Yes, you absolutely can make s’mores in the oven. Some might argue that they are better than cooked over an open fire! The chocolate gets nice and melted and the marshmallows brown perfectly on one side and become all soft in the middle. Pop the top graham cracker on and your have one killer s’more!
This Easy Enchilada Skillet is so simple to make, you get all the flavors you love in traditional enchiladas without all the work! This one pan enchilada recipe only requires 7 ingredients and about 30 minutes. You can also add chicken, beef or beans for a new flavor. Make this during a busy week or for a fun weekend dinner!
Pair this enchilada skillet recipe with refried beans or Instant Pot Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, and of course, chips and salsa! Don’t forget the tequila mules or margaritas!
Looking for a more traditional Chicken Enchilada Recipe? Check out My Favorite Chicken Enchiladas.
If you want to add chicken you can certainly do that! I recommend using rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, or any cooked chicken you have on hand. I make note in the recipe when to add it to the skillet.
You could also make these bean and cheese enchiladas or beef enchiladas!
This Enchilada Skillet is made with a red chili enchilada sauce. We love this recipe for Enchilada Sauce, it is done in about 10 minutes. It can also be made ahead, doubled, and frozen!
You can also buy two 10 oz cans of your favorite brand at the grocery store.
You will want to use a skillet that has high sides and lid that fits well.
In 1 tablespoon olive oil saute 1 cup onions and 3 garlic cloves over medium low heat until they are softened, about 5 minutes. If you are using beef you will want to brown/crumble it with the onions and garlic, then remove excess grease before moving on.
Pour in the red enchilada sauce and 1 cup chicken broth. If you want to use chicken add 1 cup shredded or diced chicken now, or if you are using beans add those now. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat.
While that comes to a boil, cut your corn tortillas into quarters. Like cutting a pizza into 4 pieces- see the photo below for visual guide:
Once the sauce boils bring the heat back down to low and add the cut tortillas, nestling them into the sauce.
Pop the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and sprinkle with cheese. Pop the lid back on and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and gooey.
Let the enchilada skillet sit off the heat for about 5 minutes to set before serving.
Top with your favorite toppings (see below) and enjoy!
If you are serving these for dinner, don’t forget the toppings. They are not totally necessary, but they are delicious:
Since this is such an easy recipe I like to keep the side dishes pretty easy too. Here are some great options:
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This Easy Skillet Lasagna recipe just takes one pan, a few simple ingredients, and about 30 minutes to make, from start to finish. It is filled with your favorite traditional lasagna flavors; rich marinara sauce, ground beef, tender lasagna noodles, and melty cheeses. It is completely a family friendly dinner ready in about 30 minutes!
This is an incredibly easy stove top lasagna, no need to turn on the oven! Saute the beef and onions, add the sauce and noodles and simmer for a total of 20 minutes. This can be a great dinner even on a busy night. And if you like pesto, definitely give this Pesto Lasagna Skillet recipe a try!
If you are also a fan of easy skillet dinners, check out my Skillet Dirty Rice and Beans, Skillet Mac and Cheese, or Skillet Cajun Shrimp!
[feast_advanced_jump_to]You can listen to this full recipe, all the tips and serving ideas on the podcast Let’s Make Dinner. There is an audio player right in the recipe card below.
This is a great comfort food recipe. It is super easy to make and full of flavor. My whole family devours it every time I make it!
-Elizabeth
When I make this I buy either traditional lasagna noodles or mafaldine noodles, which are like if you took a lasagna noodle and broke it in half down the middle, lengthwise.
Oven ready, no-boil noodles will work too! However they are a little thinner than a traditional noodle so it may require a few more noodles.
Start with a large skillet that has a well fitting lid.
Over medium heat sautรฉ the ground beef, crumbling while cooking. Add ยฝ cup diced onions and 2 chopped garlic cloves. Sautรฉ for another 5 minutes until the ground beef is cooked and the onions are softened.
Pour in 2 cups of your favorite jarred marinara, 1 ยฝ cups water, and ยฝ teaspoon salt. Bring this to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and nestle all the broken lasagna noodles into the liquid. Pop the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. If the pan is looking dry add another ยฝ cup water (I usually do this). Stir in 1 cup cottage cheese and sprinkle the top with 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese.
Pop the lid back on and simmer on low for another 10-12 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted.
Let the Skillet Lasagna sit off the heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.
If it is a busy night then I highly recommend just having this with a bagged caesar salad. However if you have a little extra time add a salad and warm garlic bread or breadsticks.
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If I had to eat just one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be enchiladas! Specifically this recipe for Homemade Chicken Enchilada, it’s my favorite. It has layers and layers of flavor from the seasoned and spiced chicken, tender yellow corn tortillas, red enchilada sauce and plenty of melty cheese over top.
You will be declared the enchilada pro when you make this recipe. Wear your crown proudly!
Chicken enchiladas are AMAZING served with lime rice and refried beans. Add some chips and salsa, maybe a margarita if you are feeling spicy, and you have an excellent dinner that EVERYONE will want to eat.
I made this recipe last night and my 16 year old daughter came in the kitchen with her plate and said:
“Those chicken enchiladas were SO good. Thank you for making them!”
-Susie
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN: The very easiest route to getting tender cooked chicken is to buy a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store (or Costco), and use the two breasts.
POACHED CHICKEN: Poaching chicken breasts is another great way to have tender cooked chicken breasts. This method results in super moist chicken!
INSTANT POT: If you are an Instant Pot lover, you can make all purpose instant pot shredded chicken in a flash, right in your electric pressure cooker.
BAKED CHICKEN: Last but not least you can bake the chicken breasts in the oven. Coat them with a little cooking oil and kosher salt. Bake at 350ยฐF for about 25 minutes until they reach 165ยฐF internal temperature.
Place warm or hot cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on to low speed and let it run for 20-30 seconds, or until the chicken is shredded to your desired consistency. So easy!!
If you want to make your own red chili sauce this is our go-to recipe that makes about 3 cups of sauce. It can be made ahead, doubled, tripled and even frozen for later use: Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Super easy recipe for red enchilada sauce that only requires oil, flour, spices and tomato sauce.
Lay a spoonful of the chicken mixture down the center of the tortilla.
Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch or two of cheese.
Now roll the tortilla over the chicken mixture, like rolling a cigar.
Lay the filled tortilla, seam side down, in the prepared 9×13 glass baking dish.
Once the pan is filled pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top, and optionally finish with chopped green onions.
This really depends on your personal preference. It is more traditional to use corn tortillas in your enchiladas, and that is what we prefer.
If you choose corn tortillas: opt for 6 inch yellow corn tortillas, they will have more flavor than white corn tortillas. They will also give you that traditional enchilada flavor. If you can find refrigerated corn tortillas they will generally be superior to shelf stable tortillas.
I buy the yellow corn 6 inch Yoli Tortillas at Whole Foods:
If you find these Yoli Tortillas in your grocery store BUY THEM!!! They are the best tortillas I have ever had. The brand even has a James Beard award!
If you choose flour tortillas: flour tortillas are much easier to work with than corn, but you will be missing the extra flavor that corn tortillas have. Buy a fajita size for your enchiladas.
Here are a few ideas to change up this Chicken Enchilada recipe to make it your own:
Like I said at the top, enchiladas are my favorite dinner! When we make enchiladas I keep the sides pretty simple! Just lime rice and refried beans does the trick. Restaurant Style Salsa with chips is always a good addition too!
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There are definitely times when you are not able to leave your house… you are sick, you have a sick child at home, major snow storm, ice storm, quarantine, just to name a few! In these cases you need a meal plan that is easy to make and can be made from items that you have or that you can easily get- whether that is an Amazon delivery, Instacart delivery, or a grocery pick up service.
Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken is fall apart tender cooked chicken breasts that are seasoned with a bbq dry rub, then cooked in your electric pressure cooker.
Pull it and shred it and then mix it up with your favorite BBQ sauce and serve it on a bun topped with delicious coleslaw for an amazing pulled chicken sandwich, which make a really easy dinner!
This pulled barbecue chicken would also be amazing on my BBQ Chicken Sliders!
If you love BBQ – definitely check out my Instant Pot Boneless BBQ Ribs! But, if you are looking for a non-barbecue pulled chicken, check out this recipe for Instant Pot All Purpose Pulled Chicken.
Start by cutting your boneless skinless chicken breasts into 4 pieces each. This will allow more surface area for flavor! If you want to use a mix of chicken breasts and chicken thighs for a dark/white mix, you can absolutely do that!
Make a delicious bbq dry rub, which will impart extra bbq flavor! Mix together:
Sprinkle the dry rub on all sides of the chicken, pressing it in so it sticks.
In the Instant Pot pour 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ยฝ tablespoon cider vinegar, and 3 crushed garlic cloves. Place the seasoned chicken in the pot.
Using the trivet is optional.
Close the pot and set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Do a 5 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release.
Yes you can definitely use frozen chicken, however note that it will not be quite as tender.
Make sure that your chicken breasts are seperated and not frozen in one chunk.
Increase the cook time to 12 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Remove the chicken from the pot and pull or shred it. My very favorite way to shred chicken is in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, it makes really quick work of it! Just make sure the chicken is warm and watch so it doesn’t over shred.
You can also shred it by using two forks pulling each chicken piece apart.
Mix your shredded chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce. We like a stickier KC style BBQ sauce . For this amount of chicken I use between ยฝ to ยพ cup sauce.
My very favorite way to serve this chicken is on a bun for Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, top it with a little coleslaw and I am in heaven!
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Creamy Chicken Tacos are my new favorite chicken taco! Tender pieces of cooked chicken get mixed into a creamy sauce full of Mexican seasonings & spices, tomatoes & chilies, fresh herbs, and cheese.ย
This recipe for Homemade Marinara Sauce is a rich tomato based sauce full of traditional marinara ingredients: fresh basil, spices, garlic, onions, flavorful tomatoes, and herb flavored extra virgin olive oil. It tastes like it simmered in your Grandma’s kitchen all day but it is ready in under 1 hour!
Perfect for any pasta recipe that calls for marinara or tomato sauce or meatball recipe.
You will add a few unique ingredients to make sure your Homemade Marinara Sauce has the best and most balanced flavor.
The addition of balsamic vinegar adds a warm flavor in the background. A little sugar balances the acidity of theย vinegar and tomato.
The unexpected ingredient of evaporated milk adds just a hint of creaminess without making it a “cream sauce”, it also soothes the acidity of the tomatoes.
You need really good canned tomatoes, some fresh herbs and spices from your cabinet to make really good homemade marinara sauce.
Since tomatoes are the star of this recipe, I recommend buying the very best canned tomatoes you can.
I prefer to use Cento Crushed Tomatoes, they are a super high quality canned tomato product that is easy to find. Cento Crushed Tomatoes are grown in California, abiding to the high quality standards of the Cento company. Resulting in a super flavorful, rich tomato product.
If you want to have an authentic Italian grown tomato you could also choose to use Cento’s Organic Crushed Tomatoes or Whole Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes. Both of these products are grown in Italy.ย However, only the Whole Peeled Tomatoes follow the strict guidelines that come with being Certified San Marzano.
Using a good extra virgin olive oil is also key in this recipe. You do not want to use plain olive oil, it will not give you the same flavor. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the one that has intense, rich, buttery olive flavor that you can truly taste.
Just make sure the bottle says “extra virgin” on the label.
Fresh rosemary and basil add a beautiful herbaceous flavor to this Marinara recipe. They are fried in the EVOO, releasing all their flavor into the oil, which is then infused into the entire pot of sauce.
The fried herbs are discarded and then the remaining basil gets chopped and added to the sauce. Lending the perfect Italian flavors.
There is one unusual ingredient that I add, evaporated milk. I do this to create an almost creamy texture and taste to the marinara. It is not the same as adding half and half or heavy whipping cream, that would turn this recipe into a true cream sauce.
The evaporated milk just mellows the acidity and gives it a velvety flavor. You can also simmer the evaporated milk without worrying it will curdle.
I love how you start this recipe, by frying the fresh rosemary and 6 basil leaves in the extra virgin olive oil. It is such a simple step but makes such a difference in the flavor of your Homemade Marinara!
When the herbs start to get crispy, about 5 minutes, pull the herbs out and discard. Some pieces may crumble off into the oil, that is ok, but try to get the majority of the herb solids out of the oil.
