24 Friday Night Dinner Ideas

Friday marks the gateway to the weekend, a time for relaxation and unwinding after the work week. But who wants to spend hours in the kitchen after a long day? Let this collection of fantastic Friday night dinner ideas come to the rescue. Check out these charmingly simple recipes and pick the one that excites your taste buds. They’re so quick to make that you might even have leftovers for a relaxing dinner on Saturday night too. Here’s to a stress-free weekend filled with delicious food!

Easy Shrimp Linguine

A tangy and delightful bowl of pasta with zesty shrimp and vibrant lemons, perfect for quick and easy recipes. — Easy Shrimp Linguine. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This classic Italian dish pairs linguine noodles with shrimp and a delicious lemon, garlic and herb sauce. Shrimp linguine is light but satisfying and it’s also easy to make. There are only 8 different ingredients in this shrimp linguine recipe, or 9 if you want a parmesan cheese garnish.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shrimp Linguine

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Sausage Tortellini Soup is a delicious option for lunch or dinner. It can be made with spicy or sweet Italian sausage!
Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Meatball Marinara Subs

Meatball subs are in toasted buns on a tray. The Best easy dinner recipes. — Meatball Marinara Subs. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Savor the juicy homemade meatballs, tangy marinara sauce, and fluffy brioche buns in Italian meatball marinara subs – a satisfying comfort food that’s perfect for lunch or busy weeknights. These sandwiches are far tastier than the fast-food version and are sure to please anyone, regardless of their Italian heritage.
Get the Recipe: Meatball Marinara Subs

Unsloppy Joe Biscuit Pockets

A sloppy joe pocket made in an air fryer. — Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Unsloppy joes biscuit pockets are a delicious take on classic sloppy joes. Basically, these are not so sloppy sloppy joes for when you want all the flavour without the mess! These manwich sandwiches are easy to make with Pillsbury biscuit dough and ground beef in the air fryer.
Get the Recipe: Unsloppy Joes Biscuit Pockets

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza

A french bread pizza with BBQ chicken. — Instant Pot BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Instant Pot BBQ chicken French bread pizza is a super-easy 20 minute meal which I just know you’re going to love. Barbeque French bread pizza offers a change of pace from traditional pizza recipes and combines the deliciousness of baguette bread with some wonderful toppings.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot BBQ Chicken French Bread Pizza

Easy Chicken Madras Curry

A dutch oven with chicken curry and fresh herbs on top. — Easy Chicken Madras Curry. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

An easy chicken madras curry is just the thing when the weather is cold! I guarantee that this warming, spicy Indian curry is sure to warm you up. This chicken madras recipe teams chicken with aromatic authentic Indian flavors. It is easy to make spicy chicken curry, and it will become a favorite dinner recipe.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chicken Madras Curry

Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Caprese Pasta

Chicken and pasta in a black skillet. — Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Caprese Pasta. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

It’s made with chicken tenderloins and contains many authentic Italian flavors. Baked chicken caprese with pasta can be made gluten free and an easy chicken dinner. You will want to make this easy oven chicken caprese often!
Get the Recipe: Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Caprese Pasta

Swedish Meatballs

Ikeas meatballs being scooped from a casserole dish. — Copycat Ikea Swedish Meatballs. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Try making these delicious copycat Ikea Swedish meatballs at home and enjoy the same great taste as the ones you find in the store.
Get the Recipe: Swedish Meatballs

Black Pepper Chicken

Make restaurant-style black pepper chicken at home in just 30 minutes with this delicious copycat Panda Express recipe. Satisfy your Asian food cravings with this easy and flavorful stir-fry.
Get the Recipe: Black Pepper Chicken

Butter Herb Shrimp Pan Seared Pork Chops

Pork chops and shrimp on a platter. — Butter Herb Shrimp Pan Seared Pork Chops. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Pan seared pork chops make a wonderful dinner. But if you want a ‘surf and turf’ twist on easy pork chops, considering adding shrimp! There are many meat dishes which also include seafood.
Get the Recipe: Butter Herb Shrimp Pan Seared Pork Chops

Instant Pot Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin with pineapple. — Instant Pot Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

I also love this Hawaiian pork tenderloin recipe. This Instant Pot pork tenderloin is quick, easy, meaty, sweet – just amazing! This tenderloin and pineapple recipe makes a great dinner. It’s a really easy Instant Pot dinner recipe.
Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin

One Pot Taco Macaroni and Cheese

Taco macaroni and cheese in a dutch oven. — One Pot Taco Macaroni and Cheese. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Try this taco macaroni and cheese, which combines the best of both worlds with Mexican and Italian flavors in every bite. With a cooking time of just 30 minutes in a single Dutch oven, this dish is perfect for those cooler months when you’re in the mood for something hearty and warming.
Get the Recipe: One Pot Taco Macaroni and Cheese

Salmon Quesadillas

Crispy Smoked Salmon Quesadillas loaded with guacamole, lots of cheese, and delicious smoked salmon, baked and ready in 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Salmon Quesadillas

Campbell’s Chicken Curry

A bowl of chicken curry with rice and Frozen peas. — Campbell’s Chicken Curry. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

This foolproof Chicken Curry is the perfect easy weeknight meal your family will love. It’s loaded with tender chicken, vegetables, peas, and a flavorful broth made with curry, turmeric and cream of chicken soup.
Get the Recipe: Campbell’s Chicken Curry

Spicy Tomato Soup

This simple and flavorful Spicy Tomato Soup is perfect for a cold winter day. A little smokey spice makes a big difference in this bowl of goodness. But it’s surprisingly simple to make. All you need are a few ingredients and about 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Spicy Tomato Soup

Apple Cider Beef Stew

This recipe is for a hearty stew with meat, potatoes, carrots, and rosemary. It can also be made more colorful and nutritious by adding a handful of frozen peas. — Apple Cider Beef Stew. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

This Apple Cider Beef Stew is full of comfort and easy to throw together, especially for a cold winter evening. This hefty meal made of beef chuck, frozen peas, spices, and beef stock will warm you up whenever you need it.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cider Beef Stew

Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Thai lettuce wraps on a plate with lime wedges, perfect for inexpensive family dinners that everyone will love. — Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

These Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps are packed with flavor. It’s an easy meal made in under 30 minutes with mostly pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients like ground chicken and fresh basil.
Get the Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs

Chicken Kabobs with vegetables. — Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs. Photo credit: PinkWhen.

Chicken breast seasoned to perfection with olive oil, Italian seasoning, and black pepper on kabob skewers. Add the beautiful colors and sweet flavors of bell peppers and onions, then cook in the air fryer, and you’ve got yourself wonderfully delicious chicken kabobs that will have your mouth watering in less than 20 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Baked lemon pepper chicken thighs are simply marinated with seasonings, lemon and olive oil. They are quickly pan seared and roasted in the oven.
Get the Recipe: Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken is creamy, juicy, and full of flavor! It’s said that this chicken dinner is so good that if you cook it for your partner, he will propose to you!
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken

Easy Cheesy Salmon Casserole Recipe

A comfort food recipe featuring a spoon lifting up pasta with salmon and spinach. — Easy Cheesy Salmon Casserole Recipe. Photo Credit: Cheerful Cook.

This is creamy, cheesy Salmon Casserole is a great recipe for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. And ready in less than one hour.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Salmon Casserole Recipe

Cajun Chicken Pasta

A fork is being used to pick up a bowl of comfort food pasta salad. — Cajun Chicken Pasta. Photo credit: Cheerful Cook.

Make One-Pan Cajun Chicken Pasta in just 30 minutes. It’s a quick, creamy, spicy dish with easy cleanup. Ideal for busy weeknights.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

A fork is being used to take a piece of pasta out of a round casserole dish. — Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. Photo credit: Cheerful Cook.

This creamy, cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta is a perfect weeknight dinner recipe. It’s loaded with chicken and bacon and topped with cheese.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Lasagna Roll-Ups

A fork is being used to pick up a piece of lasagna, the ultimate comfort food. — Lasagna Roll-Ups. Photo Credit: Cheerful Cook.

Lasagna Roll Ups are a deliciously creative twist on classic lasagna. You’ll need ground beef, pasta sauce, egg, cheese, and lasagna noodles!
Get the Recipe: Lasagna Roll-Ups