Quick dinners for two are the answer when you want great food without spending all day in the kitchen. These recipes balance convenience and taste, making them perfect for busy schedules and hungry families. Each one is worth trying at least once.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Two lettuce wraps filled with shredded meat and mixed slaw, placed on a plate.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

These Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps are delicious, low-carb dish that’s easy to make and will leave your family asking for seconds. With the help of your slow cooker, you can transform a simple pork shoulder into a melt-in-your-mouth dish packed full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Risotto Shrimp Scampi

A bowl of creamy risotto with shrimp, topped with green herbs, and a spoon resting on the side.
Risotto Shrimp Scampi. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Risotto shrimp scampi combines two classic Italian dishes. It is a great go-to dish when we are having guests. With only a handful of ingredients, it’s easy to keep things on hand. And, if you have the risotto pre-made, it cooks up quickly.
Get the Recipe: Risotto Shrimp Scampi

Basic Risotto

A person scooping risotto from a red-rimmed bowl on a wooden table with a white napkin and scattered herbs.
Basic Risotto. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Risotto is a northern Italian staple of rice, garlic, onions and cheese that provides a hearty base for a variety of dishes. You can cook it on the stovetop and eat it on its own or mix in your favorite veggies and protein.
Get the Recipe: Basic Risotto

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

A plate with sweet and spicy glazed chicken topped with cranberries, served with green beans and a side of yellow rice.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

One of the reasons I love this Crock Pot recipe for chicken with cranberries is it has four ingredients only. That’s not a typo — just four ingredients. And with three of them, you’re opening a seasoning packet, a can of cranberry sauce or a bottle of Catalina dressing.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta

Creamy Chicken And Corn Pasta closeup partial of finished dish cropped horizontal.
30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta recipe is so easy to make and so delicious to eat. Bowtie pasta complements the seasoned chicken chunks. Also, it’s topped with bacon. Bacon makes everything better.
Get the Recipe: 30-Minute Creamy Chicken Corn and Pasta

Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

A plate with two pieces of cooked chicken breast, baby potatoes, and carrots, garnished with herbs—perfect for quick dinners for two or anyone looking for easy dinner recipes.
Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This recipe for Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken is such a classic. It has only six ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Simple Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken

Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Close-up of a dish featuring seasoned strips of chicken, red and yellow bell peppers, green peppers, and onions.
Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

If you’ve ever gone out for Mexican food and ordered fajitas, you can smell them on the way to your table before they even arrive. This recipe for air fryer chicken fajitas provides the same olfactory and taste buds experience. Plus, it’s fast and easy for a busy night dinner.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine

A person holding a fork over a bowl of pasta, perfect for quick dinners for two.
Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This classic Italian dish is quick and impressive. It works as an easy meal at home or an impressive dish to serve to guests.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine

Peach Whiskey Barbecue Chicken

A cast iron skillet filled with cooked chicken pieces and topped with sliced peaches.
Peach Whiskey Barbecue Chicken. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

I love finding ways to work peaches into a dinner when they’re in season during the summer. That’s why this peach whiskey barbecue chicken recipe works so well. It’s sweet and savory in all the right kinds of ways.
Get the Recipe: Peach Whiskey Barbecue Chicken

Easy Shrimp Scampi

A blue bowl filled with shrimp and rice, topped with green herbs, with a metal spoon in the bowl.
Easy Shrimp Scampi. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Shrimp scampi is a quick and easy meal that will certainly impress your guests. With minimal prep time, it lets you serve up a meal that many will think came from a restaurant.
Get the Recipe: Easy Shrimp Scampi

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

A slow cooker with a baked dish topped with golden brown, crumbly stuffing.
Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

With this recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing, you get a delicious blend of boneless pork chops with apples plus stuffing — something you might only enjoy at Thanksgiving. But there’s no reason you can’t add stuffing to an everyday dinner recipe for fall or another time of the year.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Close-up of a stack of seasoned, grilled chicken drumsticks, with one drumstick partially eaten, revealing moist, cooked meat inside. A lemon wedge and herbs are visible in the background.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

You can get the taste of fried chicken without oil or the mess when you make these chicken drumsticks in the air fryer. Prep and cooking time is 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Lobster Rolls

A lobster roll on a red table—perfect for quick dinners for two.
Lobster Rolls. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Lobster rolls are a classic summer treat along the eastern seaboard, especially in New England. Here’s how to make them at home.
Get the Recipe: Lobster Rolls

Spicy Chicken with Pepperoncini Peppers

A plate of white rice topped with chunks of chicken and sliced green bell peppers, all cooked in a creamy yellow sauce.
Spicy Chicken with Pepperoncini Peppers. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

With prep and cooking time, we were able to make this Spicy Chicken with Pepperoncini Peppers in about 20 minutes. That’s not an exaggeration.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Chicken with Pepperoncini Peppers

Barbecue Sauce Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer

A close-up of chopsticks holding a piece of glazed, grilled chicken. The chicken appears juicy and well-cooked.
Barbecue Sauce Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

There are a couple of reasons we think you’re going to love learning about how to make BBQ drumsticks in the air fryer. One is it it is much neater than cooking them on the grill.
Get the Recipe: Barbecue Sauce Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer

Slow Cooker Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

A casserole with bacon and chives, perfect for easy dinners or quick dinners for two.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tater Tot Casserole. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is a quick and delicious crowd pleasing dinner everyone loves. Even the picky eaters will ask for seconds. One of the reasons I love this recipe is it is one of the fastest Crock Pot recipes I’ve ever used. Unlike some other slow cooker recipes that cook overnight or take eight or 10 hours, this casserole is done in four hours.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Honey Chipotle Steak and Potatoes

A fork piercing a piece of a seasoned roasted potato.
Honey Chipotle Steak and Potatoes. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

we’ve taken what would have been a basic steak and potatoes dish and given it a modern and spicy twist. Seasoned potatoes get roasted up and the tender steak bites cook in a rich sweet and spicy smoky sauce made with honey, chipotle and garlic. Everything cooks in one pan.
Get the Recipe: Honey Chipotle Steak and Potatoes

Fried Chicken in the Crock Pot

A whole chicken seasoned with herbs and spices in a slow cooker, ready to be cooked.
Fried Chicken in the Crock Pot. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

When I talk about making fried chicken in my slow cooker, the word “fried” is a euphemism. I’m not really frying anything. However, the end result tastes like fried chicken.
Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken in the Crock Pot

Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Fresh Veggies

A plate with grilled chicken breast, asparagus, and zucchini slices, garnished with basil, on a wooden table.
Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Fresh Veggies. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

With this Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Fresh Veggies, you’ve got a delightful combination of succulent chicken and fresh, seasonal vegetables, all cooked together on one pan for a fuss-free yet delicious dinner.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Fresh Veggies

Steak in the Air Fryer

Close-up of a fork holding a piece of medium-rare cooked beef steak, with visible seasonings and a slice of lemon in the background.
Steak in the Air Fryer. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Using your air fryer to cook steak is a great option when you want a grilled flavor without having to fire up the grill.
Get the Recipe: Steak in the Air Fryer

Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

A plate of grilled chicken breast slices on a bed of mixed greens, tomatoes, and mozzarella, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Sous Vide Chicken Breasts. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Want to know how to get the perfect chicken breasts every time? Sous vide them! Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it in a water bath.
Get the Recipe: Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

Broccoli Chicken Cheese Casserole

A plate of chicken with rice garnished with parsley on a white surface with an orange napkin, wooden utensils, and ingredients nearby.
Broccoli Chicken Cheese Casserole. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This Broccoli Chicken Cheese Casserole is such an easy weeknight dinner. It includes cheesy, yummy broccoli with seasoned chicken on top, served on a bed of a rice and pasta blend. Bake it in the oven and, voila, the tastiest casserole ever!
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Chicken Cheese Casserole

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

A wooden board with seasoned chicken wings, a bowl of white dipping sauce with lemon slices, and celery and carrot sticks.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

The process for making these Air Fryer Chicken Wings is so simple. It has very few ingredients, takes very little time to cook and you end up with delicious, crispy chicken wings.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

Sliced breaded and fried chicken breast on a wooden board, garnished with herbs and accompanied by lemon slices.
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

Air fryer chicken cutlets offer a healthier alternative to traditional deep-fried versions while still delivering crispy, golden perfection. You can achieve restaurant-quality results at home with minimal oil and effort using this simple recipe.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

Salmon in the Air Fryer

A fork holding a piece of cooked salmon, with more salmon fillets, lemon slices, and seasoning shakers in the background.
Salmon in the Air Fryer. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

One of the beauties of cooking salmon or any seafood in the air fryer is that it is pretty difficult to do it wrong. Many air fryers have a seafood setting that you can select.
Get the Recipe: Salmon in the Air Fryer

Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot

A close-up of creamy macaroni and cheese garnished with parsley.
Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot. Photo credit: Bagels and Lasagna.

This sausage and pepper pasta dish is a hearty, one-dish dinner that allows you to get supper on the table in under 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage and Pepper Pasta in One Pot

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans, stands in a kitchen with a brick backsplash and stainless steel appliances. She is smiling and resting her hands on the counter.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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