Classic French onion soup is one of my favorite bistro lunches when I spot it on a restaurant menu but making it from scratch takes a bit of time and effort.

Luckily, I can get all that decadent beefy onion flavor in a quick 30-minute dinner recipe with this super quick baked French onion chicken recipe.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are seasoned and then baked in a juicy French onion sauce. Layers of cheese are melted on top right at the end.

This easy weeknight dinner is definitely going to be a new staple in our rotation during the chilly months ahead.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Double Duty: The French onion soup works to keep the chicken tender while baking and then thickens to a rich onion gravy for spooning over your side dishes.
• Melty Cheese on Top: Layer sliced provolone at the end for a gorgeous, bubbly melted cheese topping.
• Pantry-Friendly Ingredient List: You can keep most of these things on hand for a grab-and-bake dinner with almost no notice.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: These thick, meaty portions hold up really well to the French onion soup. You could use chicken thighs if you don’t mind fall-apart tender chicken that is served in chunks instead of whole pieces.
• French Onion Soup: This recipe calls for the canned condensed soup, not a dry French onion soup packet. If you have a soup packet on hand, stir it into 1 1/4 cups water or low-sodium beef broth. It will be a little thinner than the canned soup but still works.
• Balsamic Vinegar: This adds a much-needed boost of acidity to the gravy. If you don’t have it on hand, you could substitute red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon honey.
• Seasonings: Dried paprika, thyme, and black pepper. No additional salt is needed.
• Cheese for the Topping: I used provolone cheese but Swiss or Gruyere would both be delicious. I used sliced cheese for ease and convenience but shredded would work, too.

Season the Chicken

Cut the chicken breasts in half to make 4 pieces. Place them in a small 8×8-inch baking dish.

Season both sides with the paprika, thyme, and pepper.

Pour the canned French onion soup over the top. Drizzle in the balsamic vinegar.

Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent spills in the oven while baking.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Bake the chicken for 30 – 35 minutes or until it registers 165°F at the thickest part of the breast.

Turn on the oven broiler.

Lay the slices of cheese over the top of the chicken pieces.

Place the chicken under the broiler and cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Make Ahead Tips

This chicken is best served the day you bake it but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

If you’d like to make it ahead, it might work better to bake the chicken as directed but save adding the melted cheese over the top until you reheat it.

Warm the chicken through in the microwave or oven and then add the cheese fresh and melt it just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

I made a batch of my favorite jasmine rice to soak up all the delicious onion gravy from the French Onion chicken when I served it to my family. I added a serving of air fryer green beans on the side.

You could also serve it with my Instant Pot Sticky butter rice for an extra onion-y dinner.

To mimic a traditional French onion soup, you could toast a pan of thick-cut French bread slices brushed with a touch of olive oil under the broiler until golden brown. Then spoon the baked chicken over the top.

Prepared mashed potatoes or your favorite buttered noodles are a fantastic pairing as well.

More French Onion Recipes

If you love the flavor of beef French onion soup, you won’t want to miss these other easy family dinner recipes:

On a busy weeknight, nothing bakes up easier than a sheet pan dinner. The only tricky part is getting everything to cook all at the proper temp and time.

This flavorful baked barbecue chicken sheet pan dinner has sliced sausages, peppers, and onion to really amp up the flavor.

This easy main dish pairs so well with a long list of barbecue dinner side dishes but I loved it all by itself as an easy work week lunch.

The leftovers heated up in my microwave so well.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• One Pan Recipe: You can cook everything for dinner all on one sheet pan for quick clean-up.
• Sweet and Spicy: Sweet BBQ sauce, tender chicken, and spicy andouille sausage add so much flavor to the sheet pan.
• Easy Meal Prep: You can prep all the ingredients in advance for a quick toss-it-in-the-oven dinner on a busy night.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: These cook quickly and evenly and still remain tender and juicy. If you prefer, you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts, but just know that they will cook significantly faster.
• Andouille Sausage Links: I bought prepared andouille chicken sausages from the store. You could use any brand you like.
• Fresh Vegetables: I used a red and orange bell pepper. You could use yellow or green. I also used a red onion but a vidalia or white onion would taste nice too.
• BBQ Sauce: Any flavor your family loves works. I used a homemade cherry BBQ sauce when I photographed this recipe for you but my light and sweet BBQ sauce would be amazing, too.

How to Time the Cooking

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

You’re going to cook this dinner in two stages:

1. Bake the Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs take a long time in the oven to get tender. If you tried to cook everything all at once, the sausages and peppers would burn. Instead, give them a jump start in the oven while you prepare the sausage and peppers. Then add everything in for the final cook.
2. Roast the Sausage and Peppers: While the chicken thighs are baking, you can slice the sausage and peppers and have them ready to go onto the sheet pan into the oven.

Season the Chicken

When I photographed this recipe, I decided to bake the chicken in a separate 9×13 baking dish. This step is not necessary at all. You can actually cook the chicken directly on the sheet pan to start, and then just add the sausage and peppers later.

It’s important to season both sides of the chicken thighs. I sprinkled salt and pepper over the top and decided to add a tablespoon of dry BBQ rub for even more flavor. That’s an optional add-in.

Prep the Sausage and Peppers Mix

Slice the andouille sausages on an angle in 1/2-in thick coins. They cook up nicely that way.

Then chop the peppers and onions and mix everything together. Drizzle with olive oil and toss again.

I did this on a sheet pan while the chicken thighs were doing their first round in the oven, but you could keep these in a mixing bowl until they’re ready to add to the baking sheet.

Baking Instructions

Once you’ve seasoned the chicken thighs, you can put them right into the oven for 25 minutes all by themselves.

When they’re done with that first round of baking, brush the tops with barbecue sauce.

Now is the time to add the sausages, peppers, and onions to the oven.

I was able to fit the sheet pan of sausage and the baking dish of chicken into my oven right next to each other at the same time.

But if you wanted, you could just add the sausages straight to the sheet pan and place the chicken thighs right on top.

Bake the chicken and sausage for another 20 minutes, or until the chicken thighs have cooked all the way through and are nice and tender, and the sheet pan of veggies is starting to char around the edges.

Make Ahead Tips

Prep Ahead: This recipe is an excellent DIY meal kit. You can prep all of the ingredients in advance and store them separately in the fridge for a grab-and-bake dinner in minutes.

• Season the chicken thighs and keep them in a zip-top bag.
• Slice the sausages and keep them in a separate bag.
• Slice the peppers and onions and keep them in a third bag.

Meal Prep: If you’re looking to fill your meal prep containers, you can bake the recipe as directed and then just divide everything up into containers that are easy to grab for your lunches all week long.

The leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: For the best texture, I recommend thawing in the fridge overnight before reheating. Then you can just pop a dish into the microwave and heat it up for a few minutes.

Serving Suggestions

I prepared this sheet pan recipe for myself as a high-protein lunch option to enjoy during the workweek. I was so excited to have something so delicious to pull from the fridge and heat up in the microwave during my busy days.

To make it a full-fledged family dinner, you could add a second sheet pan of crispy roasted sweet potatoes. They could bake in the oven on another rack at the same time. Or pop some whole sweet potatoes into a slow cooker.

To amp up the veggie content, you could also do a pan of parmesan-roasted zucchini or make this decadent old-fashioned squash casserole.

Lean in on the barbecue dinner plate and consider adding some cast iron cornbread or mashed potatoes to soak up the barbecue sauce. Of course, a 9×13 of my baked mac and cheese is always a hit with the kids too.

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

If you love cooking with boneless, skinless chicken thighs like I do, you won’t want to miss these other delicious family recipes:

If you’re a fan of sweet and savory like I am, you’re going to love taking my fresh roasted pears and using them to top this easy roasted pear salad with blue cheese and walnuts.

Each bite has so many flavor layers going on. You’ve got the sweet, juicy pears, the bite of freshly cracked pepper, and the tangy blue cheese with crispy, salty nuts and fresh greens.

Talk about a delicious salad. Take that, boring ranch dressing and romaine!

This is such a fun alternative fall recipe when you’re a little bit tired of apples and pumpkins. Be sure to add it to your dinner menu soon.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Prep-Ahead Friendly: You can serve the roasted pears chilled which allows you to roast them in advance for a quick-to-assemble salad.
• Sweet and Salty: I love the combination of the sweet juicy pears with crispy nuts and creamy, tangy blue cheese.
• Versatile Salad Dressing Options: Store bought or homemade, there are plenty of options for your dressing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Lettuce Base: I used a mixed spring greens for this but fresh arugula or baby spinach would also both be delcious.
• Roasted Pears: These will take about 25 minutes to prepare but you can do the work ahead. Assembling the rest of the salad will take just a few minutes.
• Crumbled Cheese: I used goat cheese on the day I made this because they didn’t have gorgonzola when I grocery shopped. I prefer the flavor of blue cheese here but goat or feta cheese crumbles both work great.
• Chopped Nuts: I used chopped walnuts for this salad but chopped pecans would be delicious, too.
• Salad Dressing: I made a quick batch of my homemade mustard vinagrette but to keep things simple you could grab a bottle of balsamic vinaigrette from the grocery store. Be sure to note my salad dressing options in the notes below.

Roast the Pears

You can get my full roasted pears recipe here (with full step-by-step photos) but I put the instructions in the recipe card below for your convenience.

Serve Warm or Chilled

You could serve the roasted pears warm from the roasting skillet or you can prep them ahead and keep them chilled in the fridge.

The salad is delicious either way but a few things to note:

Texture of the Cheese: If you want the cheese to retain its crumbled shape, serve the salad cold. The warm pears quickly melt the cheese which can affect presentation on a party platter.

Oven Timing: The pears roast at 350°F. If you need oven space for a dish that requires a different temperature, keep it easy and roast the pears early.

Prepare the Salad Dressing

My mustard vinaigrette recipe takes just a few minutes to whisk together and is an excellent option for this salad.

If you prefer to use a store bought salad dressing, I would recommend:

• Balsamic Vinaigrette: Pairs perfectly with the sauce from the roasted pears.
• Blue Cheese Dressing: For a richer and creamier salad, this is an excellent option. You could also make my homemade blue cheese dressing if you prefer.
• Apple Cider Vinaigrette
• Poppy Seed Dressing

Assemble the Salad

For a weeknight family dinner, I prepare the salad on individual serving plates because I’m feeding just four.

During the holiday season, I would prepare the salad on one large serving platter for a party.

Toss your salad greens of choice with the salad dressing that you want. Lay down the bed of greens on your platter.

Top with the sliced roasted pears. Sprinkle the crumbled cheese and nuts over the top.

Season with a sprinkle of salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Make Ahead Tips

You can prepare all of the salad ingredients ahead of time. Just keep them stored separately in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the final dish.

This is especially important if you’re making a homemade salad dressing. You don’t want to top the salad greens with dressing until just before serving, or they will wilt.

Serving Suggestions

This easy roasted pear salad is such a simple starter for an elegant holiday meal. Light and refreshing with the juicy pears on top, it is a fresh start before your dinner.

I would pair it with my cranberry blue cheese-stuffed pork tenderloins or this savory oven-roasted pork loin green peppercorn sauce.

If you wanted to turn this into a full-blown entree salad for a weeknight family dinner, you could plan to top it with seasoned baked chicken breasts or sliced pork tenderloin.

More Salad Recipes

If you love fresh and fruity salad toppings, you will also love these other seasonal recipes:

Pears have been one of my favorite fruits since I was a little kid, but I tend to forget about them in the middle of fall when it seems everything is apple- and pumpkin-oriented.

Often, you’ll see roasted fruit suggested as a simple dessert, but I love the idea of roasting fresh pears in a skillet with a more savory sauce including balsamic vinaigrette.

These tender pears are delicious served as a side dish for your dinner, but I loved slicing them and serving them over peppery arugula for a simple salad.

As we get closer to the holidays, this is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket. You can make them ahead the day before and serve them chilled.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Seasonal Ingredients: This is the perfect recipe for fall when fresh pears are in season. It’s a wonderful alternative to the steady stream of apples and pumpkins.
• One Dish: The pears get browned in the same skillet as is used to cook them in the oven.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: You can roast the pears a day in advance and chill them in the fridge for a quick-to-grab salad topping.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Fresh Pears: Start with firm Bartlett or Bosc pears. You cannot use canned pears in this recipe, they are already too soft.
• For the Sauce: Olive oil, Brown Sugar, Balsamic Vinegar
• Seasonings: Salt & Pepper

Prepare the Pears

Wash the pears and then slice them in half with a chef’s knife.

I found that a 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon is the perfect size for scooping out the core. You could also use a small melon baller if you have one. Remove the cores and discard.

Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the cut side of the pears.

Brown the Pears

Pour the olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet and set it over medium-high heat.

Make sure the handle is oven-safe too, since this pan will be going into the oven.

Once the pan is hot and the olive oil is shimmering, carefully place the pears in the skillet, cut side down.

Cook for 2 minutes or until they are nicely browned.

Season the Pears

Turn the pears over and then sprinkle them with brown sugar.

Add the balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan. This will help loosen up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom.

Roasting Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Transfer the skillet to the oven for 10 minutes.

The pears are done when a sharp knife slides in easily at the thickest part of the pear.

To serve immediately, transfer the pears to a serving platter and then spoon the juices from the skillet over the top.

Make Ahead Tips

The cooled pears can be covered in plastic wrap and kept in the fridge until serving, but they’re best the day you make them.

Prep Ahead: Once you’ve sliced the fresh, raw pears, they will begin to brown if you don’t cook them immediately. If you want to prep this dish ahead, I recommend going all the way through to cooked and then letting them cool before storing them.

Fridge: Stored in an airtight container, cooked pears usually keep about 3 days.

Reheating Note: The pears don’t reheat very well, so plan to serve prepped-ahead pears cold.

Variations

I made these roasted pears for topping my roasted pear salad with blue cheese and nuts.

If you want to serve them as a side dish on their own, you might want to consider adding one of the following toppings:

• Fresh Thyme: Add a sprig to the skillet just before roasting in the oven.
• Chopped Nuts: Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts over the top for the last minute of roasting.
• Crumbled Cheese: Spoon a bit of crumbled goat cheese, feta, or blue cheese over the top just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

I usually make these roasted pears as a festive salad topping during the fall holiday season. This roasted pear salad is the perfect pairing with blue cheese, walnuts, and my mustard vinaigrette dressing.

You could also use them in place of the raw pears in my festive apple pear salad.

However, they make an excellent, simple side dish when you want to add something sweet to the table.

If you’re trying to get a jump start on your Thanksgiving dinner, you could plan to make roasted chicken leg quarters for my make-ahead roasted chicken gravy.

Serve the meat for your dinner tonight with a scoop of Instant Pot rice pilaf, air fryer green beans, and these roasted pears as a side dish.

More Pear Recipes

If you would like to add more pear recipes to your fall menus, check out some of these family favorites:

French dip sandwiches have always been my go-to sandwich order when we dine out. I love that savory roast beef with melted cheese and crispy bread dunked in au jus dipping sauce.

These bite-sized party sandwiches are such a fun way to make French dips quickly on a busy weeknight.

I tested out these French dip sliders on my family for a lazy weekend lunch and they were a huge hit. They’re now a staple of any football party menu I plan but they’ll come in really handy with this upcoming holiday season.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Big Flavor, Easy Ingredients: Just a handful of ingredients make these sliders packed with flavor. Beefy, juicy, and drippy deliciousness.
• Deli Roast Beef: No need to make a roast beef from scratch. Use the quick grocery store shortcut from the deli.
• Bite-sized French Dips: When you don’t want to commit to a whole sandwich, these little appetizer-sized sliders are just the right fix.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These easy sliders come together with simple ingredients you can grab at about any grocery store. Here are a few things you should know before you make your shopping list:

• Hawaiian Dinner Rolls: These slightly sweet, soft rolls are easy to find at the grocery store. I like the way the Hawaiian flavor pairs with the savory roast beef. If you can’t find them, you can substitute any small slider bun or make my homemade potato buns in a bread machine.
• Deli Roast Beef: This is my favorite store-bought shortcut. I don’t mind making a roast beef from scratch for my French dip sandwiches, but for these easy party sliders, the deli is the way to go. Of course, if you have leftover roast beef, that works great.
• Provolone Cheese: I love the way the provolone melts over the beef. If you don’t have it on hand, you could substitute an American cheese, gruyere, or Swiss.
• French Fried Onions: Yes, the same kind you use in green bean casserole. Save the leftovers for your Thanksgiving side dishes!
• Au Jus Seasoning Packet: You’ll find this by the gravy packets at the grocery store.
• Seasonings: Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, garlic salt, onion powder.

Assemble the Sliders

Open up the Hawaiian Rolls and use a serrated knife to cut them horizontally from end to end. Carefully lift the top half off and set it aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the bottom half of the slider buns down, and then top them with an even layer of provolone cheese.

Arrange the roast beef in an even layer across the cheese.

Top with a sprinkle of the crispy fried onions, and then layer the second half of the cheese over the top.

Place the top half of the buns over the sliders.

In a small mixing bowl, melt the butter and add just one tablespoon of the au jus powder.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, garlic salt, and onion powder. Then brush the mixture evenly over the top of the rolls, making sure to spread the seasonings evenly over each bun.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Loosely cover the sliders with aluminum foil and bake them for 6 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 8 minutes or so until they are golden brown on top, the cheese is melted, and they’re warmed all the way through.

Make the Au Jus

While the sliders are baking, prepare the au jus dipping sauce.

Add the remaining seasoning powder to a small saucepan with 2 cups of cold water.

Whisk until combined and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.

Make Ahead Tips

One of the best things about party sliders is how easy they are to prep ahead.

Assemble Ahead: Slice the buns and fill with the roast beef, cheese, and onions up to 24 hours ahead of time. Cover tightly so the buns don’t dry out in the fridge. Wait to brush on the butter topping until just before baking.

Store Leftovers: While I think these are the best enjoyed the day you baked them, leftovers actually keep quite well in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Store the au jus separately so the bread stays fresh.

Reheating Tips: For the best results, place your leftover sliders in a baking dish, cover loosely with foil, and warm in a 325°F oven until just heated through.

Variations

These roast beef sliders are delicious just as they are, but they’re also easy to customize depending on what your family loves or what you have in the fridge:

• Caramelized Onions: if you’ve made a batch of my easy caramelized onions, you could use these in place of the crispy fried onions for a softer, sweeter flavor.
• Horseradish Sauce: you could spread a thin layer of creamy horseradish sauce onto the rolls before adding the beef if you like a little extra kick in your slider.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the warm French dip sliders with a cup of the au jus dipping sauce on the side.

I made these for a simple afternoon lunch, just for fun for my family. We enjoyed them with some chips and dip for an easy snack.

If you wanted to turn them into a full-fledged family dinner, you could plan to serve them with my crispy ranch roasted potatoes or even a chilled dill potato salad.

To add some veggies to the plate, I recommend making my easy vinegar slaw, which complements the rich and savory slider really well. For the kids, a platter of fresh veggies and dill dip is always a hit.

For football parties or potlucks, you can arrange the sliders on a large platter with small bowls of the warm au jus. They’re easy for everyone to grab, dip, and enjoy.

More Slider Recipes

If your family loves sliders, there are plenty of other easy recipes to add to your dinner rotation. Here are a few of my favorites:

Halloween night is always so busy with costumes, candy, and trick-or-treating that Halloween dinner needs to be as easy as possible.

One of my favorite tricks for making a simple family dinner feel special is to start with a package of Halloween-shaped pasta.

Those adorable little pumpkins, ghosts, and spiders can turn even the easiest pasta recipe into a festive Halloween dinner the kids will love.

I’ve rounded up my favorite pasta sauces to pair with the fun noodles, along with a few tips for cooking them so that the cute shapes don’t fall apart before they reach your dinner table.

Fun Halloween Shaped Pasta Noodles

To make your Halloween pasta dinner even more fun, I recommend starting with a package of festive-shaped Halloween pasta.

If you can’t find something similar near you, you can order the Pastabilities Halloween pasta right here.

Its adorable bag of shaped pasta features pumpkins, ghosts, and spiders.

Even my big kids thought this made dinner so much fun.

How to Cook Shaped Pasta

If you’ve never cooked specialty-shaped pastas before, there are a couple of tricks you need to know.

First, the package directions almost always recommend cooking the pasta longer than you should.

If you boil the noodles too long, the pasta becomes so soft that the shapes easily fall apart when you drain the pot.

When the pasta pot is at a full boil, make sure you salt the water first.

Then add the pasta to the pot, give it a quick stir, and set your cooking timer for 2 minutes less than the package directions.

Use a slotted spoon to scoop a noodle out of the boiling water. Blow on it and give it a taste. It should be quite firm to the bite but shouldn’t be crunchy at the center.

If it’s still kind of crispy in the middle, then let the pasta cook just a little bit longer. The goal is to pull it from the burner as soon as it is firm-tender all the way through.

With most of the pasta sauce recipes below, the pasta will continue to cook, so don’t worry about it being too firm for your preference. It will soften up before dinner is served.

Carefully drain the pasta into a colander and let it rest. Try not to shake or move the noodles too much. The goal is to keep the shapes intact as much as possible.

Now it’s time to pick your favorite pasta sauce to go with your fun-shaped noodles.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

If I could only pick one pasta sauce from this whole post for you to pair with your shaped noodles, it would 100% be this stovetop mac and cheese.

The creamy orange color is perfect for the holiday season, and my kids have always loved this homemade version as a pre-trick-or-treat dinner.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Another fun creamy sauce that would really highlight the shape of the noodles is my homemade Alfredo sauce made with cream cheese. If you want to add a veggie, this pairs really well with frozen peas.

Hearty Beef Bolognese

If you prefer your pasta on the meatier side of things, this hearty beef bolognese is always a classic.

I make it in advance in a big pot and then freeze it in smaller containers for single-serving dinners. It’s a great make-ahead pasta sauce, so you just have to boil your shaped noodles and warm up a container of the meat sauce to spoon over the top.

Lemon Butter with Chives

And what would a list of pasta recipes for kids be if it didn’t have butter noodles on the list?

My kids like this lemon butter pasta with parmesan and chives upgrade.

Italian Pasta Salad

If you want an easy dinner that doesn’t need to be served hot because you’ve got guests coming in and out before trick-or-treating, this chilled Italian pasta salad would be so cute with the Halloween noodles.

It’d be easy to snack on as you get the kids into their Halloween costumes.

Creamy Taco Pasta

My homemade hamburger helper-style creamy taco pasta skillet usually uses elbow macaroni, but you could absolutely make the ground turkey sauce and then stir in the Halloween pasta shapes instead.

Tomato Pastina

If you don’t want to use the shaped pasta, you could make a pot of this easy tomato pastina. It’s a pasta-based soup with cute little stars in the mix. Just perfect for serving before a night out under the stars trick-or-treating.

More Halloween Ideas

Planning a not-so-spooky fun time for the family? Don’t miss these other great Halloween ideas for trick-or-treat night:

When you’re trying to save money and eat at home more often rather than going out to eat at a restaurant, one of my favorite budget-friendly tricks is to make easy homemade sauces to upgrade your family dinner.

What often makes a restaurant dinner special is that they have unique flavors spooned over the top of easy dishes. Making these flavor enhancers at home really doesn’t take that much more time.

This homemade cilantro lime crema is the perfect example.

Stir it together in just a minute while the rest of your dinner is finishing off in the oven, and you’ll have a restaurant-quality topping that upgrades your spicy nacho casserole, baked chicken tacos, or quick chicken enchiladas in minutes.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Just 3 Ingredients: If you’re making something Mexican for dinner, chances are you’ll already have all 3 on hand!
• Easy Prep: Just a quick stir and you’re ready to go.
• Delicious Topping: This cool, creamy sauce tones down spicy dishes in the most perfect way.

Ingredient Notes

With just 3 ingredients, you’d think there wouldn’t be a lot to say about them, but here are just a few quick things to know:

• Sour Cream: I used Light sour cream. You could use full-fat or fat-free if you prefer. Alternatively, you could use Greek yogurt for even more tang.
• Fresh Cilantro: If you’re one of those unlucky people that thinks it tastes like soap, you can just go ahead and leave it out. The sour cream and lime would be tasty together alone. If you want that pop of green, substitute fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley.
• Lime: I really do prefer a fresh lime here. But in a very big pinch you could use jarred key lime juice.

How to Make the Sauce

Add the sour cream to a bowl, squeeze in the fresh lime juice. Add the fresh cilantro and stir it together.

Yep. It’s really just that easy.

I recommend stirring it together and letting it chill in the fridge so it is nice and cold when you use it to dollop over your dinner.

Make Ahead Tips

If you want to get a jump start on dinner, you can stir together the lime crema and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.

Serving Suggestions

I love to make this creamy lime sauce to spoon over my spicy baked nacho casserole.

The fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice make everything taste a little bit brighter, but I love how the sour cream helps tone down something a little too spicy for the kids.

You could use it to upgrade regular microwave nachos, use it as a salad dressing over a taco salad bowl, or add it on the side to my easy taco skillet bake, too.

This is one of those easy homemade condiments that makes any family dinner taste like it is restaurant-worthy.

More Sauces for Topping Mexican Recipes

Want to make your Taco Tuesday even more delicious? Try one of these other easy condiments and sauces:

My kids beg for Taco Tuesday dinners. Unfortunately, it often means that they don’t put enough veggies inside their tortilla when they fill their tacos.

My favorite workaround is to prep an utterly delicious cheesy casserole with all their favorite taco flavors, but sneak in as many vegetables as I can to the ground meat mix.

This crispy baked nacho casserole has layers of light ground turkey seasoned with taco seasonings but also features tons of diced tomatoes, green chiles, and onions.

You can prep the elements in advance for an even quicker assembly on your busiest nights.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner: With just a little skillet cooking and a quick pop into the oven, this is a lifesaver for a busy night.
• Tons of Nacho Flavor but Lighter: You get all the same nacho flavor you love, but with lighter-seasoned turkey, and you can control how much cheese goes on.
• Budget-Friendly, Kid Approved: Made with affordable pantry staples and easy ingredients, this recipe is perfect for your grocery budget. Everyone can customize their servings with their favorite toppings, making it perfectly kid-friendly.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Many of these easy ingredients are pantry staples and can be kept on hand for quick dinner assembly, but here are a few things you should know:

• Ground Turkey: I prefer using this lighter ground meat but you could substitute ground chicken, ground pork, or ground beef if you prefer.
• Seasoning: I used a prepared chorizo seasoning to add a new flavor to our dinner table. It really seasons the ground turkey so well. You can buy some online if you can’t find it in your grocery store. Otherwise just substitute taco seasoning.
• Rotel: I love the convenience of the diced tomatoes and chilies all in one can, but you could use just regular diced tomatoes if you want it a little less spicy for the kids.
• Tortilla Chips: Use restaurant style large, flat chips. Avoid the ruffled scoops shape for this dish. I used yellow corn but blue corn chips or a 50-50 mix of both would be delicious.
• Monterey Jack Cheese: Yes, hand-shredded cheese does melt better in a casserole, but for a busy night, I love to use the prepared shredded cheese from the store.
• Fresh Produce: Be sure to pick up fresh cilantro, a lime, green onions, and a yellow onion.
• Sour Cream: I always buy Light sour cream but you could use full-fat or fat-free if you prefer. I used this to make a quick cilantro lime crema but you could use it straight to dollop on top.

Prepare the Ground Turkey Filling

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ground turkey and break it into small crumbles as it cooks.

Sprinkle with the seasoning of your choice and continue to cook until the turkey is browned and fully cooked.

Stir in the diced onions and cook until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, including their juices, and stir everything together.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer so all the flavors can mingle.

Assemble the Casserole

Assembling the casserole happens in two stages that simply repeat.

Spray your baking dish with cooking spray, and then sprinkle some tortilla chips evenly across the bottom of the dish.

Spoon half of the prepared turkey filling over the tortilla chips, and then sprinkle the layer with some shredded cheese.

Then simply repeat the process with another layer of tortilla chips, the remaining ground turkey mix, and top the whole thing with the remaining shredded cheese.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the casserole for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

Make Ahead Tips

To protect the crispy texture, this nacho casserole is best when it’s been freshly baked, but to save time on a busy night, there are several ways you can prep it ahead:

• Prep the Meat Mixture Ahead: Cook the ground turkey with the seasonings, onions, garlic, and tomatoes up to 2 days in advance. Let it cool completely, and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You could even freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply thaw as needed and reheat it before assembling the casserole.
• Prep the Toppings Early: Chop the green onions and cilantro ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator in separate containers. You can even prepare the lime crema up to 1 day in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container.

If you have leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The chips will soften as they sit, but the flavors will still be delicious.

For the best texture for your leftovers, I recommend reheating them in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.

An air fryer would also make the edges nice and crispy.

Variations

My version of the nacho casserole is pretty simple so that it is kid-friendly, but there are lots of fun variations you could try on your family:

• Add Black Beans: Stir a can of drained and rinsed black beans into the turkey mixture to stretch the casserole a little farther and add extra fiber.
• Try Different Cheeses: Swap the Monterey Jack and use cheddar, Colby Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend. Any good melting cheese will work well.
• Make It Spicier: Add diced jalapeños, a pinch of cayenne, or your favorite hot sauce if you want more kick.
• Add More Veggies: Stir in diced bell peppers, corn, or zucchini to the ground meat mixture to add color, flavor, and a few extra vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

This cheesy nacho casserole is hearty enough to serve all on its own, but adding a simple side or two can make it an extra-special family dinner.

My favorite topping is a cool and tangy cilantro lime crema that could be prepared quickly while the casserole bakes.

When the kids are extra hungry, try serving it with a scoop of my homemade Mexican rice or a serving of cilantro lime rice.

While there’s plenty of tomatoes in the mix, if you really love salsa, you may want to offer some in a serving dish for topping each dish.

My easy Mexican street corn casserole is made with frozen corn and comes together really quickly. It could bake in the oven at the same time as the nachos.

More Casserole Recipes

If you love the ease of popping a casserole into the oven, you will love these delicious family dinners:

A big glazed ham is one of my favorite things to serve for Christmas or Easter dinner, but I almost always buy one that’s much bigger than my family could possibly finish in one meal, on purpose!

After all that crazy cooking for the holiday, I look forward to having leftover ham that I can slice and dice and stash in my freezer for easy dinners on busy nights in the weeks ahead.

Rather than eating the same plate of reheated holiday leftovers for several nights in a row, we love to use the ham to make an entirely new meal the very next night.

Here are some of my favorite easy recipes for using leftover ham for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

How to Store Leftover Ham

My two favorite ham recipes start with either this crockpot spiral ham or my mustard glazed ham with pineapple. I usually make them for Christmas and Easter dinner most years.

Once the holiday feast is over, I take the leftover ham and I dice the slices before storing.

Once the ham has been diced, it’s easy to section off into 1- to 2-cup portions. I store them in individual freezer bags and mark the quantity on the front of the bag.

Most leftover ham recipes call for a small amount of ham, so this lets me defrost just what I need to use for dinner.

How to Use Leftover Ham

Many of the leftover ham recipes below don’t even require the ham to be thawed. You can use it directly from frozen as long as it’s not stuck in one large chunk.

This is especially true any time the ham will simmer in a sauce or a soup.

If you need the ham to be equally distributed before cooking a recipe, it can help to defrost it in the microwave first.

Diced ham is the perfect way to add an extra dose of protein to a wide variety of recipes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I love to stir it into soups, add it to scrambled eggs, and mix it in with cheeses for savory fillings for baked goods and casseroles.

Here are some of my favorite leftover ham recipes for you to use:

Baked Ham and Cheese Rolls

These savory baked ham and cheese rolls use leftover ham and shredded cheddar cheese rolled into an easy bread dough. They make a delicious handheld sandwich to serve for family dinner or to bring to a party.

Ham Fried Rice

You can easily swap leftover ham for the chicken in my easy chicken fried rice recipe.

Ham Pot Pie with Pie Crust

Pot pies are perfect for leftover meats of all kinds. This ham pot pie has a buttery and flaky pie crust that is so delicious, it’s worthy of the holiday meal itself!

Ham Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping

If you don’t want to mess around with pie crust, this savory ham pot pie has a flaky biscuit topping.

Pasta Recipes with Ham

Diced ham pairs perfectly with creamy pasta sauces and cheesy casseroles.

These easy pasta recipes are especially helpful when you only have a small portion of ham left to use.

Alfredo Pasta with Ham and Peas

I think my kids got more excited about this creamy Alfredo with leftover ham and peas for dinner after the holiday was over than they did for the holiday meal itself.

Ham and Mac and Cheese

Stir diced ham into my easy stovetop mac and cheese recipe. Frozen peas would be excellent, too.

Ham Tetrazzini Casserole

Use diced ham instead of chicken in this easy chicken tetrazzini casserole. This would be a great recipe to prep and then freeze instead of freezing the ham packets alone.

Saucy Ham Noodle Bake

Use diced ham instead of leftover pork in my mom’s best recipe: saucy pork and noodle bake. The ham would add a new element of flavor to this family dinner classic.

Ham Soup Recipes

Leftover ham adds plenty of savory flavor to a cozy pot of soup.

If your ham came with a bone, be sure to save that too. You can use both the ham and the ham bone to add even more flavor to your soup.

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Did your ham come with a bone? You’re definitely going to want to save it to make this homemade split pea and carrot soup with leftover ham.

Ham and Corn Chowder

My slow cooker corn chowder has a touch of bacon. You could skip that and just use diced ham to add some protein and saltiness.

Breakfast and Brunch Recipes with Ham

Ham, eggs, and cheese are always a winning combo.

Save a little of your leftover ham for these easy breakfast and brunch recipes that are perfect for a lazy weekend morning or holiday brunch.

Egg and Ham Slab Pie

Looking for a breakfast treat? Try this egg and ham slab pie with a buttery, flaky pie crust. It’s an excellent brunch dish.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Ham and cheddar are the perfect fillings for a classic easy quiche.

More Leftover Recipes

Make that huge roast stretch as far as it can go with these budget-friendly leftover recipe tips:

One of my favorite ways to use my bread machine is to prep a homemade bread dough in minutes and then use it for a quick-assembly baked treat in the oven.

I started with sweet breakfast cinnamon rolls in a wide variety of flavors (the pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls are my favorite.)

But then I thought: why does breakfast get all the fun? It would be so easy to make a savory roll to enjoy for lunch or dinner, too!

I’ve been having so much fun testing savory bread rolls like my buffalo chicken rolls, a ham and cheese roll was the perfect variation!

You’ll want to save this recipe for using up all your leftover ham after Christmas or Easter. It’s the perfect easy dinner or hearty snack while the family is home to enjoy them.

Why This is the Best Recipe

• Great for Leftover Ham: Have some leftover ham after a holiday feast? This is a perfect way to use it.
• Easy Prep: You can make this recipe with homemade bread machine dough or you can use store-bought freezer bread dough or prepared pizza dough.
• Party Perfect: The individual ham and cheese rolls are easy to grab from a buffet table and are fun to serve at a party.

NOTE: I love these hearty ham rolls but if you’re looking for a smaller party sandwich to serve, you might be interested in my ham and cheese sliders made on Hawaiian buns.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The ingredients for these homemade ham and cheese pinwheels are really easy, but there are a few things you should know:

• Prepared Bread Dough: I used homemade bread machine bread dough for this recipe, but you can find prepared frozen bread dough at the grocery store. You’ll just need to thaw it before assembling. I don’t recommend using crescent roll dough. It is not strong enough for the hearty fillings in this recipe. If you prefer a chewy texture over the fluffy texture, you could substitute a homemade or store-bought pizza dough.
• Ham: This is an excellent use of leftover ham. I like to dice and portion out my leftover spiral ham or mustard glazed ham after Christmas and Easter and stash small bags of it in the freezer for assembling easy recipes like this all throughout the year. If you prefer a smokier flavor, you could try this Traeger smoked ham. If you don’t have leftover ham, you can have the deli slice some deli ham extra thick and dice it yourself.
• Shredded Cheddar: While slicing a brick of cheddar makes for cheese that melts more smoothly, I like to keep things easy and just use the pre-shredded cheddar from the store.

Prep the Fillings

Dice the ham in quarter-inch-sized pieces.

Chop the green onions and add the shredded cheddar to a mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, honey, garlic salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.

Assemble the Rolls

Spray a 12-well muffin tin with cooking spray and set it aside.

Roll your prepared dough of choice out on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread the prepared Dijon sauce evenly over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border clear along one long edge. This is where you’ll seal the roll at the end.

Sprinkle the cheese and ham evenly over the top, leaving that 1-inch border clear, and then sprinkle the green onions over the top.

Roll the dough into a log, starting at with one long edge and roll it towards that clear 1-inch space that you left on the other long edge.

Once it’s in a log form, slice it into thirds. Then slice each third in half. Finally, slice each portion in half again. This will make 12 equal slices.

Place each slice, cut side up, into your prepared muffin tin.

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise while the oven preheats.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and brush the rolls with melted butter.

Bake the ham and cheese rolls for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the tops are golden brown.

If you’re using my homemade bread dough, they will take closer to the 20-minute mark. I leave that broader span to accommodate another dough you might have chosen.

Make Ahead Tips

You can assemble the rolls ahead of time, place them in the prepared muffin tin, cover, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake up to 12 hours in advance.

Because refrigerated dough may need additional time to rise, let the rolls sit at room temperature before baking, or until the dough just looks slightly puffy.

Leftover baked rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven, toaster oven, or microwave until warmed through for an easy lunch or snack.

You can freeze baked rolls in an airtight container for up to 6 months. There’s no need to thaw them before reheating. Just cover them so they don’t brown too quickly in the oven or toaster oven.

Serving Suggestions

To turn these easy ham and cheese rolls into a full family dinner, you could serve them alongside a simple garden salad with some fresh fruit or raw veggies and dill dip, or add them to a soup and sandwich meal with a cozy bowl of soup. My homemade tomato bisque soup would be a perfect choice.

If you want to serve them at a party, it could be fun to add a bowl of homemade dip for dunking. These would pair well with buttermilk ranch dip or even an additional honey mustard dip.

More Bread Machine Dough Recipes

Looking for more recipes that use your bread machine dough program? Here are some of my favorites: