicious dinner recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights!
Tender fettucine noodles covered in a creamy homemade alfredo sauce and then topped with seasoned chicken. This chicken alfredo is easily made in under 30 minutes and is loaded with Italian flavor!
This BBQ chicken pizza is topped with BBQ sauce, shredded chicken, mozzarella, red onion and cilantro. It has tons of flavor and is ready in just 30 minutes!
Juicy and tender seared chicken topped with a flavorful homemade bruschetta made with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This bruschetta chicken is an easy and delicious dinner recipe that has the perfect combination of flavors.
A delicious Greek chicken burger stuffed with feta cheese, red pepper, parsley, garlic, red onion and seasonings. This burger is light on calories without sacrificing flavor!
Easy instant pot chicken taco bowls that take just 5 minutes of prep. A family favorite meal idea that's perfect for busy weeknights. Just simply dump and go!
These Instant Pot chicken and dumplings take less than 10 ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes. The perfect weeknight meal that the whole family will love!
This sheet pan chicken and veggies is just one of my favorite sheet pan healthy dinner ideas that come together so quickly and effortlessly. Charred roasted veggies, tender pieces of chicken, seasoned with delicate herbs and spices!
This pesto chicken is made with just 2 ingredients! Juicy grilled chicken breast and a beautiful, flavorful, creamy pesto sauce. Enjoy this family-friendly, low-carb, gluten-free dinner in under 20 minutes!
Stuffed French bread is a loaded bread appetizer or dinner that's so full of cheesy goodness. It's an easier version of my stuffed cheesy garlic bread but with a buffalo chicken twist!
This easy chicken pad Thai is an incredibly flavorful (and totally adaptable) stir fry made with juicy pieces of chicken, peanuts, eggs, veggies all smothered in a delicious sweet and salty sauce!
Whenever ground beef goes on sale, double (or triple!) up and stick a few in the freezer so that you can easily make these 30-minute meals with ground beef. There’s a wide variety of meals that can be made with ground beef, and most of these will even work as a freezer meal.
Burrito Bowl
Easy and delicious Mexican burrito bowls made in just one pot in 30 minutes…making clean up a breeze. Perfect for busy week nights!
Instant pot spaghetti is perfect for those busy nights where you need dinner to come together quickly. It's cooked in just one pot in 30 minutes, making the clean up a breeze!
Crispy and delicious tacos filled with seasoned ground beef and all your favorite toppings. These easy ground beef tacos are simple, flavorful and ready in just 20 minutes!
The BEST hamburger recipe that's super simple and tastes absolutely delicious! Perfect for Summer BBQ's or get-togethers. Makes the most juicy hamburger that's filled with tons of flavor.
This easy stuffed pepper soup is made in just one pot in 30 minutes. Filled with ground beef, bell peppers, rice and a flavorful tomato broth, it's the perfect comfort soup to warm up with.
This easy homemade goulash is made in one pot (including the noodles) in just 30 minutes. It's a classic, family-favorite dish packed with tons of flavor!
Easy hamburger soup made in just one pot in 30 quick minutes! It's loaded with lean ground beef, mixed veggies, tomatoes and seasonings and is super rich and flavorful.
From stove to table in one skillet, these steak and potatoes are a comfort food classic with a bite-size twist! Juicy bites of seared steak and perfectly seasoned potatoes are where signature flavors meet weeknight convenience!
Learn how to cook steak in the oven in just 20 minutes! Use these simple tips and tricks to create the perfect steak that’s caramelized, juicy and tender. You’ll never cook steak any other way!
Juicy, tender meatballs simmered with marinara and then tossed with spaghetti noodles. These homemade spaghetti and meatballs taste like they came straight from an Italian restaurant!
Walking tacos are a simple and delicious dinner idea with hardly any clean up. Your favorite taco meat and toppings served in a bag of Fritos or Doritos. These tacos are perfect for parties and potlucks!
These baked hamburgers only take 3 simple ingredients with easy clean up. They're so easy to make, hearty and flavorful. Perfect for those days that you don't feel like firing up the grill.
Easy and delicious Navajo tacos made with crispy fry bread and loaded with your favorite taco toppings. A tasty dinner that the whole family will love!
This ONE POT cheesy enchilada pasta recipe is so simple and completely delicious. It's done in 30 minutes from start to finish and is a family favorite!
This one-pot cheeseburger soup is the perfect weeknight meal that's ready in just 30 minutes! It's hearty, creamy and super filling. Your family will love it!
The easiest 3-ingredient chili recipe that's made in 30 minutes or less! Thick, hearty and filled with flavor. This is the perfect easy soup recipe for fall!
This teriyaki burger recipe is a must-try! Juicy burger flavored with a sweet teriyaki sauce and served with grilled pineapple and onions on a crispy brioche bun!
Enjoy the classic flavors you love with this easy homemade Hamburger Helper. It’s full of ground beef and macaroni all simmered in a creamy cheddar sauce. A quick meal for weeknight dinners, this is one both the kids and adults will adore!
Any of these vegetarian recipes are perfect to serve as your main dish for Meatless Monday. In place of meat, these meals are filled with hearty vegetables like potatoes, rice, legumes or pasta. They are super flavorful and filling, so you won’t even miss the meat!
Sweet Potato Bowls
These one pot sweet potato bowls are an easy vegetarian meal option that's ready in just 30 minutes! Loaded with diced sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, rice and seasonings, this delicious dinner packs a punch of flavor.
A fresh and flavorful Mexican salad recipe surrounded by fresh vegetables, tortilla strips and topped with a homemade dressing. Easy to make and even more delicious to eat!
Strawberry, pistachio, and burrata salad with a poppyseed dressing…super fresh, flavorful and satisfying! This strawberry salad has the most perfect combination of flavors and will become your new favorite!
Asian stuffed mushrooms are the perfect side dish or appetizer. This recipe is filled with flavor thanks to a simple creamy stuffing and a 2-ingredient drizzle sauce.
A delicious caprese pasta bake covered in creamy tomato sauce and bubbly mozzarella. This easy 30-minute meal is the perfect way to use up fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!
Tender penne pasta, black beans, corn, peppers, cilantro, onions and tomatoes tossed in a delicious and creamy avocado lime dressing. This southwest pasta salad is easy, healthy and full of Mexican flavors!
A light and refreshing strawberry spinach salad filled with fresh strawberries, almonds, feta and greens. Top with poppy seed dressing to make the perfect summer salad recipe!
So many dinners can be very carb-heavy. We definitely love our carbs, but sometimes we need a bite to eat that feels lighter. These low carb 30-minute meals are just the thing to make after a heavy lunch or a day full of snacking.
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Crispy, bibb lettuce topped with shredded buffalo chicken, tomatoes, avocado, red onion and a drizzle of ranch dressing. These easy buffalo chicken lettuce wraps are packed with flavor in every bite!
These copycat PF Chang's lettuce wraps taste just like the real deal! Make this easy takeout recipe in just 20 minutes in the comfort of your own home.
EASY fajita salad recipe that's ready in just 20 minutes or less. Packed with flavorful seasoned chicken, fajita veggies, diced tomatoes, avocado and fresh green salsa.
A delicious and easy taco salad recipe that's made in just 20 minutes! Filled with chopped greens, taco meat, rice, corn, beans, tomatoes and your favorite salad dressing.
Easy instant pot buffalo chicken made in 30 quick minutes! Perfectly tender, juicy and packs a punch of tangy buffalo flavor. Use it to make salads, wraps, pizza, tacos and more.
Healthy fast food may seem like an oxymoron, but this list proves it’s possible. These healthy dinner recipes are packed with fiber and good-for-you fats, along with plenty of vegetables. A lot of these are Whole-30 friendly or easily modified to be.
An easy way to meal prep and have healthy lunches for the week is to double these dinners and pack up enough leftovers for the kids to take to school for the week.
Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
This sheet pan sausage and vegetables is made in just 30 minutes with hardly any cleanup! It's healthy, loaded with flavor and is Whole 30 approved.
This chicken tortilla soup recipe is made in ONE pot in 30 minutes. Always a crowd pleaser and tastes great loaded with cheese, avocado and tortilla chips.
This buffalo chicken salad is a low-carb version of the traditional saucy sandwich! Loaded with crisp lettuce, crunchy coleslaw, fresh veggies, and your choice of a creamy homemade blue cheese or ranch dressing.
A fresh and delicious salad made with lettuce, grilled corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, avocado and tender sliced steak. Then topped with a sweet and tangy balsamic dressing.
A delicious cobb salad that's fresh, flavorful and full of your favorite toppings! Makes the perfect lunch or dinner any day of the week. This recipe is a staple at our house.
This Mediterranean salad with creamy balsamic dressing is full of greens, protein and flavor! Comes together super quickly and tastes so fresh and delicious. Plus it's healthier than most restaurants, too!
This Asian chicken salad is everything you want in a salad recipe…fresh, light, crunchy and delicious. It's super flavorful and is loaded with all your favorite toppings!
Shredded chicken taco salad loaded with lettuce, black beans, grilled corn, avocado, tomatoes and bell peppers. Topped with a creamy salsa ranch dressing. Simple, flavorful and delicious!
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Now I know what I’m eating for the next month. We have loved so many of the recipes on this list!
You’ve got some great categories in this round up – something to match all moods.