Food and Recipes Quick and Easy Dinners 35 Friday Night Dinner Ideas The Whole Family Will Love By Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell is a Southern Living fellow who is starting her career in lifestyle journalism. Primarily focused on social media and digital production, Mary Alice is excited to hone her skills and dedicate her professional life to beautiful things, from homes to hearts.A recent graduate of Washington and Lee University, Mary Alice majored in journalism and art history. At W&L, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school paper, The Ring-tum Phi, with her best friend and interned for The Welcome Home Podcast. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, Mary Alice is a Virginia native who is proud to hail from the land of ham and peanuts. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on January 22, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall By the time Friday night rolls around, we could all use some fun and easy ideas for dinnertime. Before you rush to grab those take-out menus (we get it), take a minute to think about pulling together a homemade supper that might take you less time than ordering from your favorite pizza joint. For this list, we’ve gathered some of our favorite comforting dinners that will satisfy everyone in the family. From barbecue chicken pizza to sheet pan fajitas, we’ve got something that everyone will love. Whether you are hosting a sleepover, a grown-up dinner party, or just dining solo, you’ll be pleased with all of these delicious options. 01 of 35 Sheet Pan Fajitas Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin With plenty of spice and a whole lot of fresh flavor, these are going to become a weekly staple. The best part is that they're ready in 20 minutes. 02 of 35 Sheet Pan Greek Chicken with Roasted Potatoes Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos There's something about a sheet pan dinner that just makes life so much easier. Covered with feta, kalamata olives, lemon and more, this Greek Chicken is just too good. 03 of 35 Pan-Seared Flank Steak with Herb Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley There's nothing like a delicious steak supper to start your weekend off right. Drizzled with an elegant herb sauce and served with a side of roasted potatoes, it's the perfect bite. 04 of 35 Walking Tacos Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Taco night is always a great idea. This recipe is perfect for a party with kids or a movie night with a few girlfriends. 05 of 35 BBQ Chicken Pizza Photographer: Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merhar Head to your grocery store and pick up some pre-made pizza dough to make this Friday night special. 06 of 35 Baked Tortellini Alfredo With Mushrooms Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This easy dinner is ready in minutes and can easily feed a crowd. With mushrooms, heavy cream, and a whole lot of cheese, it's like comfort on a plate. 07 of 35 Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Courtesy Oxmoor House Hear us out on this one. Yes, it takes just a little bit longer, but it's the most searched soup recipe in the South for a reason. Warm, cheesy, and absolutely delicious. 08 of 35 Extra Easy Lasagna Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Easy? Check. Delicious? Check. Need we say more? We use the no-boil lasagna which takes out an entire step in this go-to recipe. 09 of 35 Fried Chicken Salad with Basil-Buttermilk Dressing Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Transform grocery store chicken tenders in this fresh Fried Chicken Salad. The hardest part is making the dressing, and that only takes a few minutes. 10 of 35 Kentucky Hot Brown-Stuffed Chicken Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Bacon, Parmesan, herbed cheese, some tomato and a little bit of panko bread crumbs come together to make a dinner that you won't be able to get enough of. 11 of 35 Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis It's time to stir things up – literally! This Shrimp Stir-Fry will become a new favorite for Friday nights, and any night. The best part? It freezes like a dream so you can enjoy it for days to come. 12 of 35 Creole Burger Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This Southern spin on a burger is just what a long week calls for. Our Test Kitchen suggests serving on a brioche bun. 13 of 35 Quesadillas Al Pastor Add fresh pineapples and pulled pork to your quesadillas to start your weekend off on the best note. 14 of 35 Baked Caprese Chicken With Green Beans and Corn Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner The magic formula to this sheet pan dinner involves a protein, a veggie, and a side. Yes, it's that simple. This flavorful dinner is perfect when you want something to come together perfectly all at once. 15 of 35 Ranch Pork Chops Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Ranch seasoning is the secret ingredient to almost any Southern recipe, from Ranch Snacker Crackers to dips. For this one-of-a-kind recipe, ranch takes pork to the next level. 16 of 35 Sheet Pan Nachos Greg DuPree If your Friday night plans involve watching your favorite movie curled up on the sofa, these nachos are the perfect pairing for those plans. In just a half-an-hour, you'll have a cheesy meal that's even better than movie-theater popcorn. 17 of 35 Fire-Roasted Tomato-and-Beef Ragù Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis From pasta to crusty bread, this sauce is the ideal starting point to a romantic Friday night at home. 18 of 35 Chicken-and-Quinoa Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Lighten up with this bright and flavorful salad. We used rotisserie chicken to make this recipe even more simple to assemble. 19 of 35 Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley If you want something that you can have all weekend long, this is the dish for you. Serve with some grocery store chicken tenders and some veggies for the perfect crowd pleaser. 20 of 35 Creamy Chicken Sausage-and-Kale Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely From cheesy goodness to healthy vegetables, dig into comfort in a bowl. One reviewer says, "This is a winner," and we couldn't agree more. 21 of 35 Sloppy Joe Casserole Southern Living If you love the classic sandwich, then you won't want to miss the casserole that was made for Friday night. 22 of 35 Bacon Pancakes Antonis Achilleos Breakfast for dinner is a good Friday night dinner move when you're in a real food slump. 23 of 35 Salmon Burger Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer If you're tired of the turkey and veggie options, bring this Salmon Burger into your weeknight dinner rotation. 24 of 35 Supreme Pizza Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland More is more and we are here for it. This old-school classic screams Friday night dinner and will have everyone requesting seconds. 25 of 35 Cajun-Style Meatloaf Will Dickey Meatloaf is always a family favorite, but this recipe adds just a little extra spice to keep dinner extra interesting. Serve it up with creamy mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. 26 of 35 Smothered Enchiladas Southern Living Creamy, cheesy, and smothered with flavor. If you're bored of tacos, this is a fresh, unfussy idea that will surprise all of your dinner guests. 27 of 35 Hearty Beef And Freezer Veggie Soup Greg DuPree A hearty soup filled with Southern favorites (baby lima beans, okra), and made for serving at book club or taking to the neighborhood potluck. 28 of 35 Fried Pork Chops with Potatoes and Peas Greg DuPree Break out the fried pork chops for a Friday night dinner that pulls out all of the stops. 29 of 35 Lemon-Basil Chicken Breast Foil Packets Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Foil packet dinners are just more fun. There, we said it. Try this packet that's filled with bright cherry tomatoes and other zesty flavors. 30 of 35 Meatball Pasta Bake Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Everyone loves pasta night. Frozen meatballs are magically transformed into this spectacular pasta bake. 31 of 35 Shrimp Fried Rice Greg DuPree; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Torie Cox If you have leftover rice from a dinner earlier in the week, toss them in this recipe with some fresh or frozen shrimp. 32 of 35 Crispy Chicken With Sweet Potato Fries And Green Beans Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist:Ruth Blackburn For the home cook that still wants to serve a well-balanced and delicious supper, bring together crispy chicken, green beans, and sweet potato wedges that are crispy and delicious. 33 of 35 King Ranch Chicken Casserole Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley This casserole has long been the staple of Southern dinner tables, and for good reason. Dig in and let the creamy, cheesy goodness be the perfect end to a long week. 34 of 35 Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake Recipe Hector Manuel Sanchez For a healthier version of everyone's favorite macaroni and cheese, try this recipe that brings in kale and more. 35 of 35 Burrito Bowls Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Burrito bowls let the whole family get creative. Choose your favorite protein, add hot sauce, salsa, and let everyone have some fun. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit