Dinner/Lunch Archives - A Beautiful Mess

Chicken Alfredo Recipe

Emma Chapman — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 14:02:00 +0000

This chicken Alfredo recipe is a staple at our house! Creamy, flavorful noodles with perfectly baked chicken on top. This meal takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish and feels like restaurant quality.

And I love making chicken Alfredo at home because you can customize the serving size to your preferences and this meal is made with all basic ingredients. This is one dinner everyone in the family will love!

Related: Next up, learn to make homemade tomato sauce, pesto and vodka sauce.

The components of this meal are baked chicken and Alfredo sauce over cooked noodles. I’m going to put the whole thing together for you in this one post with the printable recipe card below. And if you want to take this recipe to the next level, you could learn to make fresh pasta.

Ingredients

Chicken breast – one or two depending how much protein you want
Olive oil
Seasoning salt
Fettuccine noodles
Butter – unsalted
Heavy whipping cream
Garlic
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

If you want to add some chopped parsley on top, go for it!

Directions

Start by baking the chicken. Add half the olive oil to a baking dish and rub around the bottom (where the chicken will touch). Then, add the chicken and pour the remaining oil on top. Rub it around so the entire top of the chicken breast is covered.

Sprinkle on the seasoning salt and pepper.

Bake at 450°F for 14-18 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken is done (the interior should reach 165°F). Then, allow to rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting or serving.

Next, boil the fettuccine noodles according to the package directions.

Then make the sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter and lightly saute the minced garlic in the butter for 1-2 minutes.

Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream and Italian seasoning. Stir so everything gets warm and well combined.

Then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes a sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Toss the cooked (drained) noodles in the sauce. Then add to plates. Top with sliced baked chicken.

Tips & Substitutions

The best way to check that your chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer and make sure the thickest part of the chicken has reached 165°F.
You could choose to make air fryer chicken instead of baked if you like.
In the recipe card below, I’m suggesting one chicken breast for two servings, but you could bake two or more chicken breasts at the same time if you want to add more protein to this meal.

Serving Suggestions

This meal is great all on its own, but if you’d like a vegetable side, try:

Chicken Alfredo Recipe

a restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword alfredo, chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 18

Total Time 28

Servings

Calories 1196kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

1 chicken breast
½ tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
6 ounces fettuccine noodles
¼ cup butter unsalted
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Instructions

Start by baking the chicken. Add half the olive oil to a baking dish and rub around the bottom (where the chicken will touch). Then, add the chicken and pour the remaining oil on top. Rub it around so the entire top of the chicken breast is covered.
Sprinkle on the seasoning salt and a little pepper.
Bake at 450°F for 14-18 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken is done (the interior should reach 165°F). Then, allow to rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting or serving.
Next, boil the fettuccine noodles according to the package directions.
Then make the sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter and lightly saute the minced garlic in the butter for 1-2 minutes.
Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream and Italian seasoning. Stir so everything gets warm and well combined.
Then stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese melts and the mixture becomes a sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Toss the cooked (drained) noodles in the sauce. Then add to plates. Top with sliced baked chicken.

Notes

If you want to add some chopped parsley on top, go for it.

The best way to check that your chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer and make sure the thickest part of the chicken has reached 165°F.

If you want more protein, bake two chicken breasts instead of one for this recipe.

I think 3 ounces of pasta per serving is a good rule of thumb, but you could easily reduce this to 2 ounces per serving if you wanted to.

Nutrition

50+ Christmas Dinner Ideas

Emma Chapman — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:02:00 +0000

No matter if you are hosting a big, epic holiday meal with friends and extended family or if you are planning to have a cozy dinner with just you and your partner, we’ve got you covered. Here are 50+ Christmas dinner ideas!

This list includes ideas for appetizers, main courses, side dishes, drinks and desserts. And I’ve tried to organize them in this order. You can find even more decorating and hosting ideas in our full Christmas archive and you could serve these with our fun Grinch Punch!

Antipasto Wreath

A Christmas wreath appetizer of antipasto snacks.

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Deviled Eggs Recipe

How to make classic deviled eggs plus a few variations.

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Caprese Candy Cane

Tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad styled like a candy cane.

