51 Easy 5-Ingredient Dinner Recipes To Keep On Repeat

Easy Steak Fajitas

Recipe: Easy Steak Fajitas

Pick up a container of freshly sliced onions and bell peppers at the grocery store to save time (and tears) when preparing the fajitas. We prefer fresh over frozen vegetables in this recipe; they stay firmer when cooked. Let everyone customize their fajitas by setting out an assortment of toppings such as fresh cilantro, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas

Recipe: Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas

Instead of buying jarred, shelf-stable pesto, choose the kind found in the refrigerator case (we like Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil Pesto). It tastes fresher and more like homemade.

Classic Southern BLT

Recipe: Classic Southern BLT

We prefer thick-cut bacon because it won't crumble in the sandwich. Make sure to use this garlicky mayo spread generously.

Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Recipe: Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Meaty beefsteak tomatoes can hold enough chicken salad to make a satisfying meal. It's okay if the tomatoes aren't perfectly round as long as they are large and flat-bottomed.

Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak

Recipe: Cast-Iron Cowboy Steak

There's no need to giddy-up and go when you can have the great tastes of the ranch right around your own family dinner table. There's a special secret to getting great flavor to your favorite cut of meat. And, even better, this is the best way to cook a thick, juicy bone-in steak restaurant-style without smoking up the house. Use your grill to heat the cast-iron skillet; the skillet surface area promotes a more assertive flavor and better sear than grill grates. This will yield a sizzling-hot steak with the proper steak house crust. Season it with butter, herbs, and garlic for a perfect, melt-in-your-mouth flavor.

Scallops with Pesto, Corn, and Tomatoes

Recipe: Scallops with Pesto, Corn, and Tomatoes

Succulent scallops are the perfect protein pair to summer-ripe corn and tomatoes. Bacon provides the flavor to tie this five-ingredient dinner together. If you have it, add fresh basil for a bright herby flavor.

Top-Shelf Chicken Under a Brick

Recipe: Top-Shelf Chicken Under a Brick

The "top-shelf" in this recipe speaks to the crispy skin, superior flavor, and juiciness of the bird. After you have your first bite, you'll be calling this recipe top-notch. It also refers to a novel new technique: cooking your potatoes in the heavy cast-iron skillet that's used as a weight on the chicken. The weight presses the chicken flat against the grill grates, cutting the cooking time in half. Plus you'll be cooking your side dish at the same time. You'll marvel at the look of the chicken when it comes off the grates, but the flavor will be even more sensational.

BLT Panzanella with Quick-Pickled Shallots

Recipe: BLT Panzanella with Quick-Pickled Shallots

How do you improve on a classic sandwich? Turn it into a salad. With thick-cut bacon, white bread croutons and hearty vegetables, this salad stands on its own as a satisfying main course.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Taco Tuesday has never tasted so good. This weeknight dinner with jarred salsa is so tasty, we'll have it any day of the week, please.

Fig Flatbread

Recipe: Fig Flatbread

Store-bought fresh pizza dough forms the base for this elegant flatbread. It's easy as pie (pizza pie, that is), but arugula and figs amp up this meal's elegance.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

This simple recipe combines all the elements you need to make a great, hearty supper. Who would have thought that melt-in-your-mouth tender meat could be this tasty with so little fuss?

Lemon-Dill Chicken Skillet

Recipe: Lemon-Dill Chicken Skillet

Five ingredients, 40 minutes, and a company-worthy dinner is served. The trick to delicious dinner in a skillet is not to mess with the drippings; Leave them be when you pop the pan in the oven.

Eggplant Rollups

Recipe: Eggplant Rollups

This healthier dinner option is low in carbs and packs in the veggies (along with tasty herbed ricotta and fan-favorite marinara). Bake this lighter take on lasagna until tender and noodle-like.

Pasta with Pancetta, Artichokes, and Roasted Red Peppers

Recipe: Pasta with Pancetta, Artichokes, and Roasted Red Peppers

Take advantage of two high-flavor convenience products to make this company-worthy five-ingredient pasta dinner. Marinated artichoke hearts and roasted bell peppers deliver bright and tangy flavors in this summer-perfect pasta dish.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Recipe: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

In our books, this recipe is as good as it gets. It requires only 5 ingredients, tastes great, and cooks in the slow cooker.

Easy Grilled Salmon

Recipe: Easy Grilled Salmon

When planning your dinner lineup, don't forget about the underrated weeknight dinner contender: salmon. Tonight's simple seafood supper will be served al fresco.

Lemon Pepper-Salmon Kebabs

Recipe: Lemon Pepper-Salmon Kebabs

One of our favorite simple dinner formulas involves skewering our protein and veggies and tossing it all on the grill. Repurpose this marinade and method for many easy meals to come.

Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Recipe: Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Ditch the bucket of fried chicken. These Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks are just as easy to make as it is to get in your car and drive to get your takeout.

Chicken with 40 Leaves of Basil

Recipe: Chicken with 40 Leaves of Basil

This ingredient list is so short because basil does most of the work in seasoning the chicken. Before you know it, you kitchen will be basked in the soothing smell of basil from the whole chicken in your oven.

Bacon-and-Egg Tarts with Goat Cheese

Recipe: Bacon-and-Egg Tarts with Goat Cheese

Puff pastry makes quick work of these egg tarts. Parsley, a sixth ingredient, is entirely optional, but it provides a nice herby contrast to the rich bacon and eggs.

Lemon-Barbecue Chicken

Recipe: Lemon-Barbecue Chicken

This flavorful recipe for Lemon-Barbecue Chicken will have you feeling like a pitmaster in no time. Crispy skin and bold flavors or surprisingly quick and easy to achieve. Bon appetit!

Goat Cheese-and-Summer Squash Pizza

Recipe: Goat Cheese-and-Summer Squash Pizza

Goat cheese and summer squash lighten up the barbecue spread on this grilled pizza. It's so much better than ordering pizza in... and probably quicker than the delivery.

Chicken Parmesan Pizza

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan Pizza

This quick-and-easy take on an Italian dinner classic begins with frozen garlic bread. Pull out that bread from your freezer and transform it into a pizza that kids and adults alike will love. Crisp it up in the oven, then top the bread with deli-fried chicken strips, pizza sauce, cheese, and basil. Or, use any leftover meat on hand, such as chopped chicken breasts or Italian sausage. You can also have a quick-fix side salad with some romaine lettuce, cracked pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Top it with your favorite Caesar dressing and your simple Italian dinner is ready to go.

Turkey Scaloppine

Recipe: Turkey Scaloppine

Weeknight meals can't get much easier than this. Simply dredge turkey or chicken cutlets in a flour mixture, and cook it for a few minutes until done. Serve this with a white wine reduction that will bring the right combination of subtle sweetness and deep, earthy undertones. The extra secret to this recipe is a little Cajun seasoning that adds just a touch of heat to the scaloppine. Complete the meal with a just-as-easy side—sautéed zucchini. This meal is simply Southern—meaning that it is fried goodness—but the turkey keeps it lean, meaning that you can keep it on your dinner table.

Almond-Crusted Tilapia

Recipe: Almond-Crusted Tilapia

If you need a quick weeknight dinner, gently cooking fish in a skillet on the stovetop is one of the simplest ways to go. The almond coating on this tilapia gives it a great nutty-flavored crunch, and extra toasted almonds sprinkled on top truly bring these flavors to the fore. Ready in less than 10 minutes, this recipe will become a go-to weeknight meal your family will love. If you prefer a fish other than tilapia, catfish, orange roughy, or flounder can work equally as well. Whichever you choose, it will be simple to bring this healthier version of a Southern fish fry to your weeknight dinner table.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

What could make pork better than more pork? That is the idea with this recipe. And, since everything does taste better with bacon, all you have to do to prepare this crowd-pleaser is sprinkle a pork tenderloin with a little steak seasoning, wrap it with a few strips of bacon, and stick it in the oven. It's that easy! Crisp up the bacon under the broiler before you take the tenderloin out, and you'll be rewarded with crunch and with perfectly roasted meat in every bite.

Crispy Oven-Fried Catfish

Recipe: Crispy Oven-Fried Catfish

Few dishes could be more Southern, or more delicious, than fried catfish. But you may be hesitant to make it at home because of the cleanup. Avoid the mess of frying fish by oven-frying it instead. The batter for this catfish is something unexpected—cornflakes add the crunchy coating while reducing the grease of traditional fried fish. The real richness of this catfish comes from soaking it in buttermilk first, though, then giving it a little spice with some Creole seasoning. Half- an-hour later, you'll be pulling your catfish out of the oven—it's a lot simpler than reeling them in at the lake.

Asian Pork Chops

Recipe: Asian Pork Chops

Getting the beautiful and subtle flavors of Asian cuisine doesn't mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen or have a cabinet full of spices and sauces. This simple recipe shows you how to get your favorite flavors in a simple weeknight supper. Hoisin sauce and sweet chili sauce give these pork chops their Asian flare. Just marinate the pork chops for two to for hour and they'll be rich with these saucy, spicy flavors. Then, put them on the grill where they will sear to smoky delights. Brush on some extra marinade right before you serve these and you will have the perfect quick-and-easy dinner.

Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Recipe

Recipe: Cheesy Chili Hash Brown Bake Recipe

If you don't have individual ramekins for this five-ingredient dinner, use a 13-x9-inch casserole dish. The whole crew will delight in crispy potatoes and ooey, gooey cheese.

Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas

Recipe: Creamy Pesto-and-Shrimp Penne with Peas

Pretty much all the ingredients for this scrumptious pasta dish are in the name. Pre-peeled shrimp, frozen peas, and store-bought pesto make for deliciously easy dinner.

Ham-and-Vegetable Cobbler

Recipe: Ham-and-Vegetable Cobbler

Cobbler is a classic dessert hit, but now we've made it into a savory, pot-pie inspired treat for dinner. Dig into warm meat and any frozen veggies you have on hand underneath a buttery, lattice crust.

Red Bean Chili

Recipe: Red Bean Chili

Even though it's short on ingredients, this chili is far from short on flavor. Toss this recipe into your slow cooker for effortless, hearty supper.

Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

Recipe: Uncle Jack's Mac-and-Cheese

A slice of baked mac and cheese will send a hush around the dinner table as your family enjoys forkful after forkful—it's that good. Your shopping list and dinner crowd will thank you for this one.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

This recipe will always be one of our go-to suppers because the results are fall-apart-tender, with little time off your hands or money from your wallet. Let your slow cooker do the work for you, then pile perfectly cooked, shredded meat between buns to enjoy.

Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

Recipe: Tortelloni-and-Grilled Vegetable Salad

Cheesy pasta tastes delicious no matter the pairing so take your pick from your favorite veg to include in this dish. We used zucchini and mini bell peppers for lots of bright, fresh color.

Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings

Recipe: Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings

These pitmaster-worthy wings only ask 10 minutes of hands-on prep time. Smoke your chicken low and slow with some salt and paprika and you'll never make wings another way again.

Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserol

Recipe: Smoky Sausage-and-Grits Casserole

Breakfast for dinner, anyone? Prepare this crowd-pleaser ahead of a busy day and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake and eat it.

Cacio e Pepe

This classic Italian dish makes us feel more elegant than digging into macaroni and cheese, but it's got all of the same creamy comfort. Freshly ground black pepper sends cheesy pasta into new horizons.

Bacon Cheeseburger

Recipe: Bacon Cheeseburger

Kick start your grill for this smash burger recipe. Each thin patty will spend less than five minutes on the grill to get delectably tender and crispy around the edges.

Chicken-and-Prosciutto Tortelloni Soup

Recipe: Chicken-and-Prosciutto Tortelloni Soup

Hearty soup comes together in just 30 minutes with stuffed pasta, veggies, and warm broth to satisfy for supper. We used chicken-and-prosciutto tortelloni, but any flavor will do nicely in this homestyle soup.

Mama's Fried Chicken

Recipe: Mama's Fried Chicken

Discover for yourself why this recipe, just like Mama used to make it, is our most-shared fry chicken recipe of all time. You're just a few ingredients and even fewer steps away from irresistible chicken that's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Recipe: Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Penne with Green Beans and Tomatoes... three ingredients down, two to go. This straightforward pasta dish won't disappoint, especially with an extra umph from fresh herbs.

Easy Boarding House Meatloaf

Recipe: Easy Boarding House Meatloaf

Meatloaf is a dinnertime classic and this version couldn't be easier. Bell peppers, onions, and lean ground beef guarantee a delicious, filling meal with a sweet, saucy topping.

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Breasts

Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Only 10 minutes of prep time? Yes please. This chicken dish will be added to your dinner rotation in no time.

Ravioli Lasagna

Recipe: Ravioli Lasagna

This pasta hybrid is what dreams are made of. Comforting as can be, Ravioli Lasagna is saucy, cheesy, meaty, and full of easy-as-can-be shortcuts.

Super Quick Chili

Recipe: Super Quick Chili

Dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes and acts as its own serving vessel is already a winner in our books. Slice the tops from round dinner rolls and spoon hearty chili into the center.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Recipe: Poppy Seed Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken casserole is a favorite is homes across the South for good reason. This dish takes advantage of pantry staples like cream of chicken soup to quickly whip up weeknight supper.

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Every so often, homemade mac and cheese is just what we need to top off a long day. Classic comfort food is just three steps away.

Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Throw these simple ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning and dig into tender tacos in a tortillas come dinnertime. We took the liberty of adding a few shortcuts to this recipe so that Tex-Mex supper is easy as can be.

Herb-Grilled Chicken

Recipe: Herb-Grilled Chicken

If you're on the hunt for a straightforward, healthy weeknight meal, here's your winner winner chicken dinner. Grill the chicken with your favorite herbs, like dill, basil, sage, rosemary, or thyme, for deep, fresh flavors.

Potato-Crusted Pizza

Recipe: Potato-Crusted Pizza

You can give your pizza crust some unexpected crunch when you begin with a base of seasoned shredded potato rounds. Yes, that's right, rather than the traditional dough, this makes an amazing, kid-friendly crust that is delicious and delightful. What's even better is that you can start with a package of premade rounds, meaning that this quick-fix supper can go from freezer to table in what seems like no time at all. Top these with tomatoes, fresh basil, and a pizza cheese blend, and you'll be ready to grab a slice and savor every bite! And with only five ingredients, it's easy to always have what you need on hand.