20 Easy Dinners for the Week Between Christmas and New Year’s

It’s the laziest week of the year!

The last week of December feels like a total whirlwind. You got through Christmas (yay!) and now New Year’s is quickly approaching. You’re exhausted (boo!), and dinner still needs to get on the table. So, what’s the plan? This is when you lean on easy dinner recipes to help you cross that finish line into the new year, and we’re here to help. From Hands-Off Beef Stew to One-Pot Chicken and Orzo, we’ve rustled up a collection of recipes perfect for what should be the laziest week of the year—because you deserve it!

01 of 20

Grandma Patty’s Chili (30 Minutes)

Get Recipe: Grandma Patty’s Chili (30 Minutes)

“Chili is usually topped with tortilla chips or saltines, but I have my own secret topping I’ve kept to myself all these years. My grandma’s pantry harbored a litany of snacks, and I knew exactly where to find all of my favorites. For a savory, crunchy bite, I reached for Fritos, and now I rarely eat her chili without them.” —Joey Firoben, Recipe Developer

02 of 20

Salmon with Potatoes and Pesto (4 Ingredients, 1 Pan)

Get Recipe: Salmon with Potatoes and Pesto (4 Ingredients, 1 Pan)

“For customization, you can easily swap pesto for other sauces or allow people to add their own toppings to the salmon. Try garlic butter with herbs, a swipe of hummus and a drizzle of olive oil, or a bit of Dijon mustard and dill. You can even stick with seasoning simply with salt and pepper, then serve with lemon wedges.” —Sara Haas, Recipe Developer

03 of 20

Easy Chicken Cobbler

Get Recipe: Easy Chicken Cobbler

“This super easy cobbler is made all in one baking dish—right down to melting the butter! Just assemble all the layers (no stovetop cooking required) and pop the dish in the oven to cook all together, freeing you up for other tasks.” —Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

04 of 20

Creamy White Beans and Greens (10 Minutes)

Get Recipe: Creamy White Beans and Greens (10 Minutes)

“Two things set this recipe apart from the other beans and greens out there. First, some beans are mashed before they’re added, and second, I make use of an oft-discarded ingredient: the bean liquid, aka "aquafaba." Both lend a velvety body to the dish and give it a rich, creamy texture.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

05 of 20

No-Peek Chicken

Get Recipe: No-Peek Chicken

“With the help of some clever pantry items, you can have creamy, flavorful chicken and rice with almost no effort. While the one-dish meal bakes, you’re free to do some laundry, help the kids with homework, or just lay back with a glass of wine.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

06 of 20

Southern Swamp Soup

Get Recipe: Southern Swamp Soup

“The most common combo you’ll find in swamp soup recipes is turnip greens, smoked sausage, and white beans. And it really is a winning combo. However, it’s easy to tweak this recipe to suit your tastes, your diet, and what you have handy.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

07 of 20

Cheesy Baked Tacos Recipe (20 Minutes)

Get Recipe: Cheesy Baked Tacos Recipe (20 Minutes)

“My top reasons for baking tacos are ease and crispy cheese. It’s flat-out easier to toss a bunch of tacos in the oven instead of flipping them in a skillet, and they all cook at once.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

08 of 20

Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves with Crispy Broccoli and Mustard Glazed Potatoes

Get Recipe: Sheet Pan Mini Meatloaves with Crispy Broccoli and Mustard Glazed Potatoes

“After a bit of prep, dinner cooks in the oven, so most of the time is hands-off, and you’re free to hang with your kids or finish up odds and ends before sitting down to dinner. This is a weeknight recipe I’m sure you’ll add to your dinner rotation.” —Sharon Lehman, Recipe Developer

09 of 20

Ravioli Lasagna

Get Recipe: Ravioli Lasagna

“The ravioli cooks as the whole dish bakes in the oven (no need to boil), so most of the cooking is hands-off. The result is a casserole that has all the flavors of slow-cooked Sunday lasagna but with a time commitment that makes it realistic for a Wednesday during the school year.” —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

10 of 20

Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili (15 Minutes, No Chop)

Get Recipe: Dump-and-Stir White Chicken Chili (15 Minutes, No Chop)

"Need a nourishing meal in a hurry? Don’t want to chop a single thing? This dump-and-stir white chicken chili is for you. From start to finish, this soup is ready in 20 minutes or less, and all you’ll need is a can opener and a pot. Dinner doesn’t get much easier than that.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

11 of 20

Johnny Mac (4-Ingredient Casserole)

Get Recipe: Johnny Mac (4-Ingredient Casserole)

“When I first left the nest and needed to fend for myself, I turned to Johnny Mac over and over. It checked all the boxes: yummy, easy, filling, and I never had to write down the recipe—it was too simple to forget. The other big plus? This makes a lot of food, so I had leftovers for days.” —Joey Firoben, Recipe Developer

12 of 20

One-Pot Spiced Lentils (4 Ingredients)

Get Recipe: One-Pot Spiced Lentils (4 Ingredients)

“It’s so easy to make, and it’s perfect reheated for lunch the next day. I serve it as-is, without any side dishes or accompaniments. Think of it like a thick spiced lentil soup. There’s almost no prep and very few ingredients, and once it’s on the stove, it requires almost no hand-holding.” —Amanda Blum, Recipe Developer

13 of 20

Colu Henry's Pasta e Ceci

Get Recipe: Colu Henry's Pasta e Ceci

"Ultimately, what I love most about this recipe is its adaptability. If I have kale that’s seen better days in the crisper, into the pot, it goes. If escarole happens to be on sale, that bitter gem is coming home with me for this recipe. This recipe is the modern-day Stone Soup; a handful of modest ingredients transforms into a nostalgic, nutritious, and crowd-pleasing dinner.” —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

14 of 20

Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Mushrooms, Sausage, and Kale

Get Recipe: Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Mushrooms, Sausage, and Kale

"This recipe takes very little time to pull together, but if you want to do some prep in advance, you can stem and chop the kale and prepare the mushrooms. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.” —Katie Morford, Recipe Developer

15 of 20

Hands-Off Beef Stew (15-Minute Prep)

Get Recipe: Hands-Off Beef Stew (15-Minute Prep)

"I don’t always have time or inclination for all that prep, plus browning the meat makes a mess of my stovetop. So I set out to make a hands-off stew that is easier to throw together—no browning, no sautéing of any kind, but just as delicious as classic versions. Just dump and go!” —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

16 of 20

BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos (One Pan, 20 Minutes)

Get Recipe: BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Nachos (One Pan, 20 Minutes)

"This is one of those recipes where the measurements suggested are just that: suggestions. Feel free to add or subtract according to your family’s taste buds!" —Claudia Cash, Recipe Developer

17 of 20

One Pot Chicken and Orzo

Get Recipe: One Pot Chicken and Orzo

"It's a winner! And the best part? Aside from it being absolutely delicious, is that it's really easy to make, all in one large skillet. You can do most of the prep while the chicken is browning, so the whole shebang takes maybe 35 minutes.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

18 of 20

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake (6 Ingredients)

Get Recipe: Italian Sausage Pasta Bake (6 Ingredients)

"You can assemble the dish ahead of time and bake it later if you like. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to two days. If you’re baking it from the fridge, add another 15 to 20 minutes to the cooking time and skip the broiling step—the cheese on top will get plenty browned with the extra oven time.” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

19 of 20

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

Get Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

"Olive Garden adds roast chicken to the soup. You can take their lead and pick up a roast chicken from the grocery store—that's what I did to develop the recipe." —Myo Quinn, former Associate Editorial Director

20 of 20

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie (5 Ingredients, 40 Minutes)

Get Recipe: Lentil Shepherd’s Pie (5 Ingredients, 40 Minutes)

"This recipe uses not only one but two genius hacks to do just that and only needs five ingredients total. To make a super-speedy yet flavor-packed vegetarian shepherd’s pie, reach for a couple of cans of veggie lentil soup plus some pre-packaged mashed potatoes, and you’re more than halfway there.” —Afton Cyrus, Senior Editor

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