Dinner can get repetitive fast, especially when you’re cycling through the same tired recipes. If the idea of another bland meal makes you want to skip cooking altogether, it’s time to shake things up. We’ve pulled together exciting meals that will help you break free from the usual dinner rut. These recipes are easy, anything but ordinary, and might even make cooking feel less like a chore.
Baked Skillet Gnocchi
Gnocchi might not be pasta, but it’s just as comforting. This one-skillet meal combines ground pork, crushed tomatoes, spinach, and gooey mozzarella for a hearty dish that rescues you from dinner boredom.
Get the Recipe: Baked Skillet Gnocchi
Blackened Mahi Mahi
Ready in just minutes, this blackened mahi mahi is made with a simple seasoning blend and a few minutes under the broiler. A great go-to when you need a quick and flavorful dinner.
Get the Recipe: Blackened Mahi Mahi
Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
These turkey zucchini meatballs are stuffed with cheddar cheese and cooked in marinara sauce for an easy and flavorful meal that beats your usual meatball routine.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
Creamy Tomato Farfalle
A 20-minute dish that brings a lighter take on traditional cream sauce. Crispy prosciutto and peas make this farfalle a filling and easy meal perfect for a weeknight.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tomato Farfalle
Instant Pot Coconut Pork
Aromatic and tender, this Instant Pot coconut pork is cooked with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Served over turmeric ginger rice, it’s a dinner that keeps things interesting.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Coconut Pork
Marinated Chicken Wings
Sticky, sweet, and savory, these wings are a far cry from your standard buffalo wings. Perfect for when you need a break from the usual flavors.
Get the Recipe: Marinated Chicken Wings
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Skip the takeout and make this honey garlic chicken in your slow cooker. With a sticky sweet sauce and chunks of pineapple, this easy recipe will shake up your dinner routine.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Spicy Udon Noodle Stir Fry
This spicy udon noodle stir fry, loaded with umami flavors and a ginger-garlic sriracha sauce, comes together in under 30 minutes. A quick dinner that’s anything but boring.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Udon Noodle Stir Fry
Gochujang Chicken
In just 30 minutes, this gochujang chicken delivers a sticky, spicy, and sweet sauce that’s perfect over rice. It’s your takeout favorite, but homemade and way more satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Chicken
BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
These cheddar cheesy BBQ pulled pork nachos are a crowd pleaser. Load them up with your favorite toppings or make them a meal with black beans and corn.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
Creamy Turkey Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms
Ground turkey, creamy garlic cheese, spinach, and roasted red peppers stuffed into portobello mushrooms for a dinner that’s anything but boring.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Turkey Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms
Creamy Turmeric Chicken with Chickpeas
A quick one-skillet meal, this creamy turmeric chicken with hearty chickpeas comes together in under 30 minutes. Serve it over rice for a dinner that saves the day.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Turmeric Chicken with Chickpeas
Fried Chicken Tacos
Crispy fried chicken tacos bring together Southern comfort and Mexican flavors in one bite. It’s a dinner that’s as fun as it is tasty.
Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken Tacos
Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
Grilled chicken stuffed with ham, pineapple, and melted cheese, all topped with a sticky teriyaki glaze. It’s like a Hawaiian vacation on a plate.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
Grilled Pork Chops with Grapes & Fennel
An easy and elegant dinner made entirely on the grill. Grilled pork chops with a grape and fennel salad make this dish both practical and impressive.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Grapes & Fennel
Grilled Stuffed Avocados
Grilled avocados stuffed with Asian marinated steak, peppers, corn, and scallions. Serve with rice for a meal that’s perfect for summer nights.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Stuffed Avocados
Jalapeño Chicken
Pan-fried chicken bites cooked with jalapeño slices and finished in a sweet and sticky sauce. This easy dinner brings takeout flavors straight to your kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Chicken
Taco Lasagna
A Mexican-Italian mash-up that’s the creamiest, cheesiest dish around. This taco lasagna is simpler than it seems and perfect for a family dinner that breaks up the routine.
Get the Recipe: Taco Lasagna
Lamb Korma
This classic Indian lamb korma, made with a creamy cashew sauce and aromatic spices, delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat. Serve it with rice for a dinner that transports you to your favorite Indian spot.
Get the Recipe: Lamb Korma
Flank Steak Pinwheels
Flank steak stuffed with pesto, parmesan, prosciutto, and spinach. These pinwheels are perfect for special occasions or a midweek meal that’s anything but dull.
Get the Recipe: Flank Steak Pinwheels
Chicken Saag
This quick chicken saag is nearly identical to what you’d get at a restaurant. Spinach and chicken curry come together easily for a dinner that’s rich in flavor.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Saag
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.