In the now fragrant oil, add the onions and garlic and sautรฉ over medium low heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened.
Pro Tip: If you don’t like having onion pieces in your sauce you can also just cut an onion in half and place in the sauce. Then discard at the end of cooking.
Now add all the remaining ingredients: fresh basil, Cento Crushed Tomatoes, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, sugar, pinch of red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, and evaporated milk. Stir everything so it is well combined, place the lid on the pot and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes.
You will want to stir the sauce occasionally to make sure the tomatoes do not burn on the bottom.
Once the tomato sauce is ready taste for seasoning (salt and pepper) and pour over your warm pasta.
You can also make this Homemade Marinara Sauce ahead and store in the fridge for use during a busy week.
Follow the instructions but then let the sauce cool for about 25-30 minutes and then place in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You may need to thin the sauce with ยผ cup of water when reheating.
You will love this recipe just as is, but it is easily customizable to suit your family’s taste buds. Here are a few ideas:
Like I said before this is a tear free dinner at our house, so it is a Mom’s Dinner favorite! This Homemade Marinara Sauce gets spooned over spaghetti or penne and garnished with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, or all three.
You can also use it in dishes that call for marinara; Italian Meatballs, Meatball Sub Sandwiches, or Lasagna.
On a busy night it is served with an easy to make bagged Caesar salad. On the weekend when we have a little more time to prep dinner and sit around the table I will add a Big Italian Salad, sauteed garlic green beans or roasted fennel and garlic bread.
If you like this Italian recipe, you may also want to check out these recipes on Mom’s Dinner:
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Creamy Mushroom Pasta is delicious al dente pasta, sauteed garlic and earthy mushrooms coated in a creamy parmesan sauce. This is an uncomplicated pasta recipe with straightforward flavors and 8 simple ingredients. This pasta and mushroom dish makes an easy dinner. Simply pair it with a green salad and some warm bread for a delicious dinner.
If you love pasta for dinner definitely check out this Easy Tomato Cream Sauce and if you love penne pasta these recipes are great too:
The smell of mushrooms and garlic cooking in butter is one of our favorite kitchen smells! So you know we love all-things-mushrooms in the Mom’s Dinner Test Kitchen.
Here are some other mushroom recipes to check out if you are also a huge mushroom lover:
For this dish I recommend using cremini mushrooms, which are actually baby portobello mushrooms. You may even see them called “baby portobellos” or “baby bellas” in the store.
Of course you can use whatever mushrooms you prefer. Just make sure you cut them nice and thick so they still have a bite to them after they are sauteed for 10 minutes!
Here are some pro tips for using mushrooms:
Start by cooking your pasta according to package instructions. Drain. If your sauce isn’t ready right away toss the pasta with a little olive oil and set aside. This will prevent the noodles from clumping together.
Meanwhile in a large skillet with tall sides, add 3 tablespoon of butter and melt over medium heat. Add the thick sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic. After about 2 minutes sprinkle in 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Then continue to sautรฉ for about 8 more minutes until the mushrooms are softened.
Add another 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and let it melt completely. Sprinkle the mushrooms 2 tablespoon all purpose flour. Stir the flour around the pan to coat the mushrooms, about 1 minute to cook the raw flour taste out.
Pour in 1 cup heavy whipping cream and ยฝ cup milk, Stir around the pan until it is thickened.
Troubleshooting cream sauce
Not thick enough – simmer for longer to cook out some of the water content.
Didn’t thicken up at all – mix a heaping tablespoon of cornstarch with about 2 tablespoon water and stir into the sauce. Simmer until it is thickened.
Too thick – add a little more milk until the consistency is to your liking.
Remove from the heat and stir in ยฝ cup shredded parmesan and the cooked pasta, stir until the cheese is melted and the pasta is coated.
Serve garnished with dried basil, dried parsley, or chives.
This is a really simple Mushroom Pasta Recipe, so you can absolutely add some things to make it your own.
Here are some ingredients that would pair well with the mushrooms and creamy flavors:
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat portion single servings into a microwave safe bowl, stir in a little milk to reconstitute the sauce. Microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds.
This pasta dish serves 2-4 people, but I do recommend serving it with a green salad and warm bread.
Just a bagged Caesar salad would be great or if you want to go the extra mile this Big Italian Salad is excellent!
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Instant Pot Corn on the Cob is an easy way to cook perfectly crisp tender fresh corn. It cooks in just 2 minutes after your Instant Pot comes to pressure. Serve it topped with some butter and salt for a perfect side dish.
No Instant Pot, no problem- pop over to this article on How To Boil Corn on the Cob.
When corn is sweet and in season you will also like to make this Homemade Creamed Corn , Corn Chowder or Corn Salsa!
I am sure there are a lot of ways to ensure you have ripe and juicy corn on the cob. I grew up in Iowa and we have gone through our fare share of fresh sweet corn.
Of course you can boil water on the stove and make corn on the cob. But if you have the grill going and you can’t watch for the water to boil, cooking the corn in the Instant Pot is a great option!
Shuck the corn on the cob by peeling back the husk and silk. Give it a rinse under cool water. If there is still a stem end trim that off.
Place the metal trivet in the pot, pour 1 cup water into the bottom.
Set the corn upright, lay it down, or if you have large ears of corn you can cut them in half before adding them to the pot.
Place the lid on the pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Do a quick release at the end of cook time.
With pressure building time and release time the total process is around 13 minutes.
Serve your corn with butter and salt! Sometimes if you have really sweet corn it doesn’t even need the butter and salt.
Pro Tip: if you have a lot of corn to butter and salt, drain the water out of the Instant Pot. Add a couple tablespoons of butter and pinches of kosher salt to the pot. Put the lid on and shake the corn in the Instant Pot. It will get a nice coating of butter!
If you love serving corn on the cob as a side dish, here are some awesome entrรฉe ideas to accompany your Instant Pot Corn on the Cob:
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Oven roasting is the perfect method for cooking fresh asparagus. It is so easy, only requiring 3 ingredients, a sheet pan, and 10 minutes. It also leaves the spears crisp-tender, which is the perfect texture, exactly how it should be.
Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese or lemon over the top and you have a stand-out side dish.
If you love fresh asparagus you should also check out my Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus, and Asparagus Egg Cups Recipe.
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.
Grab a large sheet pan that will allow your asparagus enough room to roast. If you overcrowd the pan the asparagus will steam instead of roast.
You always want to make sure you trim the woody hard stem end from your fresh asparagus. You will never be able to chew thru it and you don’t want your guests politely chewing for 10 minutes!
Grab one spear by the larger stem end with one hand, and a little below the flower end with the other hand. Gently bend the asparagus until it snaps. Right where it snaps is the point between the tender portion we eat and the woody portion you toss.
Now line that piece up with the rest of the bundle.ย Then cut the rest of the asparagus at the point where the pre trimmed piece ends. Voila- you’re left with tender, yummy asparagus, ready to cook!
Place all your trimmed asparagus on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. With clean hands toss the asparagus so it is coated in the oil. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
At the end you can zest a little lemon over top or sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan.
This beautiful side dish can really sit alongside almost any dinner menu. Here are some of my favorites:
This recipe is also a staple on our Easter dinner menu. It just screams SPRING and adds beautiful color to the menu!
Asparagus grows wild in the Midwest especially in Iowa, where I grew up. When I was little, in the Spring, my entire family would gather at my grandparents house and we would have an asparagus hunting day.
Everyone would put on their grubby clothes, tie their hair up in bandanas and pack a pocket knife to cut down the wild spears. We would spend the afternoon trekking thru the ditches of Iowa looking for asparagus to harvest. At the end of the day we would be loaded with more asparagus than one family could possibly eat in a week!
After coming home we would do a quick tick check and then move on to preparing our feast from the afternoon spoils. My grandpa would grill farm fresh T-Bone steaks and my grandma would prepare all the asparagus you could ever want to eat. After the weekend everyone would be sent home with their own bundle of wild asparagus.
I still think about those days every time I eat asparagus… or a T-Bone steak!
If there every is a situation where you have to eat strictly from your pantry and the current staples that are in your fridge – like eggs and milk – wouldn’t it be helpful to have a meal plan to make the most of your ingredients.
