Simple Meals That Turn “What’s for Dinner?” Into Magic

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Level up your weeknight dinners with simple meals that deliver bold flavor without overcomplicating your life. From crispy How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken to indulgent Butter Burgers and zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken, these recipes make it effortless to serve satisfying meals everyone will rave about. Perfect for busy nights, casual dinners, or impressing guests without breaking a sweat, these dishes prove simple can still be seriously delicious!

How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken

A basket containing fried chicken and french fries, wrapped in newspaper-style paper, is placed on a wooden table.
Photo credit: Not Entirely Average

This recipe delivers crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned buttermilk fried chicken with just a few simple steps. It’s a classic Southern comfort food that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Get ready to enjoy the best-tasting fried chicken you’ve ever had!
Get the Recipe: How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Sheet Pan Curry Butter Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Tahini

Sheet Pan Curry Butter Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Tahini | halfbakedharvest.com
Photo credit: Half Baked Harvest

This sheet pan curry butter chicken recipe is the perfect easy and wholesome dinner. Packed with sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and a flavorful curry butter sauce, it’s a colorful and delicious meal that’s ready in no time. Top with feta, olives, and fresh herbs for an extra burst of flavor!
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Curry Butter Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Tahini

Garlic Butter Shrimp

Tasty Garlic Butter Shrimp on display
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

This garlic butter shrimp recipe is so easy to make with just the right amount of spice. It’s great as an app, main dish, or on a salad!
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Shrimp

Butter Burgers

Yummy Butter Burgers picture
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

This butter burger is amazingly delicious and my favorite burger recipe! A butter-soaked burger is for anyone who enjoys really good food!
Get the Recipe: Butter Burgers

Creamy Tomato Lobster Linguine with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Creamy Tomato Lobster Linguine with Garlic Breadcrumbs | halfbakedharvest.com
Photo credit: Half Baked Harvest

This Creamy Tomato Lobster Linguine with Garlic Breadcrumbs is the perfect simple summery pasta that you can continue to enjoy into the early fall. The linguine is tossed with sweet cherry tomatoes, lobster meat, and a creamy sauce, then topped with crispy garlic breadcrumbs. This dish is quick, easy, and sure to impress.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tomato Lobster Linguine with Garlic Breadcrumbs

Bbq Black Bean Pizzas

Close-up of a pizza topped with melted cheese, black beans, sliced red onions, and chopped green onions on a wooden surface.
Photo credit: Budget Bytes

These thin & crispy BBQ Black Bean Pizzas are ready in about 15 minutes and will blow your tastes buds away. Step by step photos.
Get the Recipe: Bbq Black Bean Pizzas

Vegetarian Taco Salad Bowl

Vegetarian Taco Salad Bowl
Photo credit: Piper Cooks

Have your taco in a bowl thanks to this simple Vegetarian Taco Salad Bowl recipe. Imagine crisp greens topped with vegetarian taco meat, beans, olives, corn, and salsa. Add tortilla chips for the crunch that you love!
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Taco Salad Bowl

30 Minute Pasta Carbonara

pasta carbonara with bacon and peas on a plate
Photo credit: Ambitious Kitchen

This 30-minute pasta carbonara recipe is a simple and delicious take on the traditional dish. Made with easy-to-find ingredients like bacon, eggs, and parmesan cheese, it’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Feel free to customize it with your favorite pasta or add some extra veggies!
Get the Recipe: 30 Minute Pasta Carbonara

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms

Braised Mushroom Chicken Thighs in a frying pan after its cooked
Photo credit: Spend with Pennies

Braised Chicken Thighs are juicy and full of flavor! Serve over egg noodles with a side of steamed veggies for a dinner the whole family will love!
Get the Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms

Fried Fish Sandwich

Fried Fish Sandwich served fresh
Photo credit: The Cookie Rookie

These crispy fried fish sandwiches are so easy to make. Beer batter adds the best crunch to fish fillets, and don’t forget the tartar sauce!
Get the Recipe: Fried Fish Sandwich

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Grilled chicken breast on white rice topped with mango salsa, cilantro, and a lime wedge, served with a gold fork.
Photo credit: Chelsea’s Messy Apron

This Cilantro Lime Chicken recipe is a simple and flavorful dish perfect for a healthy dinner. The marinade of orange, lime, and cilantro infuses the chicken with a bright, zesty taste, making it a family favorite! Serve it with cilantro-lime rice and mango avocado salsa for a complete and delicious meal.
Get the Recipe: Cilantro Lime Chicken

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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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