5 Family Dinner Ideas for a Busy Week

Another week, another round of figuring out what in the world we’re making for dinner.

We’re back with five more family dinner ideas for a busy week, and this week’s lineup feels especially good for the beginning of fall. We have cozy pasta, an easy crockpot dinner, classic comfort food, tacos, and a fresh noodle salad to finish things off.

As always, these are the recipes we’re actually putting on our own meal plans and passing along to our sisters. Hopefully they make planning your dinners this week a little easier, too.

1. Lemon Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Air Fryer Chicken

We’re starting the week with one of our own recipes!

This Lemon Alfredo has become one of our favorite pasta dinners. The sauce is creamy and lemony, and the crispy breaded chicken on top makes the whole thing feel a little more special than your standard weeknight pasta.

Serve it with: A simple green salad, roasted broccoli, asparagus, or whatever vegetable you have hanging out in the fridge.

Why we like it: It feels like a dinner everyone gets excited about without requiring a ton of work. FULL RECIPE HERE!

2. Crockpot White Chicken Chili Burrito Bowls from Half Baked Harvest

Next up, we’re pulling out the crockpot.

These burrito bowls have seasoned chicken slow-cooked with poblano peppers and salsa verde, then served over rice with all the good stuff: lettuce, cheese, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and tortilla chips.

Serve it with: Rice and a whole lineup of toppings so everyone can build their own bowl. We pair it with our favorite green dressing (Cafe Rio copy cat).

Why we like it: It’s a mostly hands-off dinner, and build-your-own meals tend to go over pretty well when everyone in the family has a different opinion about what should be on their plate. CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

3. Ultimate Beef Stroganoff from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

We’re officially getting into the time of year when beef stroganoff sounds good again.

This version from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe is made in the slow cooker, with Instant Pot directions included, and has tender beef in a creamy, savory gravy. You can serve it over egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, or even baked potatoes.

Serve it with: Egg noodles and green beans, peas, or a simple salad.

Why we like it: It’s classic comfort food, and most of the work happens earlier in the day instead of during the after-school dinner-hour chaos. Get the full recipe HERE!

4. Chicken Tacos with Green Sauce from Pinch of Yum

Taco night, but make it slightly more exciting.

These chicken tacos from Pinch of Yum use chicken thighs seasoned with taco seasoning, garlic, and soy sauce, then cooked in the air fryer until golden. Add tortillas and that creamy avocado green sauce, and you have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.

Serve it with: Chips and salsa, fresh fruit, corn, black beans, or a simple salad.

Why we like it: Because tacos. We really shouldn’t have to explain this one. CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

5. Thai Peanut Noodle Salad from Our Best Bites

Something fresh to balance out the cozy food.

This Thai Peanut Noodle Salad combines linguine (or spaghetti noodles), crunchy vegetables, grilled chicken, peanuts, and a homemade Thai peanut dressing. It’s served cold, which makes it a nice change after several warmer, heavier dinners earlier in the week.

Serve it with: Honestly, we’d happily eat this one as-is. It already has chicken, noodles, and plenty of veggies, so there’s really no need to add much.

Why we like it: Every meal plan needs something that breaks up the comfort-food streak, and this does exactly that. CLICK HERE for the full recipe.

This Week’s Dinner Lineup

If you just want to screenshot the plan and move on with your life:

Lemon Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Chicken
Crockpot White Chicken Chili Burrito Bowls
Ultimate Beef Stroganoff
Chicken Tacos with Green Sauce
Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

There you go. Five dinners planned.

As always, move them around based on your week. Put the crockpot meal on your busiest day, save the pasta or stroganoff for a night when everyone needs something cozy, and leave yourself a leftovers, takeout, or cereal-for-dinner night somewhere in there too.

Hopefully these family dinner ideas for a busy week make the dreaded what are we having for dinner? question a little easier.

And if you make one, let us know which recipe was the winner. We’re always looking for good meals to pass along to our sisters.

X.o.
The Threads Between Sisters