Raise your hand if you’re tired: of work, of parenting, of scary headlines, of grocery prices, and more than anything, of cooking f*cking dinner. If you’re one of those people who loves spending time in the kitchen perfecting a recipe, more power to you. Some of us would rather eat a pair of jeans for dinner than have to plan and execute another meal. For nights like that, I fall back on sheet pan dinners so simple they basically cook themselves. Because slow cooker meals take forethought, and meal prep should’ve happened over the weekend — now we’re here, the fam is hungry, and I will scream if I have to stand over a stove.
Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma
Marinate chicken. Bake chicken. Mix together yogurt sauce. Chop veggies. That’s the gist of All The Healthy Things’ chicken shawarma bowl recipe, which even the most reluctant cooks can agree is simple enough to pull off and tasty enough to repeat.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil
Damn Delicious has some incredible sheet pan recipes, including this sheet pan shrimp boil that would be so fun for a summertime family meal. Who needs to wait for a massive pot to boil and cook everything in batches when you could just throw it all in the oven?
Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs
Budget Bytes’ sheet pan BBQ meatballs with charred pineapple rings, peppers, and onions would be so good served over sticky white rice or on some slider buns. It’s also not the kind of combo I think of when I’m putting together my weeknight meal rotation, so it’d be a welcome change of pace on a random Wednesday.
Sheet Pan Quesadillas
Family Fresh Meals’ sheet pan quesadillas are the perfect way to make a quesadilla dinner for a family without standing over a skillet and making them one at a time. This recipe calls for refried beans, but you could easily swap in ground beef or chicken, black beans, or fajita veggies to fit your family’s preferences.
Sheet Pan Honey Glazed Salmon Dinner
Tender salmon, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts in an easy garlic and honey glaze? Ev’s Eats’ recipe keeps the ingredient list short and sweet and the execution simple, while still yielding a delicious and nutritious meal you’ll be happy to sit down with.
Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
If you want a crowd-pleasing meal that gets in all your veggies and protein, try Feel Good Foodie’s sheet pan steak fajitas. They’ll only take you about 10 minutes to prep and 12 to cook before you’re stuffing your tortillas with steak, bell peppers, and your toppings of choice (pass the cilantro, please).
Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken & Ranch Bowls
If you’re craving something tangy but sweet, savory and satisfying, go for it with All The Healthy Things’ BBQ chicken and ranch bowls. You get barbecue chicken, sweet potatoes, avocado, and pickled onion in every perfect bite, and you can top it with as much ranch as your heart desires — no judgment here.
Sheet Pan Fried Rice
Shrimp fried rice is the kind of takeout I crave on a random weeknight but wouldn’t think I could pull off well at home. Damn Delicious’ recipe makes it seem easy, though, and it’ll help you use up any leftover rice and veggies taking up space in the fridge.
Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage Dinner
If you have 30 minutes and zero f*cks to give, try making Entirely Emmy’s sheet pan chicken sausage dinner. We are chopping ingredients, tossing in seasonings in olive oil, sliding that sheet pan into the oven, and walking away. This is a nutritious meal that’ll make you feel like you ate the rainbow.
Sheet Pan Pizza
Budget Bytes’ recipe explains how to make your own pizza dough if you’re up for that, but I would personally buy the pre-made one from the bakery section and call it a day. From there, it’s all about adding your favorite toppings and baking! Well, actually, baking a little bit first to get your crust perfect and not-soggy beneath the sauce. But then… toppings!
We are not going for any awards or Instagram-worthy plating here. But if you want a fed, happy family, these easy sheet pan dinners will get the job done.
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