These healthy dinner ideas are perfect for any age. Whether you're feeding young kids or teenagers, every family member will love these satisfying and delicious meals. So the next time someone asks, "What's for dinner?," you can respond with tasty recipes like One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta, Taco Lettuce Wraps and Spinach & Tuna Noodle Casserole.
One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta
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This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
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One sheet pan is all you'll need to whip up these zesty chicken fajitas. They're quick and easy to make, and cleanup is even faster!
Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
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Two of our favorite comfort-food sandwiches join forces in these family-friendly dinner sandwiches. We found that softer buns make this easier to eat, and it's all the better when wrapped takeout-style in a sheet of foil.
20-Minute Creamy Chicken Skillet with Italian Seasoning
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Chicken cutlets cook quickly and are highlighted with a creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. Serve it with whole-wheat pasta or rice to make it a meal.
Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes
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This healthy meatloaf recipe and side dishes are all made in the oven on two sheet pans so that everything's ready for the dinner table at the same time. The potatoes go into the oven first to start roasting while the mini meatloaves and green beans are prepped and added to the oven partway through.
Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
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Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners, and this enchilada version is no exception. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days—just bake it off on a busy night and you have a healthy, easy dinner on the table in no time. The quick homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe is great when you don't have any of the canned sauce on hand; just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce.
Taco Lettuce Wraps
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Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe—any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops
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These whole-wheat panko breadcrumb-coated pork chops get just as crispy as fried chops, but they're baked. Serve with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato for a satisfying, healthy weeknight dinner.
Spinach & Tuna Noodle Casserole
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Homemade mushroom sauce kicks the can of soup out of the picture in this veggie-centric, healthy riff on a classic tuna-noodle casserole recipe. Serve with steamed green beans.
Cheeseburger Casserole
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PHOTOGRAPHER: RACHEL MAREK, FOOD STYLIST: HOLLY DREESMAN, PROP STYLIST: GABRIEL GRECO
If you love a classic cheeseburger with all the fixings, you’ll love this family-friendly cheeseburger casserole. Rotini pasta picks up all the flavors of this comforting dish, but any shape pasta you have in your pantry will work well. We love the crunch shredded fresh lettuce offers, but feel free to mix it up with another green like spinach or kale, or top your casserole with Swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms for a different spin.
Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado
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Instead of deep-frying, the fish fillets in this quick-and-easy five-ingredient recipe are coated with a flavorful seasoning blend and baked. Several varieties of flaky white fish can be used for these tacos. When you go to the market to purchase fish, the best strategy is to be flexible and choose the variety that looks freshest that day.
Mom's Chili
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This healthy basic beef chili recipe is well worth doubling so you can throw a batch in the freezer. Serve topped with diced red onion, sliced scallions, shredded cheese and your favorite hot sauce.
Lemon-Garlic Chicken Casserole
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PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN HUNT GLAZE, PROP STYLIST: SHELL ROYSTER, FOOD STYLIST JENNIFER WENDORF
This chicken and rice casserole packs in the protein plus offers plenty of fiber from brown rice and broccoli for a well-rounded meal in one pot. Chicken thighs are meaty and tender, but feel free to swap them out for chicken breast if you prefer.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken
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This creamy chicken noodle soup recipe has a delicious potpie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time—look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting soup with a green salad.
Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan
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This cheesy baked eggplant Parmesan has no breading, which means it's easier to make than the traditional version. There's no dredging or frying—instead, the eggplant is roasted until tender before being layered in the casserole dish with a tangy homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. And without breading, this satisfying eggplant Parmesan is also gluten-free!
Black Bean Tacos
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Mixing mashed canned beans with whole beans and seasonings makes an incredibly simple taco filling from your pantry. Top these speedy five-ingredient tacos with lettuce, tomato and salsa or any of your favorite taco toppings.
Creamy Mac & Cheese Soup
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A package of frozen pureed winter squash adds sweetness and good nutrition—namely vitamin A, potassium and fiber—to this soup version of a family favorite, mac and cheese. It also lends its orange color to the soup, making it seem cheesier without actually adding more cheese. Feel free to swap in your favorite shape of medium-size pasta for the elbow macaroni. Using convenience items like frozen squash means that this healthy kid-friendly dinner takes just 30 minutes to prep.
Air-Fryer 'Fried' Chicken Thighs
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Air fryers need a lot less oil to create a deep-fried, crispy crust. Here, chicken thighs are marinated in buttermilk and dredged in a simple breadcrumb coating. With the help of a little cooking spray, they cook up nice and crispy with a lot less fat. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or slice them up to top a salad.
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