8 Dinner Recipes That Will Satisfy Your Hungry Teenager

Your whole family will love these recipes.

By
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht
Rachel Knecht turned her home baking into a career in 2016 when she began working as the head baker at The Greenbean Coffeehouse in Seattle, WA. Afterwards, she started Baking with Rachel (her blog), began teaching kids' cooking classes, and recipe tested for the cookbook "Let's Stay In" by Ashley Rodriguez.
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Updated December 13, 2024
Rachel Knecht
Tuscan chicken on noodles

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

I grew up in a family of six and vividly remember the gallons of milk my parents would bring home from the grocery store every single week. Feeding a big family is no joke.

While my family doesn't drink that much milk in a week, we do go through a lot of food. Some days, keeping the fridge stocked feels like a full time job with dinner being the biggest challenge.

Feeding two teen boys requires big portions so I look for recipes that serve six or are meant to be served with filling sides, such as pasta and rice. All the recipes below easily feed a big family and are oh-so tasty.

  • Creamy Tuscan Chicken

    creamy tuscan chicken served over rice at a table setting with more in a pot, bread on a wooden board, and utensils

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Grab your skillet and you'll have a crowd-pleasing dinner ready in 30 minutes. If you can't find chicken cutlets, you can slice chicken breasts horizontally to create two chicken cutlets.

  • Meat Lovers' Sheet Pan Pizza

    Sheet Pan Pizza with Pepperoni
    Nick Evans

    Pizza is always the right answer when my family asks, “What’s for dinner?” I preheat the oven and bring the pizza dough to room temperature as I cook the sausage.

  • Lamb Meatball Pitas

    Plated lamb meatball pitas with watercress and mint

    Alison Bickel  / Simply Recipes

    These irresistible lamb meatballs are seasoned with fresh herbs and make a whopping eight servings. You can make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them for up to three months.

  • Stovetop Barbecue Pulled Chicken

    Tongs Holding a Bit of Pulled Chicken and in the Bowl Below It, More Pulled Chicken

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

    I love that this recipe uses one pot, cooks the chicken in a homemade bbq sauce, and is ready in 40 minutes. Pile the shredded chicken on toasted buns and top with coleslaw.

    Continue to 5 of 8 below

  • Mapo Tofu

    Plate of Mapo Tofu Served Over Rice at a Table Setting With a Spoon on a Napkin and a Bowl of Rice

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    Combining tofu with ground pork ensures no one leaves the table hungry. Mapo tofu is a classic Sichuan dish you'll want to serve with rice.

  • Carnitas

    Carnitas Tacos with Chopped Cilantro and Lime Wedges

    Simply Recipes / Susy Villasuso

    One of my favorite ways to feed my large family is by making carnitas on the weekend and using it for two different meals. I serve carnitas tacos the first night and then use the leftovers for burritos by adding cilantro lime rice for a quick weeknight dinner.

  • Instant Pot Paella with Chicken and Sausage

    A serving of instant pot paella on a plate
    Coco Morante

    I’ve made a lot of Instant Pot recipes and can honestly say that this is the one dinner recipe I come back to year after year. The saffron and chorizo adds a burst of flavor that we all love.

  • Chipotle Citrus Marinated Pork Tenderloin

    Chipotle Citrus Pork Tenderloin
    Elise Bauer

    It took me quite a few tries to land on a pork tenderloin recipe that the whole family enjoyed. You can double the marinade and save half for the sauce if you don't want to reuse it.

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