Do you dread cooking dinner on weeknights because it takes too much effort after a long day at work? Guess what! It doesn’t have to be that way. You can make delicious meals in minutes any night of the week—meals that are anything but boring.
These 29 easy-to-make, insanely delicious recipes will change your thinking about weeknight cooking forever. They are so easy and quick to whip up, and they’re anything but boring. Learn to love weeknight cooking again!
Kung Pao Chicken
This kung pao chicken is just like what you get at your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant. Tender bits of chicken, crunchy peanuts, a salty-sweet sauce, and a hit of spice all come together on one skillet to make one delicious dish.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken
Beef Yakisoba
Beef Yakisoba combines tender beef, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, onions, and scallions with chewy noodles and a savory-sweet yakisoba sauce. It’s a delicious one-skillet meal that’s quick to make!
Get the Recipe: Beef Yakisoba
Blackened fish tacos
Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos are fish taco perfection! Flaky seasoned fish in soft corn tortillas with a creamy cilantro lime sauce. Just season and sear the fish, heat the tortillas, and stir together the sauce.
Get the Recipe: Blackened fish tacos
Beef Bulgogi
This Beef Bulgogi Bowl recipe makes a delicious one-bowl meal. It’s a super easy weeknight dinner, featuring marinated, thin slices of tender beef cooked on a barbecue, griddle, or skillet and served over a bed of rice.
Get the Recipe: Beef Bulgogi
Thai Chicken Curry
This Thai Chicken Curry is so good! I love how easy it is to make and that you can use whatever veggies you have on hand! It’s so delicious and it’s a one-pot meal that you can make either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot.
Get the Recipe: Thai Chicken Curry
Pad Kee Mao with Chicken
Drunken Noodles or Pad Kee Mao are great for late-night munchies, a satisfying meal, or even as a hangover cure! Flat rice noodles are quickly stir-fried with a savory sauce, spicy chiles, Thai basil, vegetables, and chicken.
Get the Recipe: Pad Kee Mao with Chicken
Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Cajun Shrimp and Grits is spicy, satisfying comfort food. Creamy, buttery grits are topped with Cajun spiced shrimp. It takes minutes to make, but it is loaded with flavor.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Shrimp and Grits
Chicken Curry Laksa
Spicy chicken curry Laksa is the stuff dreams are made of. What’s more enticing than a steamy bowl of rich, spicy soup with layers of flavor, chunks of chicken, and tender rice noodles? This recipe uses a store-bought curry paste that gives it tons of delicious flavor with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Curry Laksa
Carnitas Tacos
Air Fryer Carnitas is juicy and flavorful Mexican shredded pork. It’s so simple to cook the meat in the air fryer and it turns out unbelievably juicy and tender with enticingly crisp edges. Perfect for tacos!
Get the recipe: Carnitas Tacos
Tandoori Chicken
This tandoori chicken recipe requires just a quick marinade in a yogurt-based mixture. You can cook your tandoori chicken in the oven, on the grill, or even in your air fryer.
Get the Recipe: Tandoori Chicken
Thai Shrimp Curry
Thai shrimp curry is the perfect blend of aromatic spices and coconut milk. Intensely flavorful and on the table in minutes.
Get the Recipe: Thai Shrimp Curry
Gochujang Chicken
Gochujang chicken is a delicious Korean recipe featuring the fermented red chile paste that is spicy and full of umami. This spicy Korean chicken recipe is easy to make either on the barbecue grill or in a grill pan on the stovetop. Just add fresh herbs and lettuce for serving.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Chicken
Gochujang Noodles
Gochujang Noodles are so full of flavor, you won’t be able to stop eating them. Imagine chewy noodles bathed in a rich and creamy, spicy, savory sauce studded with tender greens and meaty sliced mushrooms. You won’t believe how easy it is to make.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Noodles
Chicken Biryani
Chicken biryani is a succulent mix of chicken pieces steeped in a vibrant blend of spices, tucked amidst fragrant basmati rice. It’s another one-pot meal that requires minimal effort.
Get the recipe: Chicken Biryani
Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter
Flank steak is quick and easy to grill. This 5-ingredient recipe tops it with a sweet spicy chili butter that is full of flavor. It can be on the table in 20 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Butter
Harissa Chicken
Harissa chicken is so easy to make and loaded with deliciously spicy North African flavor. It’s amazing that it only has 6 ingredients (plus salt + pepper). I love cooking with Tunisian harissa paste, the spicy North African chile paste. It brings tons of flavor to this favorite weeknight chicken dish.
Get the Recipe: Harissa Chicken
Thai Pumpkin Curry
This Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup is a delicious and satisfying meal that takes just 25 minutes to make. Thai curry paste and rich, creamy coconut milk add layers of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Thai Pumpkin Curry
Kerala Fish Curry
Kerala Fish Curry is a quick stove-top braise that combines flaky fish with a flavorful sauce made from earthy and fiery spices and rich coconut milk. It’s braise
Get the Recipe: Kerala Fish Curry
Miso Glazed Salmon
Miso Glazed Salmon has a few ingredients but is big on taste. The recipe is written for two servings but it is easy to double or triple to feed the whole fam!
Get the Recipe: Miso Glazed Salmon
Mongolian Chicken
Mongolian Chicken, like its sibling Mongolian Beef, is a restaurant favorite, and for good reason. Tender chicken pieces are pan-fried and then tossed in a sweet-savory, gingery hoisin-based sauce studded with fresh green onions.
Get the Recipe: Mongolian Chicken
Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer or Indian cheese simmered in a savory sauce of fresh spinach, curry spices, and aromatics. It’s so good—full of flavor, healthy, and easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Palak Paneer
Pancit Bihon
Pancit Bihon is an irresistible Filipino recipe that’s easy to make and delivers traditional Filipino flavor. Perfectly chewy rice noodles are stir-fried with chicken and veggies, then seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings.
Get the Recipe: Pancit Bihon
Pork Fried Rice
I love using leftover Char Siu (or any delicious pork) to make Pork Fried Rice! This is one of my family’s favorite weeknight meals—easy to make, delicious, and on the table in mere minutes.
Get the Recipe: Pork Fried Rice
Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos
Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos combine tender shrimp with spicy chorizo for a delicious and satisfying taco filling that’s super easy to make.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos
Shrimp Yakisoba
If you prefer seafood to beef, this Shrimp Yakisoba is just the thing. The noodles are studded with plump shrimp and tender vegetables and tossed in a savory-sweet sauce. It’s an easy and delicious weeknight meal.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Yakisoba
Singaopore Noodles
Singapore Rice Noodles are delicious—seasoned with curry powder. and studded with sliced Char Siu or Chinese Roast Pork, prawns, julienned carrots, thinly sliced onions, and scrambled eggs.
Get the Recipe: Singaopore Noodles
Sopa de Camaron
Sopa de Camarones, or Mexican Shrimp Soup, is light, but full of earthy flavor. Dried chiles give the broth its rich red color and distinctive flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sopa de Camaron
Thai Turkey Meatballs
Thai Turkey Meatballs in Red Curry Sauce are super quick and easy to make. They’re baked in the oven, which is way easier than browning them in a skillet.They make a popular appetizer and are also great for dinner, served with the sauce over rice with some steamed or roasted veggies on the side.
Get the Recipe: Thai Turkey Meatballs
Veggie Pad Thai
This veggie Pad Thai is delicious and easy to make. Rice noodles are quickly stir-fried with classic Thai seasonings (including vegan fish sauce!), bean sprouts, and fried tofu.
Get the Recipe: Veggie Pad Thai