16 Shortcut Recipes for Speedy Weeknight Dinners

Use some clever ingredient hacks to move things along.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings in a pot, bowls, spoons, and napkins on the side

Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

One of the many cooking shows I often watched growing up was Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee. The idea behind the show, in case you're not familiar, was how to entertain in an approachable, semi-homemade way, using pre-made or pre-packaged ingredients to save time and effort (plus, wow, the tablescapes!).

The idea of "semi-homemade" cooking, especially on busy weeknights, is one we could all use more of today. There's nothing wrong with leaning on pre-packaged ingredients to get dinner on the table with less work but still lots of flavor, and these 16 recipes prove it.

  • Easy Chicken Cobbler

    Overhead view of a green baking dish of chicken cobbler and serving spoon on a speckled countertop

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "Use whatever leftover cooked chicken you have on hand (white or dark meat or a mix), or grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it up for this recipe." —Julia Levy, Recipe Developer

  • Quick and Easy Potato Soup

    Closeup view of a bowl of potato soup topped with bacon, shredded cheese and green onions next to a bowls of bacon, green onions and shredded cheese

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "While the classic potato soup my grandma used to make from scratch is pretty easy, I wanted to eliminate one pesky step—peeling potatoes. By using a bag of frozen hashbrowns (both shredded and cubed work here), I eliminated the need for peeling and chopping, a nice bonus." —Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Stuffing Mix Chicken Meatballs

    Overhead view of a metal baking sheet full of 3-ingredient chicken meatballs

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "You can use any variety of stuffing mix you like as long as it comes in a 6-ounce package. I like to pair chicken-flavored stuffing with ground chicken, turkey-flavored with ground turkey, or herb-flavored with either one." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

    Close Up of Skillet Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens in a Pot With a Wooden Serving Spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "I like to use cheese tortellini here because it’s the most accessible and I’ll never refuse more cheese. However, fresh or frozen tortellini with any filling, whether it's sausage, spinach, ground beef, mushrooms, or otherwise." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

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  • Chorizo Sloppy Joes

    Chorizo sloppy joe (with avocado slices and crushed Fritos) on a plate with a fork at a table setting with another serving on another plate, two glasses of beer, a bowl of crushed Fritos, and a colorful stripped kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    "Skillet sauces, like Frontera, are a fantastic way to add flavor quickly. Pick your favorite flavor profile, mix it with chorizo, and enjoy the easiest sloppy Joe in the world!" —Sara Bir, Contributor

  • Unstuffed Peppers

    spoonful of unstuffed pepper lifted from skillet with more

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lindsey Lower

    "Any microwavable white rice will work, including Ready Rice, Bird’s Eye, and store brands like Trader Joe’s. Just note the size of the package—you'll need about 8.5 ounces." —Jasmine Smith, Recipe Developer

  • Creamy Pesto Beans

    bowl of creamy pesto beans

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "Baby lima beans are the pièce de résistance of creamy white beans if you ask me, but aren’t always the easiest to find, especially canned. Any white beans will do, whether cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts

    Ranch chicken on a plte with a bowl of ranch mayo sauce

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "You’ll only need four ingredients (beyond the salt, pepper, and oil) to make the recipe, but having some additional mayonnaise allows you to create a delicious sauce for serving." —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

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  • Egg Roll in a Bowl

    Overhead view of a bowl of egg roll in a bowl next to two forks and bowl of sliced green onions

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "I love this recipe because it uses four easy-to-find ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Ground meat, a bag of coleslaw mix, soy sauce, and ginger are pretty much all you need to make this dish. It’s on repeat in my house because it’s a nutrient-dense meal that tastes like fried food. Win-win!" —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Pizza Dough (+Easy Pizza)

    homemade pizza on a wooden counter next to a bowl of chopped basil and a knife

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "For this recipe, it’s best to use any type of plain Greek yogurt, rather than Greek-style yogurt. I always use Fage Nonfat Greek Yogurt, but reduced fat or full fat will work as well." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

  • Dumpling Salad

    A bowl with the Trader Joe's Miso Crunch Chopped Salad Kit and dumplings

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "I’ve made this salad with all sorts of dumplings, from shrimp to pork and cabbage to vegetable to chicken—everything works. You can change it up to suit your mood and your diet." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Upside-Down Chili Pie

    upside down chili pie

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "You can add 1/2 cup of finely grated cheddar cheese and a strained 4-ounce can of canned chopped jalapeños to your cornbread batter. This will give your cornbread a fun color and bite of spice." —Malina Syvoravong, Recipe Developer

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  • Tuscan-Style Chicken Thighs

    Overhead view of a blue dutch oven and small white bowl of tuscan-style chicken thighs recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    "The recipe leans on pre-chopped mirepoix, which I highly recommend because it’s worth paying a little extra for the convenience and it really cuts down on prep time." —Theodora Kaloudis, Recipe Developer

  • Cold Soba Noodles

    Pour Tsuyu over Noodles

    Simply Recipes / Kat Thompson

    "When the hankering for some cold noodles comes to me, I always have two pantry essentials on hand: soba noodles and mentsuyu concentrate, a bottled Japanese broth base for noodles. With these two ingredients, I can be slurping refreshing noodles in 10 minutes flat." —Kat Thompson, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Chicken and Dumplings

    Easy Chicken and Dumplings in a pot, bowls, spoons, and napkins on the side

    Simply Recipes / Alexandra Shytsman

    "For a less salty finished dish, use low-sodium or 'heart-healthy' cream of chicken soup. Sometimes you can even find an unsalted version. Add salt to taste, as needed." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

  • Salsa Verde Chicken

    plate of salsa verde chicken over a bed of rice at a table setting with more chicken in a dutch oven, utensils on a table napkin, and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "Jarred salsa verde is the key ingredient here. It gently cooks the chicken breasts and permeates them with great flavor as they cook. Look for salsa verde that has a thicker texture—some store-bought salsas can be runny." — Julia Levy, Recipe Developer