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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    20 Easy Set-and-Forget Dinners That Cook While You Relax

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on July 6, 2025, updated June 16, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    After a long day, the last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. These 20 easy set-and-forget dinners let you prepare a delicious meal with minimal effort, allowing you to relax while your dinner cooks itself. From slow-cooked chicken to simple sheet pan meals, these recipes are perfect for busy evenings.

    Chicken Broccoli Rice Bake

    Chicken broccoli bake on a white dish.
    Photo Credit: From Valerie's Kitchen.

    This chicken, broccoli, and rice casserole is super simple to prepare and everything cooks together in one dish. It's perfect for days when you have a lot going on and need a meal that doesn't take much effort. Just mix the ingredients, pop it in the oven, and let it do its thing.

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    Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken

    Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken features tender chicken thighs cooked in a flavorful sauce made from apple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and a mix of seasonings. The combination creates a sweet and savory dish that's easy to prepare. Just set it in the slow cooker and let it do its thing, making it perfect for busy nights.

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    Southwestern Cheesy Chicken Pasta

    Southwestern Cheesy Chicken Pasta.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    Southwestern Cheesy Chicken Pasta is a comforting dish that brings together juicy chicken, zesty spices, and a rich, creamy sauce. It's a simple dinner option that everyone in the family will enjoy. This recipe elevates your pasta experience with minimal effort, making it perfect for busy evenings.

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    Crispy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

    Crispy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Slow cooker pork carnitas are a simple way to enjoy a tasty meal with minimal effort. With just 10 minutes of prep, you can let the crockpot do the work for you. The result is tender, shredded pork with crispy edges, perfect for filling soft flour tortillas. Topped with diced onion and cilantro, this dish is sure to become a hit at the dinner table.

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    Baked Lamb Chops & Veggies

    Baked lamb chops with veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet pan meal is a simple way to enjoy lamb without the stress of overcooking it. The lamb chops cook in the flavorful juices from the vegetables, resulting in tender meat that’s full of flavor. It's a great option for a relaxed dinner, allowing you to focus on other things while it bakes.

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    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Bacon & Mushrooms

    Gnocchi with bacon and mushrooms.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This simple meal comes together with just 8 ingredients, making it perfect for any night of the week. Featuring tender gnocchi, crispy bacon, hearty mushrooms, and crunchy pine nuts, it offers a great mix of flavors and textures. It's an easy dish that you'll want to add to your regular dinner rotation.

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    Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna

    Easy Slow Cooker Lasagna.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This crock pot lasagna is a great meal you can prepare ahead of time. It only takes a few minutes to put together using basic ingredients, including uncooked lasagna noodles. After that, the crock pot takes care of the cooking, so you can relax while it does all the work.

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    Ranch Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies

    Sheet pan with chicken and veggies.
    Photo credit: Budget Delicious.

    This simple sheet pan chicken dinner with vegetables is ideal for busy families looking to enjoy a healthy, warm meal. Just toss everything together, pop it in the oven, and it's ready to serve. It really doesn't take much effort at all!

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    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for busy weeknights. With just a little chopping at the beginning, you can let it cook on its own while you take care of other things. It combines chicken, vegetables, and a flavorful sauce all in one pan, making cleanup a breeze.

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    Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

    Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings.
    Photo Credit: Cheerful Cook.

    This dish features tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fluffy buttermilk biscuit dumplings all simmered in a rich, creamy broth. It's a comforting meal that's simple to prepare and perfect for busy nights. Just set it up and let it cook while you take care of other things.

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    Baked Cod in Foil

    A foil pack with cod and potatoes.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    These baked cod packs are simple to prepare and only take about 5 minutes of your time. They combine cod, tomatoes, potatoes, and lemon for a complete meal all in one package. Using frozen cod helps ensure the fish stays perfectly cooked, making this a great option for busy nights.

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    Instant Pot Chicken & Potatoes

    Chicken and tomatoes.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes is a flavorful meal that comes together quickly in the instant pot, taking less than 45 minutes. The dish features a tasty tomato sauce made with fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano. It's a simple dinner option that works well for busy nights.

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    Cheese Tortellini Bake

    Cheese Tortellini Bake
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This dish is simple and quick, needing just 20 minutes to get ready. With only a handful of ingredients and everything cooked in one pan, cleanup is easy. It's ideal for busy weeknights when you want a filling meal without spending hours in the kitchen. You can enjoy a hearty vegetarian option with minimal effort.

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    Slow Cooker Chicken with Sweet Peach Barbecue Glaze

    Chicken with sweet barbecue glaze served with mashed potatoes.
    Photo Credit: Modern Honey.

    This simple main dish features chicken covered in a sweet peach barbecue sauce. With just five ingredients, it’s a breeze to prepare. Perfect for busy nights, this recipe allows you to set it and forget it, making dinner a lot easier.

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    Air Fryer Roast Beef

    Sliced roast beef.
    Photo credit: alwaysusebutter.com.

    This Air Fryer Roast Beef is a simple and delicious dinner option that takes only 50 minutes to prepare. With a flavorful herby crust on the outside and a juicy, tender center, it's sure to please everyone at the table. Plus, it requires just a few easy ingredients, making it a breeze to put together.

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    Crockpot Chicken Potatoes and Green Beans

    Crockpot Chicken Potatoes and Green Beans.
    Photo Credit: I Heart Naptime.

    Crockpot chicken with potatoes and green beans is a simple dinner option that requires very little effort. Everything cooks together in one pot, making cleanup a breeze. This dish is perfect for busy nights when you want a hearty meal without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

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    Slow Cooker Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

    Sour cream chicken enchilada casserole.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is made with chicken breasts, green enchilada sauce, salsa verde, and fire roasted green chiles, along with a few other easy ingredients. It's a great dish for busy weekends, potlucks, or game days, and everyone in the family will love it.

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    Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

    Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup.
    Photo Credit: The Magical Slow Cooker.

    This cheesy soup is a family favorite, packed with ground beef, potatoes, melted Velveeta cheese, chicken broth, vegetables, and seasonings. The ingredients blend together beautifully, creating a comforting dish that everyone will love. It's a simple meal that you can prepare and let simmer, making it perfect for busy nights.

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    Instant Pot Chicken Stew

    Chicken stew.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    Instant Pot Chicken Stew is a simple and convenient dish that anyone can whip up. With just 10 minutes of prep time, you can set it to cook and go about your day. In under 45 minutes, you'll have a hearty meal filled with vegetables and rich flavors, perfect for a cozy dinner.

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    No-Boil Ravioli Casserole

    This cheesy ravioli casserole is one of the simplest dishes you can make. With just four simple ingredients and store-bought shortcuts, you can prep this dish in 5 minutes, and eat in under 40!
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    This dish is incredibly easy to prepare. With just four basic ingredients and some ready-made options, you can have it prepped in about five minutes and on the table in under forty. It's perfect for busy nights when you want a satisfying meal without spending too much time in the kitchen.

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    More Recipe Roundups

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      21 Easy Pasta Salads That Are Great for Busy Weeknights
    • Sheet pan chicken fajitas.
      21 Stupid Simple Veggie Loaded Dishes That Are Perfect for Meal Prep
    • Barbecue chicken dip.
      12 Crockpot Dips You Need for Your Next Party
    • Bolognese.
      27 Easy Meal Prep Ideas for Any Budget

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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