Food and Recipes Dinner Weeknight Winners: Our Most Popular Family-Friendly Dinners to Try in 2020 By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Associate Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories.She grew up in Mobile, Alabama, which she insists is home to the country's first Mardi Gras (not New Orleans) and now lives in Birmingham with her husband and rescue pup Rocky, whose name is unrelated to The University of Tennessee (Roll Tide). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 27, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer It can be hard to put a meal on the table that's kid-friendly, hearty, and easy. Luckily, a year of recipes in Southern Living is a year of family-friendly dinners that combine the best of classic Southern food with modern and quick and easy recipes. From timeless Southern dishes like chicken pot pie to fresh teriyaki salmon bowls, these are our favorite family recipes. The kids won't complain when you serve up homemade calzones or sheet-pan nachos, and you'll love how easy these recipes actually are to whip up. With all-time favorite slow-cooker family dinners like chili and pot roast, your family will be full and happy at dinnertime– any day of the week. This year, we're resolving to cook more at home and eat out less, and these family-friendly dinners are the perfect place to start. These easy family dinners are kid-and Mama-approved. 01 of 58 Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings Chicken and dumplings is one of the most famous and comforting dishes to ever come out of the South. 02 of 58 French Onion Soup Casserole Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole Georgia-grown Vidalia onions are ideal for French onion soup, and this casserole version will be an ultimate family favorite. 03 of 58 White Cheese Calzones with Marinara Sauce Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: White Calzones with Marinara Sauce This easy, homemade calzone recipe will be a weekly request at your house after your kids get a taste. 04 of 58 Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts Don't pull those frozen chicken nuggets out tonight. This easy dinner is one the kids will love just as much. 05 of 58 Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole Louisville's classic Hot Brown Sandwich gets big-batch treatment with this hearty casserole recipe. 06 of 58 Skillet Enchiladas Suizas Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Skillet Enchiladas Suizas If the kids are craving Mexican, don't spend money eating out! Make a hearty enchilada dish right in your skillet. 07 of 58 Ziti with Mushroom, Fennel, and Tomato Ragu Southern Living Stick with us here: Although Ragu is usually a meat sauce, we made a veggie version that's just as flavorful and indulgent. 08 of 58 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Chicken pot pie is a Southern classic that will never get old, and one-dish recipe makes it easier than ever. 09 of 58 Pork Chops with Tomato-Bacon Gravy Pork Chops with Tomato-Bacon Gravy The pan gravy is truly the star of this easy but company-worthy dinner. 10 of 58 Beef Stew Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Beef Stew A cozy bowl of classic beef stew is the best way to warm up on chilly nights, and it's always smart to have a batch in the freezer for the busiest weeks. 11 of 58 Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Chicken with Cauliflower and Carrots Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Sheet Pan Chicken with Cauliflower and Carrots Is there anything better than a 30-minute dinner that's made in your sheet pan? No, there's really not. 12 of 58 Turkey with Shallot-Mustard Sauce and Roasted Potatoes Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Turkey with Shallot-Mustard Sauce and Roasted Potatoes The turkey cooks in the slow cooker for ultimate hands-off ease for this dinner that would impress company, too. 13 of 58 Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food styling: Karen Rankin Recipe: Molasses-Soy Glazed Salmon and Vegetables Get a healthy meal on the table for the family in no time with this quick, easy dinner. 14 of 58 Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Pot roast is a classic dinner that every family member will agree on, and the slow cooker makes for the easiest prep. 15 of 58 Shepherd's Pie Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Shepherd's Pie Although Shepherd's Pie is a traditional recipe from over the pond, it has all the comfort of a classic Southern casserole. 16 of 58 Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Sheet Pan Nachos with Chorizo and Refried Beans It doesn't get more kid-friendly than nachos, and you'll only have to clean up one pan after this fun dinner. 17 of 58 Fettuccine Alfredo with Leeks, Peas, and Bacon Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox You won't believe how easy it is to make homemade alfredo sauce, and you'll never go back to jarred once you do. 18 of 58 Sheet Pan Pizza with Corn, Tomatoes, and Sausage Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Pizza night got a hit of fresh summer veggies with this sheet-pan wonder, but don't worry—the kids will love it as much as delivery. 19 of 58 Brisket-and-Black Bean Chili with Cilantro-Lime Crema Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox This slow-cooker chili is an easy, comforting dinner that will fill your family up. 20 of 58 Teriyaki Salmon Bowls with Crispy Brussels Sprouts Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Teriyaki Salmon Bowls with Crispy Brussels Sprouts Forget takeout—these teriyaki bowls are an Asian-inspired (and healthy!) meal that the kids will love. 21 of 58 Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Blistered Tomatoes Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton This 25-minute twist on chicken piccata is much more kid-friendly than the original. 22 of 58 Steak-and-Potato Kebabs Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos During the summer months, there's nothing better than firing up the grill, and no one can say no to a juicy steak kebab. 23 of 58 Slow-Cooker Bolognese Sauce Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce Serve this traditional meat sauce over whatever pasta variety you have on hand. This recipe serves a crowd, so you might have leftovers for the freezer. 24 of 58 Country Captain Chicken Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Country Captain Chicken This Lowcountry favorite is packed with flavor from various spices like curry powder, paprika, and nutmeg. 25 of 58 Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Gnocchi Gratin with Ham and Peas This gnocchi spin on a traditional gratin is extra cheesy and oh-so-comforting. 26 of 58 Grilled Pizza with Summer Veggies and Smoked Chicken Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Grilling out is a fun way to enjoy family pizza night in the summer, and you can top these pizzas with whichever protein and veggies are in your refrigerator at the time! 27 of 58 Pecan-Breaded Pork Chops with Beer Sauce Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Southern cooks love pecans and pork, and this dinner recipe combines both. It's pretty enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. 28 of 58 Beef Stew with Cheddar Biscuits Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Beef Stew with Cheddar Biscuits This hearty stew is made in your skillet for easy one-dish cleanup. 29 of 58 Baked Rigatoni with Zucchini and Mozzarella Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Baked Rigatoni with Zucchini and Mozzarella This baked dish is a fun way to do pasta night that's much easier than the presentation lets on. 30 of 58 Burgoo Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Harry Young's Burgoo This Kentucky-born stew is perfect for feeding a crowd and freezing leftovers for later. 31 of 58 Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Courtesy Oxmoor House Recipe: Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Readers could not stop raving about this easy Tex-Mex soup from Martina McBride's cookbook, and your family is going to fall in love. 32 of 58 Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole Without a doubt, this reader-favorite casserole recipe became an instant classic this year, and there's never been a ground beef recipe our families haven't loved. 33 of 58 Heirloom Tomato Pie Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Pie This is hands-down our most popular tomato pie recipe of all time, not to mention how beautiful a variety of heirloom tomatoes looks on your table. 34 of 58 Chicken-Mushroom Skillet Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Chicken-Mushroom Skillet This pretty dinner recipe is healthy but filling, and you have to make it if you're a mushroom lover. 35 of 58 Baked Ziti with Sausage Southern Living Recipe: Baked Ziti with Sausage Easy, cheesy, and impossible to mess up, this baked pasta is a shoo-in for your weeknight repertoire. 36 of 58 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder We love using fresh summer corn when it's abundant, and this hearty soup is a way to get it on the table with minimal work on your part. 37 of 58 Easy Boarding House Meatloaf Southern Living Recipe: Easy Boarding House Meatloaf Since meatloaf has been a prized recipe in every Southern cook's recipe box for decades, it came as no surprise that this old-school iteration became popular with readers. The star of this recipe? The meatloaf sauce—trust us. 38 of 58 Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti Casserole This chicken spaghetti is literally the definition of a crowd-pleasing dinner recipe. 39 of 58 Smothered Enchiladas Southern Living Recipe: Smothered Enchiladas Mix up your casserole routine with cheesy, melty enchiladas. The kids will ask for seconds, and you can enjoy a margarita on the side. 40 of 58 Shrimp and Grits Casserole Antonis Achilleo; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Shrimp and Grits Casserole Readers loved this dish for its versatility and how easy it is to serve. Rather than have two separate dishes for shrimp and grits, we combined them into one easy casserole that you can serve at brunch, lunch, or dinner. 41 of 58 Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheddar Cheese When in doubt, creamy tomato soup is always going to hit the spot. Serve this easy dinner with a classic grilled cheese, and even the pickiest eaters at the table will be happy. 42 of 58 King Ranch Chicken Casserole William Dickey Recipe: King Ranch Chicken Casserole For any Southerners who've had a King Ranch Chicken recipe for years, this comes as no surprise. A trusty standby for dinnertime, this Tex-Mex casserole has never met an opposer. 43 of 58 Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans There's nothing better than a meal that cooks in one pan, especially when budget-friendly, kid-approved pork chops are the star. 44 of 58 Easy Taco Casserole Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Easy Taco Casserole Cleanup following Taco Tuesday has never been easier than with this hearty casserole. 45 of 58 Macaroni Pie Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Macaroni Pie Sliceable yet creamy macaroni and cheese? We made it possible. 46 of 58 Julie Yoste's Mississippi Roast Alison Miksch Recipe: Julie Yoste's Mississippi Roast The Mississippi Roast is one of the most popular recipes on Pinterest, so if you haven't tried it, this is the year. 47 of 58 Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Vegetables Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Rosemary Chicken Thighs and Vegetables This healthy skillet dinner is pretty enough for guests but quick enough for weeknights, and that's what we call a winner. 48 of 58 Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cheesy Potato Soup with Bacon This rich, creamy soup comes together in your Dutch oven from start to finish, so you have less to clean up after dinnertime. 49 of 58 Pizza Casserole Greg DuPree Recipe: Pizza Casserole From the name of this recipe alone, you know your kids are going to be huge fans of it. This hearty supper tops delivery every time. 50 of 58 Chicken Tamale Pie Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Chicken Tamale Pie A corn muffin crust and your trusty skillet will make this your new favorite weeknight dinner. 51 of 58 Pasta with Shrimp and Tomato Cream Sauce Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Pasta with Shrimp and Tomato Cream Sauce Although this pasta is paired with a dreamy cream sauce, it remains a light and airy feel. 52 of 58 One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice This one-dish chicken and rice dinner packs more flavor than your family will believe. 53 of 58 Healthy Turkey Lasagna Hector M Sanchez Recipe: Healthy Turkey Lasagna The kids will have no idea that you took your old-school beefy lasagna and lightened it up a bit. 54 of 58 Ground Beef Vegetable Soup with Gnocchi Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero Recipe: Ground Beef Vegetable Soup with Gnocchi If one kid is craving the comfort of a warm bowl of soup and the other pasta, this hearty soup will be on the table in 30 minutes to satisfy everyone. 55 of 58 Cowboy Casserole Micah A. Leal Recipe: Cowboy Casserole We know this dinner isn't necessarily diet-proof, but with a tater-tot crust, it's definitely kid-proof, which is enough to hope for one some nights. 56 of 58 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry You might not have the time or patience to make old-school chicken pot pie with homemade crust, but this skillet recipe brings you all the flavor you love in half the time. 57 of 58 Cheesy Beef-and-Spinach Ravioli Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cheesy Beef-and-Spinach Ravioli We love any recipe that's done in less than an hour and uses our favorite skillet (and that has pasta and cheese, of course). 58 of 58 Sheet Pan Greek Chicken with Roasted Potatoes Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos Recipe: Sheet Pan Greek Chicken with Roasted Potatoes This herby, healthy sheet pan dinner has so much depth of flavor. 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