There are nights when even chopping a single onion feels like too much. These dinners are for those nights. No slicing, no dicing, no pile of veggie scraps in the sink, just real food that doesn’t ask much of you. You’ll still end up with meals that taste like you made an effort, even if all you did was dump things into a pan and walk away.
Salsa Chicken
Dump salsa, chicken, and cheese into a baking dish and shove it in the oven. That’s the whole recipe. It’s fast, cheesy, and great when you’re completely over cooking.
Get the Recipe: Salsa Chicken
Pesto Salmon
Five ingredients, no prep. Coat the salmon, bake it, done. It’s fast, low effort, and still manages to feel like a real meal.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Salmon
Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli
Use frozen broccoli and store-bought sauce, stir it into hot pasta, and you’ve got a better-than-average dinner with zero prep.
Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Alfredo with Broccoli
Bacon Wrapped Salmon
Wrap, bake, eat. That’s it. The bacon keeps it juicy and the cleanup stays easy. You didn’t chop a thing and it still looks impressive.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Salmon
Cream Cheese Chicken
Stir together some pantry spices and cream cheese, throw it all in the slow cooker, and let it ride. It’s rich, comforting, and takes almost no effort.
Get the Recipe: Cream Cheese Chicken
Chicken Pot Pie Soup One Pan
This is what you make when you’re too tired to lift a knife but still want something comforting. It’s just one pan, pantry staples, and no prep. Let it simmer while you do absolutely nothing.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie Soup One Pan
Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
Creamy tortellini, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, and spinach—all in one pot and done in under 30 minutes. No cutting board, no problem. Great for nights when you want real food with zero effort.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Tortellini
Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Store-bought dough and five ingredients are all it takes. Skip the chopping and still end up with a pizza that tastes way better than delivery. Perfect for Friday nights when you’re completely over it.
Get the Recipe: Cast Iron Skillet Pizza
Pepperoni Bread
Roll up some cheese and pepperoni, bake it, and brush with garlic butter. No prep. No mess. Just the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you tried when you didn’t.
Get the Recipe: Pepperoni Bread
Chicken Thighs with Honey
These thighs get glazed with honey, garlic, and soy sauce. Mix it up, throw them in the oven, and you’re done. Sweet, sticky, and perfect for a no-prep night.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Honey
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle
This one looks impressive but it’s just rub, wrap, and roast. No chopping, no pans, no thinking. Great for when you want to feel fancy without doing much.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle
Cottage Cheese Rose Pasta Sauce
Blend cottage cheese with jarred sauce and you’ve got a protein-packed pasta that skips all the prep. No chopping, just boil noodles and eat like you mean it.
Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese Rose Pasta Sauce
Teriyaki Chicken Breast In The Air Fryer
Quick marinade, pop it in the air fryer, and you’ve got dinner. No cutting, no cleanup, and the sauce sticks just enough to make you forget how lazy this was.
Get the Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Breast In The Air Fryer
Slow Cooker Chicken & Pasta Casserole
Dump it all in the slow cooker—chicken, noodles, soup, seasoning—and walk away. It cooks while you ignore it. No knife needed, just a fork when it’s done.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken & Pasta Casserole
Slow Cooker Sparkling Apple Cider Pulled Pork
Pour some cider on a pork roast, toss in a few pantry things, and walk out the door. No chopping, no searing, just slow-cooked magic by dinnertime.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Sparkling Apple Cider Pulled Pork
Pizza Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Hawaiian rolls, deli meat, cheese, and some oven time. That’s it. These come together in minutes and hit the table looking way more put together than they should.
Get the Recipe: Pizza Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Slow Cooker Harissa Chicken
Chicken, sauce, and a slow cooker. No knife required. The harissa brings the heat while you bring nothing to the prep. Great for days when you just can’t be bothered.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Harissa Chicken
Slow Cooker Creamy Tarragon Chicken
This tastes like it took hours, because it did—but you weren’t involved. Dump it in, leave it alone, and come back to something creamy and rich without doing any work.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamy Tarragon Chicken
Pesto Pasta with Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Use jarred pesto, canned beans, and sun-dried tomatoes straight from the bag. Toss it with pasta and call it dinner. You didn’t chop a thing and it still works.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Pasta with Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Boil some noodles and stir in lemon and ricotta. That’s it. No slicing, no garlic, just a fast pasta that feels bright and fresh with zero prep.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Slow Cooker Chicken Pepperoncini Cheesesteaks
Toss chicken and pepperoncinis in the slow cooker, shred, and pile onto a roll with cheese. It’s hands-off and hits the comfort food craving with no knife in sight.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Pepperoncini Cheesesteaks
Banana Pepper & Tomato Baked Chicken
This one’s all about dumping things from jars and letting the oven do the work. No chopping, no marinating, just bold flavors without the extra steps.
Get the Recipe: Banana Pepper & Tomato Baked Chicken
Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Season the thighs, toss them in the oven, and walk away. The skin gets crispy, the inside stays juicy, and you didn’t have to prep a single thing.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
Tuscan Salmon
This salmon sears in minutes, then simmers in a garlic-Parmesan cream with sun-dried tomatoes. No chopping involved and it tastes like something you’d pay for.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Salmon
Sprouted Mung Bean Sauté with Coconut
Grab your spices, open a can of coconut milk, and toss everything in a pan. No chopping, no stress, and it still packs a punch.
Get the Recipe: Sprouted Mung Bean Sauté with Coconut
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.