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Snowman Cheese Ball

An easy holiday appetizer—perfect for a party!

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Stuffed Mushrooms

An easy appetizer or side dish for any holiday meal.

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5 Easy Crostini Appetizers

French bread crostinis topped with five different topping ideas.

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Rotel Cheese Dip

A quick and easy cheese dip recipe made from Velveeta cheese. Growing up, this was always served at holiday meals at our grandmother’s house.

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Pinwheel Sandwiches

An easy finger food recipe perfect for any holiday party.

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Easy Holiday Cheeseball Wreath

How to make different kinds of cheeseballs you can style into a holiday wreath.

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Pigs in a Blanket – Easy Appetizer

How to make these easy and crowd-pleasing appetizers.

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Overnight No-Boil Lasagna

A delicious lasagna recipe that you can make ahead and bake when you need it.

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Air Fryer Salmon

How to easily air fry salmon.

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Air Fryer Steak

How to make a perfectly cooked steak in an air fryer.

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Detroit-Style Pizza

My favorite homemade pizza recipe! This is a reader favorite as well.

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Stuffed Peppers

Cheesy, beef and Spanish rice filled peppers. A filling and delicious recipe.

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How to Broil Steak (Bacon Wrapped Filet)

How to oven broil a bacon wrapped filet mignon.

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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

A made from scratch chicken tenders recipe you can make in your air fryer.

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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Delicious and easy chicken pot pie with premade crust and rotisserie chicken.

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Air Fryer Fried Chicken

How to make crispy, juicy fried chicken in your air fryer.

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Marry Me Chicken

Pan fried chicken in a creamy sauce; this recipe is flavorful and decadent.

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Air Fryer Chicken

How to make perfectly cooked, juicy chicken in the air fryer.

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Baked Chicken

How to bake chicken breasts without brining—juicy and delicious!

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Stuffing Meatballs

Juicy, delicious meatballs with all the flavors of the holidays!

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Turkey Chili

A simple, delicious turkey chili recipe you can dress up with cheese, sour cream, chips or any other fixings you prefer.

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Turkey Meatball Quiche

I think this turkey meatball quiche would make an amazing Christmas dinner or breakfast. I love quiche any time of day!

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Ambrosia Salad

A creamy, sweet fruit salad. This always feels like part of a holiday meal to me!

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Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Classic baked macaroni and cheese with no eggs or evaporated milk.

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Cauliflower Au Gratin

Creamy and cheese cauliflower in this crowd-pleasing casserole.

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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Learn to make delicious mashed potatoes ahead of time with this easy recipe.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Whipped Feta

Sweet and savory roasted sweet potatoes served with creamy, whipped feta. Yum!

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Stuffing Risotto

Risotto always feels fancy to me and this stuffing risotto recipe makes the perfect side dish for any holiday main course.

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Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans

An easy green bean casserole with pepper jack cheese.

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Honey Butter

How to make honey butter for holiday dinners.

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Jello Salad

A sweet dessert salad made in three layers. This is a staple at holiday meals for my family.

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Easy Corn Casserole

A savory bread pudding-like side dish you can make ahead.

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Lobster Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Do you have a celebration restaurant? My family does and I pretty much always order lobster mac and cheese. So it feels right for any holiday or celebration meal to me.

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Broccoli Casserole

A creamy, cheesy broccoli casserole with a Ritz cracker topping.

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Best Stuffing Recipe

This is the very best stuffing recipe perfect for any holiday meal.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

A sweet and savory side dish with brown sugar pecan topping OR marshmallows.

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Funeral Potatoes

Creamy, cheesy comforting potato casserole with cornflake topping.

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Espresso Martini

Create this iconic espresso martini with just three ingredients.

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Butterbeer Recipe

Learn to make Harry Potter Butterbeer at home! We marathon the HP movies during the holidays, so this only feels right.

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How to Make Mulled Wine

How to make and customize the best homemade mulled wine.

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Best Christmas Cocktails

This roundup of the best Christmas cocktail recipes is guaranteed to bring some extra cheer to your holiday season!

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Hot Chocolate Bar Ideas

This season, I decided to create an epic hot cocoa bar. It’s a bit messy and sticky, but the memories are absolutely priceless.

