13 Cheap Sunday Dinners for the Mother’s Day Crowd

Feeding everyone on Mother’s Day can get expensive fast, especially when Sunday dinner has to feel planned without draining the grocery budget. These 13 recipes lean on family-style portions, familiar proteins, pantry sauces, pasta, rice, and oven-friendly bakes that stretch well across the table. The mix covers slow cooker chicken, creamy casseroles, sheet pan sausage, meatloaf, salmon, and a few pasta dinners that can carry the main course without needing a long list of sides.

Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

For a hands-off main, Crock Pot Marry Me Chicken cooks 3 chicken breasts in 4 hours and 5 minutes with chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes. The slow cooker does most of the work while the sauce builds enough richness for pasta, rice, or potatoes. Three servings make it better for a smaller Mother’s Day table or as one main beside a casserole. Add a simple green vegetable to stretch the plate.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Marry Me Chicken

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Ready in 30 minutes, Marry Me Chicken Pasta turns 8 ounces of pasta and 1 cup of cooked or rotisserie chicken into 6 servings with heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, garlic, and basil. The shortcut chicken keeps the cost and cooking time under control. It works for the Mother’s Day crowd because pasta fills plates without asking for a second main. Serve it straight from the skillet with salad or bread on the side.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Layered with 4 cups of cooked shredded chicken, lasagna sheets, spinach Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and optional ricotta, Chicken Alfredo Lasagna feeds 8 in 1 hour and 5 minutes. The 9-by-13 bake gives you clean portions without buying a roast or multiple proteins. It fits a budget Mother’s Day dinner because the pasta and sauce help the chicken go farther. Let it rest before slicing, then serve with salad or roasted vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

Chicken Pot Pie

Topped with puff pastry and filled with chicken, celery, carrots, peas, heavy cream, broth, and thyme, Chicken Pot Pie feeds 4 people in 40 minutes. The recipe uses 2 chicken breasts and stretches them through a creamy vegetable filling, which helps keep the main course practical. It works well for a smaller Mother’s Day dinner when you want something that looks complete on its own. Add a crisp salad or roasted vegetables to round out the plate.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Baked in one dish for 1 hour and 50 minutes, Chicken and Rice Casserole feeds 6 with long-grain white rice, cream of mushroom soup, milk, cheddar, and chicken thighs. The uncooked rice bakes in the sauce, so the side and main come from the same pan. That makes it useful for a Mother’s Day crowd when the budget needs dinner to stretch. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then scoop it with parsley and a green side.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Rice Casserole

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Using bone-in chicken thighs, garlic, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and green onions, Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs gives Sunday dinner a sweet-salty main in about 1 hour. Thighs are usually easier on the budget than many other cuts, and they hold up well for family-style serving. The sauce brings enough punch that simple sides can stay simple. Serve with rice, roasted broccoli, or a tray of potatoes for the Mother’s Day table.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Whole Baked BBQ Chicken

Roasted with a 5-pound whole chicken, BBQ sauce, chicken broth, butter, chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, Whole Baked BBQ Chicken feeds 5 people in 2 hours and 10 minutes. A whole bird can be a smarter buy than separate cuts when you need a Sunday centerpiece. The barbecue glaze gives the table a bigger-dinner feel without extra mains. Carve it after the 10-minute rest and serve with coleslaw, cornbread, or potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Whole Baked BBQ Chicken

Marry Me Salmon

Made with 1 pound of salmon, heavy cream, Parmesan, chicken broth, garlic, butter, Italian seasoning, and sun-dried tomatoes, Marry Me Salmon feeds 4 in 25 minutes. It gives the Mother’s Day table a seafood option without needing a long oven time. The creamy sauce helps the salmon feel like a full main even with simple sides. Serve it over rice, pasta, roasted vegetables, or mashed potatoes so every portion gets some of the sauce.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Salmon

Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers

Spread across one pan, Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers uses Italian sausages, green, red, and orange bell peppers, onion, olive oil, oregano, salt, and black pepper in 40 minutes. The sausage-and-vegetable format keeps prep direct and cleanup light when Sunday already has enough moving parts. It fits the cheap Mother’s Day crowd angle because the peppers bulk out the platter. Serve in rolls, over rice, or beside roasted potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers

Beef Stroganoff

Served over 10 ounces of cooked egg noodles, Beef Stroganoff makes 6 servings in 40 minutes with rib-eye steak, mushrooms, shallots, beef broth, sour cream, and butter. The noodles help stretch the beef into a full family-style dinner. It works for Mother’s Day when you want something richer than a plain skillet meal without moving into roast territory. Serve with green beans or a salad to balance the creamy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells

Filled with cooked chicken, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and jumbo pasta shells, Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells makes 4 servings in 35 minutes. The sauce uses butter, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, heavy cream, spinach, and more Parmesan for a baked pasta main that looks bigger than the ingredient list. It fits a smaller Mother’s Day crowd or works beside another main. Serve with garlic bread or a crisp green salad.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Shells

Tuscan Chicken Thighs

Cooked in 35 minutes, Tuscan Chicken Thighs use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, chicken broth, and heavy cream. The short cook time and thigh-based protein keep the dish practical for Sunday without losing the richer sauce people expect from a holiday dinner. It works when the Mother’s Day crowd is smaller but still wants a proper main. Spoon the sauce over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Tuscan Chicken Thighs

Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Built around lean ground beef, onion, bell pepper, Ritz crackers, cheddar, and eggs, Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf gives the table a familiar Sunday main in about 1 hour. The ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire topping keeps the budget-friendly loaf from eating plain. It fits the Mother’s Day crowd because one pan slices into neat portions without needing pricier cuts of meat. Serve it with mashed potatoes or green beans when the table needs a classic plate.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf