Dinner – From Meh to Magnificent

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If your dinner routine is feeling a little meh, then it’s time to shake things up with these unboring recipes! Imagine digging into Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs or savoring the zing of Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls, both so flavorful you’ll wonder why you didn’t try them sooner. Or perhaps you’ll fall head over heels for Marry Me Chicken—the dish that’ll have you convinced it’s a love affair on a plate. Greek Lemon Chicken, Creamy Dijon Rosemary Chicken, and Mediterranean Cod en Papillote will keep your taste buds entertained, while Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo with Crispy Bacon and Cajun Shrimp Pasta offer that extra kick of comfort we all crave. Ready to break free from boring dinners? These recipes are here to make sure your weeknights never look the same!

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

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Close-up of baked chicken with a crispy, spicy glaze in a white dish. The chicken is coated with a rich sauce speckled with chili flakes, giving it a glossy appearance. The dish has a vibrant, appetizing texture.
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are a dream for weeknight comfort food dinners—tender chicken glazed with sweet honey and tangy garlic for a simple, flavorful dish that’s sure to please!
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

Two bowls of rice with assorted toppings sit on a table. One bowl features sliced chicken, avocado, cucumber, and sauce. The other has shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and sauce. A striped cloth is nearby, with ingredients like avocado and red pepper visible.
Photo credit: Baking a Moment

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls make the perfect comfort food dinner, with seasoned shrimp, veggies, rice, and a creamy sweet-and-spicy sauce that hits all the right notes.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Bowls

Greek Lemon Chicken

A white baking dish filled with eight pieces of seasoned, roasted chicken thighs garnished with fresh lemon slices and herbs. The chicken is golden brown and sits in a light sauce.
Photo credit: Downshiftology

This Greek Lemon Chicken is the ultimate comfort food dinner, with juicy, tender chicken thighs baked to crispy perfection and coated in a mouthwatering lemon-herb marinade.
Get the Recipe: Greek Lemon Chicken

Grilled Beef Tri Tip

Sliced medium rare grilled beef tenderloin on a wooden board. The meat is juicy with a pink interior and browned exterior, displayed in overlapping pieces with visible grill marks.
Photo credit: Culinary Hill

Tri Tip becomes irresistibly tender and juicy with the right prep, and the key is a flavorful marinade. I love using a mix of garlic and robust herbs like rosemary and thyme to really infuse this thick steak cut with bold comfort food dinner goodness.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Beef Tri Tip

Creamy Dijon Rosemary Chicken

Golden-brown chicken breasts in a creamy sauce, garnished with rosemary, in a black skillet. A gold spoon rests on the side.
Photo credit: Salt and Lavender

Creamy Dijon Rosemary Chicken is the ultimate winter comfort food dinner, featuring tender chicken breasts in a creamy Dijon sauce with fragrant rosemary—easy to make and absolutely irresistible!
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dijon Rosemary Chicken

Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo with Crispy Bacon

A bowl of orzo pasta salad with diced tomatoes, corn, spinach, and crispy bacon, garnished with grated cheese and herbs. A silver spoon rests in the bowl on a light background.
Photo credit: Ambitious Kitchen

This easy Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo Pasta with crispy bacon and vibrant veggies is the ultimate healthy comfort food dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes and perfect for meal prep!
Get the Recipe: Spinach Garlic Parmesan Orzo with Crispy Bacon

Marry Me Chicken

A skillet with four cooked chicken breasts in a creamy tomato sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves. The sauce is orange with pieces of sun-dried tomatoes and visible herbs, creating a rustic presentation.
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

This Marry Me Chicken recipe features sun-dried tomatoes and a luxuriously creamy sauce, making it the perfect comfort food dinner when paired with pasta for an effortlessly delicious meal!
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken

Mediterranean Cod en Papillote (Fish in Parchment Paper)

A plate featuring a fillet of white fish topped with lemon slices and herbs, surrounded by cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, olives, and lentils. A fork rests on the plate, ready to be used.
Photo credit: Downshiftology

This Mediterranean Cod en Papillote is the genius way to cook up a simple, healthy, and super delicious comfort food dinner in no time—flavor packed and effortlessly good!
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Cod en Papillote (Fish in Parchment Paper)

Baked Mostaccioli

Close-up of a plate of cheesy penne pasta topped with ground meat, chopped tomatoes, and garnished with fresh parsley. Served with
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

This easy-to-make baked Mostaccioli is the perfect comfort food dinner, with a hearty meat sauce and layers of gooey cheese that’ll have the whole family coming back for seconds!
Get the Recipe: Baked Mostaccioli

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

A plate of shrimp tacos with creamy avocado sauce, crumbled feta cheese, and fresh cilantro. The tacos are filled with shrimp, shredded vegetables, and herbs, served on soft tortillas. A small bowl of feta is partially visible in the background.
Photo credit: Foodie Crush

These healthy Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema, tomatillo salsa, and crunchy broccoli slaw are a quick, tasty comfort food dinner that’s as easy to make as it is delicious!
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema

Hot Honey Bangin’ Crunchy Cornflake Baked Chicken

A plate with crispy golden-brown fried chicken pieces garnished with herbs, accompanied by sweet potato fries. A small bowl of creamy dipping sauce with herbs is placed beside them on the plate.
Photo credit: Ambitious Kitchen

Hot Honey Bangin’ Crunchy Cornflake Baked Chicken brings all the crunch and flavor, with crispy cornflakes, spices, and a sweet-and-spicy hot honey drizzle for a comfort food dinner you’ll crave every night!
Get the Recipe: Hot Honey Bangin’ Crunchy Cornflake Baked Chicken

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

A skillet filled with creamy shrimp pasta garnished with herbs. The dish includes linguine, shrimp, and a creamy sauce. Surrounding the skillet are a cheese grater, wooden bowl with chili flakes, a block of cheese, and a pepper grinder.
Photo credit: Sugar Spun Run

This Cajun Shrimp Pasta is a flavor-packed comfort food dinner that brings just the right amount of spice, making it a filling and surprisingly simple weeknight meal you’ll want to make again and again.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Pasta

About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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