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Retro Wreath Cake

If you need a show-stopping dessert, learn to make this retro wreath cake.

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Puppy Chow

This classic dessert mix is perfect to have on hand for a holiday party OR to give as a homemade gift.

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Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

A flavorful holiday cutout cookie recipe.

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Christmas Cupcakes

If you are doing some holiday hosting this season and need a few easy Christmas cupcake decorating ideas, we’ve got ’em!

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Figgy Pudding – Christmas Pudding

A nontraditional take on this classic Christmas dessert.

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28+ Air Fryer Recipes

Emma Chapman — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:04:00 +0000

It’s no secret that we love sharing air fryer recipes, so we thought we’d put together all our best ones in a single post. I love cooking with my air fryer because it’s fast, healthy, and super easy. Absolutely anyone can have success with an air fryer and it makes a great alternative to turning on your oven, or if you don’t have an oven (smaller apartments, renovating currently, etc.) or the microwave.

These are all our very best air fryer recipes, including main courses, meat dishes, vegetable side dishes, snacks, desserts, breakfast and more!

Air Fryer Cauliflower

At a loss for what to do with cauliflower? Try this easy vegetable side dish recipe.

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Air Fryer Meatballs

Simple, juicy meatballs you can cook in the air fryer.

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How to Cook Bacon: Oven, Air Fryer, Microwave

The best ways to cook bacon in the oven, air fryer, or microwave. Breakfast could not be easier!

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S’mores in the Oven, Air Fryer, or Microwave

How to make indoor s’mores with three different methods: the air fryer, oven or even the microwave.

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Baked Potatoes: Oven, Air Fryer, Microwave

Three methods for a perfect baked potato using your air fryer, oven or even the microwave.

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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

A made from scratch chicken tenders recipe you can quickly make in your air fryer.

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Air Fryer Broccoli (With Cheese)

How to make air fryer broccoli with or without cheese.

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Air Fryer Toast

This is such a simple way to make delicious toast that tastes like it's from your favorite restaurant.

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Air Fryer Salmon

How to easily air fry salmon. I love this over rice, noodles or on top of a flavorful salad.

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Air Fryer Tofu

Crispy air fried tofu without oil. I love this recipe with different sauces over rice for a quick, meatless dinner.

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Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

A quick and easy snack you make in the air fryer.

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Air Fryer Okra

The best crispy air fried okra recipe. This is classic summer side dish!

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Crispy Air Fryer Wings

A simple and crispy air fried chicken wing recipe. You can use any sauce but we usually use buffalo hot sauce at our house, but BBQ is a close second!

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Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

How to make delicious and crispy breakfast potatoes in the air fryer; these are like southern hash browns.

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Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

A crispy Brussels sprout recipe that can be made in an air fryer—a super simple and delicious vegetable side dish.

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Air Fryer Pickles

This is a simple recipe to make crispy air fried pickles—such a delicious appetizer!

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Easy (Air Fryer) Seasoned French Fries

How to make classic french fries in an air fryer—perfect with burgers or veggie burgers.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato

How to make air fryer sweet potatoes—crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

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Air Fryer Steak

How to make a perfectly cooked steak in an air fryer. This recipe is great on its own, or for fajitas.

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Air Fryer Asparagus

How to make perfectly tender asparagus in the air fryer, a great side dish for steak or other main courses.

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Air Fryer Chicken

How to make perfectly cooked, juicy chicken breasts in the air fryer. We make this for dinner at our house almost every week.

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Air Fryer Green Beans

Perfectly cooked, crispy green beans made in the air fryer. A healthy and tasty side dish.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

How to make crispy, delicious sweet potato fries in the air fryer.

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Air Fryer Fish

Crispy, breaded fish fillets perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. I usually use tilapia but other fish fillets could work well in this recipe.

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Air Fryer Zucchini

Crispy zucchini made in the air fryer, a simple and delicious vegetable side dish.

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Air Fryer Donuts

How to make donuts from canned biscuits in the air fryer. These will always remind me of middle school sleepovers.

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Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

One of the easiest ways to hard boil eggs is in an air fryer. I love these on salads or for making deviled eggs.

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Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

Gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside grilled cheese sandwiches made in the air fryer—perfect to pair with soup!

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Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Crispy, juicy fried chicken made in an air fryer! This is a lighter version of the classic.

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Air Fryer Meatballs

Emma Chapman — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 14:01:00 +0000

I am obsessed with my air fryer and have shared way too many air fryer recipes on this site already. But, I’m not done because these air fryer meatballs are so delicious and easy and the perfect compliment to a bowl of pasta and red sauce.

This air fryer meatball recipe is pretty simple. These will go will with just about any sauce or gravy you want to serve them with. But, if you want something even more flavorful, try my stuffing meatballs. I also love that when you cook with your air fryer you can see all the liquid fat that drains off as they cook (it will be in the bottom of the air fryer, under the grate). So, this is a lighter option for cooking something delicious that hopefully your whole family will love.

Related: Not sure what to serve these with? Try this easy vodka sauce and any pasta or gnocchi you have on hand.

Ingredients

Ground beef, pork or a mix – see notes
Italian breadcrumbs
Milk
Egg
Garlic
Parmesan cheese – the powdery kind is great for this recipe
Salt and pepper

If you want to add more spices to this mix, you totally can! Some things to try might be onion powder, cayenne, chili powder, or even Italian seasoning.

Directions

Mince the garlic.

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix together to create a meatball batter. Use your (clean) hands to form 16 balls, roughly the same size.

Spray your air fryer grate with a little nonstick spray. Then place the meatballs inside.

Air fry at 400°F (204°C) for 12 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165°F, but you can also cut one open to check that it’s no longer pink inside (a tiny bit of pink is OK, but it should not be raw).

Serve warm with pasta and sauce, gravy and mashed potatoes, or whatever else your heart desires.

Tips & Notes

If you want, you can add parchment paper to your air fryer. If you do, for this recipe I would recommend add some slits or holes to the center so the excess fat can drain off to the bottom (under the grate).
The outside of these meatballs will be almost crispy, as the air fryer is a great tool for, well, air frying. So, these also can make an excellent appetizer. But do take care not to overcook them or they can become dry.
I like to use a mix of ground meat for this recipe. I often use “Boston Burger” ground meat, which is 60% beef and 40% pork and pretty common at the grocery store I frequent. But any ground meat can work in this recipe! Just keep in mind if you use a more lean (chicken, turkey) ground meat, the nutrition facts will vary from the ones in my recipe card below.

Serving Suggestions

Here are some vegetable and other side dish options to go with these air fryer meatballs:

Roasted Carrots
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Green Beans
Baked Potatoes – in the oven, air fryer or microwave

Air Fryer Meatballs

simple, juicy meatballs you can cook in the air fryer

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer, meatballs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings meatballs

Calories 97kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or a mix of ground meats
⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup milk
1 egg
4 cloves garlic
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese the powdery kind
salt and pepper

Instructions

Mince the garlic.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix together to create a meatball batter.
Use your (clean) hands to form 16 balls, roughly the same size.
Spray your air fryer grate with a little nonstick spray. Then place the meatballs inside.
Air fry at 400°F (204°C) for 12 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Serve warm with pasta and sauce, gravy and mashed potatoes, or whatever else your heart desires.

Notes

If you want, you can add parchment paper to your air fryer. If you do, for this recipe I would recommend add some slits or holes to the center so the excess fat can drain off to the bottom (under the grate).

The outside of these meatballs will be almost crispy, as the air fryer is a great tool for, well, air frying. So, these also can make an excellent appetizer. But do take care not to overcook them or they can become dry.

I like to use a mix of ground meat for this recipe. I often use “Boston Burger” ground meat, which is 60% beef and 40% pork and pretty common at the grocery store I frequent. But any ground meat can work in this recipe! Just keep in mind if you use a more lean (chicken, turkey) ground meat, the nutrition facts will vary from the ones in my recipe card below.

Nutrition

Funeral Potatoes

Emma Chapman — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:04:00 +0000

I am continuing on my path to share as many cozy casserole recipes as I can this season. Lol. Today, we are taking about funeral potatoes, sometimes also called cheesy potatoes. This simple and comforting dish is great for any potluck or holiday meal. Everyone will love this!

You might be wondering why this dish is called funeral potatoes. This is the kind of side dish sometimes served at churches for after funeral luncheons. Sometimes there is a committee that puts on these meals for grieving families. I remember when my grandfather passed away, there was a meal after his funeral at the First Baptist Church where he lived, and where I grew up going to church with him and my grandmother when we visited. No matter if you call this funeral potatoes or cheesy potatoes, the bottom line is this is a super comforting and delicious casserole that goes with almost anything.

Ingredients

Cubed or hash brown potatoes – frozen
Sour cream
Cream of mushroom soup
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cayenne
Cheddar cheese
Corn flakes
Green onions – or chives

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, half of the melted butter (1/4 cup), salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and grated cheese. Then stir the (frozen) potatoes into this mixture.

Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan. Add this mixture to the pan, spreading evenly.

In a gallon-sized ziplock bag, crush the corn flakes and then toss in the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle this over the potato layer.

Cover the dish in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (177°F) for 45-50 minutes in total. After the first 25 minutes, remove the aluminum foil for the remainder of the bake time.

When done, the top will look golden and crunchy. Sprinkle the green onions over the top before serving.

Tips & Substitutions

If you want to make this ahead of time, you can! Simply keep the cornflakes separate until you are ready to bake so they don’t get soggy.
If you want to add more heat and flavor, I’d swap half the cheddar cheese for pepper jack cheese instead.
If you are making this for Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider swapping the green onions or rosemary or thyme.

Serving Suggestions

This casserole goes well with seriously anything, but here are some ideas:

Funeral Potatoes

creamy, cheesy comforting potato casserole with cornflake topping

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword casserole, potato

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 435kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

9×13 baking pan

Ingredients

32 ounces hash brown potatoes frozen
2 cups sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup butter melted
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
3 cups cheddar cheese
3 cups corn flakes
2 tablespoons green onion

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, half of the melted butter (1/4 cup), salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and grated cheese.
Then stir the (frozen) potatoes into this mixture.
Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan. Add this mixture to the pan, spreading evenly.
In a gallon-sized ziplock bag, crush the corn flakes and then toss in the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle this over the potato layer.
Cover the dish in aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (177°F) for 45-50 minutes in total.
After the first 25 minutes, remove the aluminum foil for the remainder of the bake time.
When done, the top will look golden and crunchy. Sprinkle the green onions over the top before serving.

Notes

If you want to make this ahead of time, you can! Simply keep the cornflakes separate until you area ready to bake so they don’t get soggy.

If you want to add more heat and flavor, I’d swap half the cheddar cheese for pepper jack cheese instead.

If you are making this for Thanksgiving or Christmas, consider swapping the green onions or rosemary or thyme.

Nutrition

Sweet Potato Casserole

Emma Chapman — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 14:04:00 +0000

Sweet potato casserole, possibly the most controversial of all the holiday side dishes. Lol. Do you like a brown sugar and pecan topping? Or are you in the marshmallow topping group? Is this recipe a side dish to be served along with the meal? Or do you serve sweet potato casserole as a dessert?

While these are, obviously, deeply personal questions you’ll have to answer for yourself, here are my takes. I am a marshmallow topping gal, although I have family members who very much prefer brown sugar pecan topping. So, I going to share both topping options in the recipe card below. And our family tends to serve sweet potato casserole as a side dish during the meal, not as a dessert.

Related: Love sweet potatoes? Try Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Pie next!

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes
Egg
Brown sugar
Milk
Butter
Salt
Cayenne – trust me, it doesn’t make this spicy just adds more depth of flavor
Pepper
Cinnamon

I will also share in the printable recipe card below the ingredients for the brown sugar pecan topping vs. marshmallow topping.

Directions

Wash and cut up the sweet potatoes. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook until soft enough to mash—about 12-15 minutes. Drain well and then mash in a large bowl.

To the bowl add the egg, 1/4 cup brown sugar, milk, 1/4 cup butter (softened), salt, cayenne, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Mash together.

In a greased 9×13 pan, spread the sweet potato mixture in an even layer.

To make the brown sugar pecan topping, in a medium size bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup brown sugar, all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup butter (softened) and chopped pecans. This mixture should be crumbly. Spread evenly over the casserole before baking.

If you are using mini marshmallows for the topping, wait to add them until the last 5-8 minutes of baking.

Bake the casserole at 350°F (177°C) for 25-30 minutes.

Tips for Making

To get the marshmallow topping that extra crispy, caramelized top, you can pop the finished casserole under the broiler for a minute or two (keep a close eye!) or use a kitchen torch to brulee the tops of the marshmallows.
If your family is divided on toppings and you want to do a half and half casserole similar to the one I have pictured, keep in mind the measurements for the toppings in the recipe card are to cover the entire casserole. So, you want to divide them in half.
You can easily make sweet potato casserole ahead of time; simply keep the topping items separate and cover the refrigerate the casserole until you’re ready to bake.

More Casserole Side Dish Recipes:

Broccoli Casserole
Tater Tot Casserole
Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Funeral Potatoes – sometimes called Cheesy Potatoes
Corn Casserole
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Green Bean Casserole – with fresh green beans
Best Stuffing Recipe
Cauliflower Au Gratin
Jello Salad

Frequently Asked Questions

Are sweet potatoes the same as yams?

Tater Tot Casserole

Emma Chapman — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:02:00 +0000

If you are needing a simple, crowd-pleasing meal, make this tater tot casserole. Even our 2-year-old approves. This is so comforting with basic, easy to love ingredients. Plus, this dish works for many occasions. Personally, I love this as part of a big family breakfast served alongside eggs and maybe something sweet (like sticky buns or cinnamon rolls), but it could work just as well as a main course or side dish at a potluck or holiday meal.

This may be a regional thing but you could also call this tater tot casserole a hot dish. It has all the necessary elements—potatoes, meat, and can of condensed soup. But in southwest Missouri where I live, we just call it a casserole.

Related: Next up, try biscuits and gravy casserole or sheet pan totchos (tater tot nachos!).

Ingredients

Ground beef
Garlic
Cream of mushroom soup
Cheddar cheese
Tater tots – frozen
Chives or other fresh herbs

This tater tot casserole is essentially five basic ingredients, but I’ll share a few ways I spice it up so it’s more flavorful or seasonal.

Directions

Mince the garlic. In a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the garlic until cooked (no pink remains). The meat can be slightly undercooked at this stage, so don’t overcook it, as it will bake in the oven for another 35 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the can of soup and season with a little salt and pepper.

Now assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Add the meat mixture. Then sprinkle on the grated cheese. Then add the tater tots (frozen).

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden brown and crispy and the mixture below will be bubbling. Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.

Tips for Making

Sometimes, I add more seasoning to the meat as I brown it, just for added flavor. Some good additions include: chili powder, cayenne, Italian seasoning, onion powder, or other spices you may love.
If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you could swap the ground beef for a ground turkey or chicken.
I like to top this tater tot casserole with some green onions or chives, but you could use other fresh herbs like cilantro or for a holiday rosemary or thyme.

More Casserole Recipes:

Broccoli Casserole
Corn Casserole
Green Bean Casserole – with fresh green beans
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Loveless Cafe Hashbrown Casserole
Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Duchess Sweet Potato Casserole
Stuffing Topped Macaroni and Cheese
Cauliflower Au Gratin
Overnight No-Boil Lasagna

Tater Tot Casserole

simple 5 ingredient casserole with frozen tater tots on top

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword casserole, tater tots

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 361kcal

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

1 9×13 baking pan

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
5 cloves garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cheddar cheese
25 ounces frozen tater tots
2 tablespoons chives or green onions optional
salt and pepper

Instructions

Mince the garlic.
In a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the garlic until cooked (no pink remains). The meat can be slightly undercooked at this stage, so don’t overcook it, as it will bake in the oven for another 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the can of soup and season with a little salt and pepper.
Now assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Add the meat mixture. Then sprinkle on the grated cheese. Then add the tater tots (frozen).
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden brown and crispy and the mixture below will be bubbling.
Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.

Notes

Sometimes, I add more seasoning to the meat as I brown it, just for added flavor. Some good additions include: chili powder, cayenne, Italian seasoning, onion powder, or other spices you may love.

If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you could swap the ground beef for a ground turkey or chicken.

I like to top this tater tot casserole with some green onions or chives, but you could use other fresh herbs like cilantro or for a holiday rosemary or thyme.

Nutrition

Best Stuffing Recipe

Emma Chapman — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 13:14:00 +0000

This is my all-time favorite stuffing recipe. It’s a classic with pretty basic ingredients and it’s chock full of fresh herbs which not only give this recipe tons of flavor, it makes your whole kitchen smell like Thanksgiving or Christmas too.

Stuffing is one of my favorite side dishes. It may be a regional thing but I know some people call this dressing. However, I’ve always called it stuffing as you can also use this recipe to stuff a turkey with. Whatever you call it, this is essentially a savory bread pudding and I am here for it!

Related: Need more side dishes? Try our Green Bean Casserole, Broccoli Casserole, Corn Casserole, the Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese, or Jello Salad. And if you have leftover herbs from this recipe, try this Thanksgiving Stove Simmer.

Ingredients

Bread – stale bread is great! Any kind: Italian, cornbread, white sandwich, etc.
Butter
Shallots
Garlic
Celery
Sage
Parsley
Rosemary
Thyme
Chicken stock
Eggs
Salt and pepper

How to make stuffing casserole

Cube the bread the night before you make this. I like to leave it in a bag, loosely sealed, so it dries out some. It doesn’t have to be completely dry or stale, but fresh soft bread isn’t as good for this recipe.

Chop up the shallots and celery. Mince the garlic. Chop up the fresh herbs.

In a large sauce pan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Then stir in the shallots, garlic and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then stir in most of the fresh herbs, reserving around 1/3 of them to top the stuffing with before baking.

Stir together the chicken stock and eggs until well combined.

In a large mixing bowl, or two if needed, add the bread crumbs, cooked shallot mixture, and the chicken stock mixture. Stir until everything is well coated and combined. Season well with salt and pepper.

Butter a 9×13 baking dish, or coat in nonstick cooking spray. Add the stuffing mixture to the pan. Top with the remaining herbs. Cover in aluminum foil.

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 25-28 minutes. The total bake time will be 45-48 minutes. The stuffing should look golden brown along the edges when done.

Tips & Substitutions

You can substitute the shallots for a yellow or white onion if needed.
I like to buy the day old bread that’s on sale at the grocery store for this, if I don’t have leftover bread to use. Also, you can save random bits in a bag in the freezer leading up to making this recipe.
If you want to make this ahead, simply follow this recipe until the point of baking. Instead, store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
You can use this recipe to stuff a Thanksgiving turkey, but keep in mind depending on the size of bird this may make too much stuffing to all fit inside the cavity. You may have enough to cook this stuffing in an 8×8 size pan in addition to stuffing the turkey. But, again, it depends on the size of bird you are preparing.

Serving Suggestions

To me, stuffing is a Thanksgiving side dish and that’s usually when I make this recipe each year. That being said, here are some main course recipes that would be delicious alongside this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make stuffing casserole ahead of time?

Detroit Style Pizza

Emma Chapman — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 13:05:00 +0000

I love pizza of all shapes and sizes. In fact, I can’t think of a pizza style I would turn down. It’s one of my all-time favorite foods, right up there with pasta. Ha. But I will admit, this Detroit-style pizza is my FAVORITE homemade pizza recipe. It’s so good! And this version is about as easy as you can make it from scratch while still staying mostly authentic. Find more pizza recipes in our archives.

Detroit-style pizza has a thicker, chewy crust. I feel it’s similar to a thinner focaccia bread, with an ultra crispy bottom. The edges are crunchy and crispy from pushing the cheese right up the edge of the metal pan it bakes in. And I even like to do my sauce “racing-stripe” style, meaning it goes on top of the other toppings in vertical lines across the pizza. Yum!

Love pizza? Next up, try: Deep dish pizza, stuffed crust pizza, homemade calzones, St. Louis-style pizza, fruit pizza and chocolate chip pizza.

Ingredients

Instant yeast
Water
All-purpose flour
Olive oil
Salt
Brick cheese – Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, or Wisconsin
Pepperoni – or other toppings you prefer
Pizza sauce – tomato sauce, make your own or use store-bought

How to Make Detroit-Style Pizza

Start by making the pizza dough. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the (warm) water. After a few minutes, you should notice the yeast looking kind of foamy; this is a good sign.

Stir the yeast water into the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Knead the dough a couple times, just so it becomes a cohesive dough ball. You don’t need to knead it very much. The dough will be loose and soft. Lightly oil the bowl and place the dough back in and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 45 minutes in a warm spot.

Add the oil to a metal 9×13 pan. Use your hands to spread the oil all along the bottom and up the sides of the pan, coating it. Now place the dough in the center of the pan, just plop it out of the bowl. Gently press the dough with oiled fingers, creating dimples, as you press it into a rectangle filling the pan.

Top with the cubed cheese, making sure pieces of cheese touch the edges of the pan. Then add your pepperoni or other toppings. Then add your lines of sauce.

Bake at 450°F (232°C) on the lowest rack in your oven for 18-20 minutes. The edges should get very brown (almost black—it’s not burning!) and the cheese will be bubbly.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Use a knife to loosen the edges of the pizza, then slide out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut and serve warm!

Tips for Making

Sometimes I will add a pinch of sugar to the warm water before adding the yeast, just to really get the yeast going.
If your kitchen is cold or drafty, an option is warm your oven slightly and then place the dough inside, closing the door, so it can rise in a warm place.
Alternatively, if you want to add the sauce first and spread evenly over the pizza dough, you can. I just like the racing-stripe style of sauce for this recipe.
If you use hardy vegetables for the toppings, like onion or bell pepper, you may want to lightly saute them before. It’s up to you, but just keep in mind the pizza will only be in the oven for about 18 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

This Detroit-style pizza is pretty indulgent! Here are some lighter side dishes that go great with it:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Detroit- and Chicago-style pizza?

Turkey Chili

Emma Chapman — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 13:06:00 +0000

Chili season is here! For me, this means as soon as the first autumn leaf hits the ground. You could say I am a fan. And this turkey chili is a classic! It’s full of simple, wholesome ingredients, so you won’t feel guilty topping it with plenty of cheese and sour cream. Find more delicious soup recipes in our archives.

At our house there is much debate over how soup-y chili should be. Do you prefer your chili on the thick side side (think sloppy joe filling or a thick meat sauce) or more on the thin side like a soup or stew? Honestly, I’d eat either one! But this turkey chili recipe is more like a stew or thick soup. I like to add Frito chips to chili and so this tends to thicken the final texture anyway.

Related: Next up, try my favorite vegetarian (red lentil) chili or vegetarian white chili.

Ingredients

Ground turkey
Shallot
Garlic
Red bell pepper
Olive oil
Red kidney beans
Tomato sauce
Chicken stock
Chili powder
Cumin
Cayenne
Oregano
Salt & pepper

You will also want toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions and corn chips (or crackers).

Directions

Prep the ingredients by chopping up the shallots and bell pepper (removing the stem and seeds). Mince the garlic. And drain the canned beans.

Add the olive oil to a large pan and saute the vegetables (shallot, bell pepper and garlic) over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until softened and a slightly brown. Remove from the pan.

In the same pan, brown the ground turkey until just cooked through (no pink should remain). If the turkey sticks, add a little more oil. This can sometimes happen with super lean ground turkey and certain pans. As it cooks, season with a tablespoon of the chili powder and little salt and pepper.

Then add the cooked vegetables and drained beans into the pan with the turkey. Then add the tomato sauce, chicken stock, and remaining spices. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste and season with a little more salt and pepper or anything else you feel the chili needs.

When you are ready to serve, top with shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions and any other chili toppings you prefer.

Tips & Substitutions

I like to use lean (99% fat free) ground turkey, but any ground turkey can work well in this recipe.
You can swap the shallots for a half a yellow or red onion if needed.
You can swap out the red kidney beans for other beans, like black beans, or even something already seasoned like ranch-style beans.
Add more vegetables if you want! Other great additions would be corn, yellow squash, or jalapeno for more heat.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week and rewarm on the stove top or in the microwave as needed.

More Autumn Recipes

If you love this turkey chili, you may also want to try these: