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Readers' Top 20 Recipes

Real Simple Author
By Real Simple Editors Updated August 29, 2014
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Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli
Credit: Anna Williams
Looking at your go-tos, one thing is certain: You like chicken, you really, really do.
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1 of 20

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1. Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli

Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli
Credit: Anna Williams

Cheesy? Creamy? Ready in under half an hour? Yes, yes, and yes. Is this dish perfection? No wonder it was the #1 recipe readers went to over and over.

Get the recipe.

1 of 20

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2. Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie
Credit: Maria Robledo

Tender chicken meets vegetables in a velvety sauce and a flaky crust.

Get the recipe.

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3. Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Credit: John Kernick

As one reader put it, these pumpkin-spiced treats “are so easy to make, but taste very fancy.”

Get the recipe.

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4. Basic Quiche

Basic Quiche
Credit: Petrina Tinslay

Think of the egg-and-Gruyere classic as a foundation for whatever embellishments (ham, spinach, mushrooms) you care to make to it.

Get the recipe.

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5. Last-Minute Lasagna

Last-Minute Lasagna
Credit: Rick Lew

This longtime favorite offers all the gooey pleasures of lasagna without time-consuming steps like boiling the noodles and mixing the filling.

Get the recipe.

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6. Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Tomato Salad

Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Tomato Salad
Credit: John Kernick

If you’re not a fan of artichokes, you can easily stuff the chicken with olive tapenade, Feta and pine nuts, or roasted red peppers and Parmesan instead.

Get the recipe.

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7. Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti
Credit: Petrina Tinslay

Apparently readers love the baked-in crunchy-cheesiness of simplified lasagna, as a second take on the dish makes the list.

Get the recipe.

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8. Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad

Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad
Credit: Anna Williams

Basted with a sweet honey-based sauce, grilled chicken is simple to make, ready in 20 minutes, and totally kid-friendly.

Get the recipe.

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9. Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower

Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower
Credit: Maria Robledo

Comfort food made healthy: Chopped cauliflower is mixed into bread crumb–topped cheese and pasta to add fiber and vitamin C.

Get the recipe.

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10. Turtle Bars

Turtle Bars
Credit: Sang An

Chocolate, pecans, and toffee make these cookies irresistible.

Get the recipe.

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11. Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

Zesty Chicken Enchiladas
Credit: Dana Gallagher

A fresh, easy version of a south-of-the-border basic starts with a sauce made of deliciously tart tomatillos.

Get the recipe.

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12. Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches
Credit: Beatriz da Costa

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these scrumptious cookies were a big hit with readers at Halloween, and then again at Thanksgiving.

Get the recipe.

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13. Chicken Quesadilla Pie

Chicken Quesadilla Pie
Credit: John Kernick

A winner since it debuted on the site in March 2007, chicken quesadilla pie puts a modern spin on the casserole.

Get the recipe.

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14. Glazed Salmon With Broccoli Rice

Glazed Salmon With Broccoli Rice
Credit: Kan Kanbayashi

Salmon is as versatile as it is heart-healthy, here broiled with a simple brown sugar glaze.

Get the recipe.

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15. Curried Rice With Shrimp

Curried Rice With Shrimp
Credit: Dana Gallagher

Curry and basil give shrimp a bit of kick in a one-pot (or skillet) meal.

Get the recipe.

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16. Easy Key Lime Pie

Easy Key Lime Pie
Credit: Kana Okada

Five ingredients and three steps is all it takes to whip up a pie one reader described as “pretty amazing.”

Get the recipe.

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17. Roasted Salmon With Potatoes and Mushrooms

Roasted Salmon With Potatoes and Mushrooms
Credit: Kan Kanbayashi

Salmon and vegetables are roasted together, then drizzled with a honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Get the recipe.

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18. Chicken Stroganoff

Chicken Stroganoff
Credit: Quentin Bacon

Tasty, speedy, stick-to-your-ribs food, this recipe is not about precision: It allows for variations as the cook sees fit.

Get the recipe.

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19. Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Quick Dinner Ideas: Chicken Curry in a Hurry
Credit: John Kernick

To round out this dish, add steamed or stir-fried vegetables, such as eggplant and slivered chili peppers or green beans and cauliflower, or simply serve over rice with packaged flat bread on the side.

Get the recipe.

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20. Easy Ice Cream Cake

Easy Ice Cream Cake
Credit: Marcus Nilsson

It seems suitable to end the list with a yummy ender for any meal: a clever cake assembled in minutes from ice cream sandwiches.

Get the recipe.

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By Real Simple Editors

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 20 1. Cheesy Baked Shells and Broccoli
    2 of 20 2. Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie
    3 of 20 3. Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
    4 of 20 4. Basic Quiche
    5 of 20 5. Last-Minute Lasagna
    6 of 20 6. Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Tomato Salad
    7 of 20 7. Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti
    8 of 20 8. Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad
    9 of 20 9. Macaroni and Cheese With Cauliflower
    10 of 20 10. Turtle Bars
    11 of 20 11. Zesty Chicken Enchiladas
    12 of 20 12. Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches
    13 of 20 13. Chicken Quesadilla Pie
    14 of 20 14. Glazed Salmon With Broccoli Rice
    15 of 20 15. Curried Rice With Shrimp
    16 of 20 16. Easy Key Lime Pie
    17 of 20 17. Roasted Salmon With Potatoes and Mushrooms
    18 of 20 18. Chicken Stroganoff
    19 of 20 19. Chicken Curry in a Hurry
    20 of 20 20. Easy Ice Cream Cake

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