14 Five-Ingredient Weeknight Dinners

Five ingredients. That's all it takes. These 14 weeknight dinners prove you don't need a packed pantry to eat well — just a few smart ingredients that work hard together. Less shopping, less fuss, dinner in 30 minutes or less.

1. 5-Ingredient Chicken Parmesan

Crispy, cheesy chicken parm with just five ingredients — weeknight luxury.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken cutlets
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Coat chicken cutlets in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly.
2. Sear in olive oil 3-4 minutes per side until golden.
3. Spoon marinara over each cutlet.
4. Top with mozzarella.
5. Broil 2-3 minutes until bubbly.
6. Serve over pasta or with a salad.

2. Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Juicy pork chops glazed in sweet-tangy honey mustard.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Whisk honey, mustard, and garlic.
2. Sear pork chops in olive oil 4 minutes per side.
3. Brush generously with honey mustard glaze.
4. Cook 2 more minutes per side until caramelized.
5. Rest 5 minutes.
6. Serve with roasted vegetables.

3. Pesto Tortellini

Cheese tortellini tossed in vibrant pesto with burst tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb cheese tortellini
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp pine nuts

Instructions

1. Cook tortellini until al dente; reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
2. Toss hot tortellini with pesto.
3. Add tomatoes and pasta water; toss.
4. Top with Parmesan.
5. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
6. Serve immediately.

4. BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Smoky BBQ chicken and melty cheddar in crispy tortillas.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Toss chicken with barbecue sauce.
2. Fill tortillas with chicken and cheddar; fold.
3. Melt butter in a skillet.
4. Cook quesadillas 3 minutes per side until crisp.
5. Cut into wedges.
6. Serve with ranch or extra BBQ sauce.

5. Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta

Buttery garlic shrimp over spaghetti — restaurant-worthy in 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled
• 5 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. Melt butter; sauté garlic 1 minute.
3. Add shrimp; cook 2-3 minutes until pink.
4. Toss with pasta and pasta water.
5. Shower with parsley.
6. Serve with lemon wedges.

6. Caprese Stuffed Chicken

Chicken breasts stuffed with mozzarella, tomato, and pesto.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast.
2. Stuff with mozzarella and tomato slices.
3. Rub with pesto and olive oil.
4. Bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes.
5. Rest 5 minutes.
6. Slice to reveal the melty center.

7. Taco Pasta Skillet

Taco night meets pasta night in one cheesy skillet.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 8 oz rotini
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cups shredded cheddar
• 1 cup salsa

Instructions

1. Brown beef; drain fat.
2. Stir in taco seasoning and 2 cups water.
3. Add rotini; bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer 12 minutes until pasta is tender.
5. Stir in salsa and cheddar.
6. Serve with sour cream.

8. Teriyaki Meatballs

Sticky-sweet teriyaki meatballs with sesame — better than takeout.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground chicken
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup panko
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Mix chicken, panko, half the teriyaki, and green onions.
2. Roll into 20 meatballs.
3. Bake at 400°F for 18 minutes.
4. Simmer remaining teriyaki 2 minutes to thicken.
5. Toss meatballs in the glaze.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

9. Lemon Butter Tilapia

Delicate tilapia in a bright lemon-butter sauce — light and fast.

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 lemons (1 juiced, 1 sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Season tilapia with salt and pepper.
2. Sear in butter 3 minutes per side.
3. Add garlic and lemon juice to the pan.
4. Baste fish with the sauce 1 minute.
5. Top with lemon slices.
6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

10. Ranch Chicken Tacos

Cool ranch chicken tacos — the 15-minute dinner kids beg for.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 8 small flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Toss chicken with ranch dressing.
2. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet.
3. Fill with ranch chicken.
4. Top with lettuce and tomatoes.
5. Add extra ranch drizzle.
6. Serve immediately.

11. Baked Feta Pasta

The viral baked feta pasta — creamy, tangy, and ridiculously easy.

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 8 oz feta block
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Place feta in a baking dish; surround with tomatoes.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and Italian seasoning.
3. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
4. Mash feta and tomatoes into a sauce.
5. Toss with cooked pasta.
6. Serve with fresh basil.

12. Sausage & Pierogi Skillet

Crispy pierogi and smoky kielbasa with caramelized onions.

Ingredients

• 1 lb kielbasa, sliced
• 1 lb frozen pierogi
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped chives

Instructions

1. Brown kielbasa slices; remove.
2. Crisp pierogi in butter 4 minutes per side.
3. Add onion and cook until golden.
4. Return kielbasa to the skillet.
5. Toss everything together.
6. Top with chives and sour cream.

13. Cream Cheese Chicken

Slow-cooker creamy Italian chicken that shreds like a dream.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 packet Italian dressing mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Place chicken in a slow cooker.
2. Top with cream cheese and dressing mix.
3. Pour in chicken broth.
4. Cook on low 4 hours.
5. Shred chicken and stir into the sauce.
6. Serve over rice or pasta.

14. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Silky garlic-and-oil spaghetti with a chili kick — Italian simplicity at its best.

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti very al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Gently sizzle garlic in olive oil until golden.
3. Add red pepper flakes.
4. Toss in pasta with pasta water.
5. Cook 2 minutes until glossy.
6. Shower with parsley and serve.