Chicken is delicious, versatile, reasonably priced, and easy to prepare. But we get it: It's easy to fall into a rut. If you find yourself making the same things week after week, our easy weeknight chicken recipes are a great way to mix it up.
We have a number of inspired ways to make chicken for dinner any night of the week. One we love: the low-maintenance sheet-pan dinner, where all the ingredients cook together on one sheet pan. We've also got recipes that use creative ingredients to provide a breath of fresh air to your usual rotation. Think capers and lemon juice, cashews and curry paste, and smoked paprika and roasted red peppers.
Choose a few of our fast, delicious chicken dinner recipes and you'll never find yourself in a weeknight funk again.
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Chicken-Thigh Piccata with Broccoli Rabe
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Boneless, skinless chicken thighs have a rich flavor that stands up well (and isn't overwhelmed by) a briny piccata sauce made with lemon juice, capers and butter. And although this may seem like a complicated dish, it comes together in under a half-hour.
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Cashew-Chicken Kebabs
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Cashews and chicken are a winning combination, familiar to anyone who's had the classic Chinese dish. Here's a Thai-inspired version that's equally tasty, but less obvious. At its heart: a sauce made by pulsing cashews (though you could also use peanuts or almonds) with curry paste and water.
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Chicken Saltimbocca with Sage
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You can absolutely pull off this Italian trattoria dish on a weeknight. We opted for chicken breasts over the more traditional veal, but still kept them wrapped up in a tasty blanket of fresh sage leaves and thin slices of prosciutto. Round out this simple weeknight meal with a side of steamed squash or a Tomato Salad with Lemon and Mint.
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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
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Topped with sour cream, salsa, and ripe avocado, this one-pan dinner will definitely earn its spot in your regular weeknight rotation. Boneless, skinless chicken breast plus yellow and green bell peppers sizzle together on a sheet pan while tortillas warm in the same oven.
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Red-Hot Chicken and Peppers
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If you love bold flavors and spice, you'll definitely want to try this weeknight chicken dinner. You roast chicken legs tossed with a mixture of hot sauce, smoked paprika, and roasted red-pepper brine on a bed of chickpeas and peppers. Served with lemony watercress and toasted flatbread to cool the heat and soak up the juices.
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Creamy Mustard Chicken with Couscous
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We love this easy dinner recipe because it takes everyday ingredients (chicken drumsticks and quick-cooking couscous) and elevates them into something special. And the prep is easy, too, making it a great option for a weeknight or for weekend entertaining. The key to its success: a French-inspired pan sauce that includes buttery leeks, sharp mustard, and a touch of cream.
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Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry with Green Beans
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Lemon zest and lemon juice add a bright, fresh flavor to this stir-fry, which also leans on the reliably delicious combination of sesame oil and ginger. Add green beans and steamed white rice, and you've got a delicious dinner.
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Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms with Egg Noodles
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Here's a great one-pan dinner to add to your repertoire. All you need is a large straight-sided skillet to sear the chicken breasts, sauté the mushrooms and shallots, cook the noodles, and stir it all together with a rich sauce.
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Sweet-and-Sour Chicken-Noodle Bowl
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To make this refreshing noodle bowl dinner, simply toss carrots, cabbage, and cucumbers with a sweet and tangy mixture of lime juice, sweet chili sauce, and ginger. Add thin rice noodles and leftover sliced roast chicken, and it's ready to go (and it's actually great on the go, if your dinner is picnic-style!).
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Chipotle Chicken and White-Bean Soup
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Keep canned tomato sauce, chipotle in adobo, and white beans in your pantry, and you'll never be far from getting this quick, one-pot take on tortilla soup on the table. Top the soup, which includes tender chicken thighs, off with sliced radishes, tortilla chips, and diced avocado for a fresh finish and a little crunch.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes
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Truly a winner chicken dinner, this one-skillet meal uses chicken cutlets and is inspired by your favorite dip. Plus, it takes just 35 minute to make.
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Chicken with Mushrooms
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Minimal ingredients means minimal prep, so this stovetop dinner is on the table in 25 minutes or less. Lightly floured chicken cutlets are sautéed in butter, then the mushrooms and fresh thyme are cooked. The pan is deglazed with a touch of white wine before the browned chicken is added and the sauce magically thickens.
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Roasted Chicken with Kale and Tomato Panzanella
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Let the oven do the work with this dinner recipe. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are crisped up on the same sheet pan as the crusty bread, lacinato kale, and cherry tomatoes in the panzanella it's served alongside.
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Ground Chicken Tacos
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We turn up the volume on basic ground chicken with a fiery blend of spices, jalapeño peppers, and lime juice in these irresistible tacos.
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Spicy Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
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A flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, fiery Thai chiles, and plenty of fresh basil coats cut-up pieces of chicken thigh makes for a punchy 35-minute chicken dinner.
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Instant Pot Chicken Curry
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The multicooker is a stellar route to a chicken dinner. Here, we use pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and plenty of warming spices to make a hearty curry in 30 minutes.
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Broiled Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Watercress
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As much as we love chicken on its own, we adore it even more when it's paired with bacon. We also adore using the broiler for dinner recipes because it heats up much quicker than the oven and cooks food twice as fast. Its blast of direct heat seals in juices as it perfectly caramelizes the outside of chicken breasts in this recipe.
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Chicken Schnitzel with Dill and Sesame
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Using a mix of panko, sesame seeds, and flour makes a crisp, nutty coating for these chicken cutlets. They cook in a flash and deliver the delicious crunch of fried chicken with far less mess.
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Chicken Soup with Dill Spaetzle
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Because everyone needs a soothing chicken soup recipe, this one comes with spaetzle, the dumpling's bite-sized cousin. In just 40 minutes, you'll be spooning this rich dill-infused broth with parsnips, carrots, and plenty of chicken.
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Chicken and Vegetables in Parchment
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For something different, go en papillote tonight for dinner. It's a scrumptious, low-fat way of cooking dinner—the chicken breasts gently steam in the parchment packet, along with cherry tomatoes, baby bok choy, shallot, and a touch of wine—in 45 minutes.
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Warm Quinoa and Chicken Salad
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Here's a main-course salad built around quick-cooking quinoa, which is packed with protein, iron, and fiber. With chicken, asparagus, and peas, it makes a filling dinner.
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Thai Coconut Chicken with Pineapple Salsa
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This 35-minute dinner is made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs that are braised in a lively mix of coconut milk and fish sauce, then topped with a spicy pineapple-scallion salsa.
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Orange and Balsamic Chicken
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Bold flavors—balsamic vinegar and whole orange wedges—liven up pan-seared chicken thighs in this 20-minute entrée. Squeeze the sautéed oranges over the chicken and serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.
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Green-Chile Chicken Burgers
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Why should beef get all the burger action? As this zesty patty proves, a ground chicken burger can be a winner with the right seasonings—here, canned green chiles take it to the next level of flavor.
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Chicken and Mushroom Tagliatelle
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Hearty and creamy, this 35-minute pasta is rich but not heavy. It's made with boneless chicken breast and cremini mushrooms, plus celery and parsley for crunch and color.
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Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice
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Here's a one-pot route to a most delicious curry featuring a cut-up chicken with bonus coconut basmati rice cooked in the same Dutch oven.
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Mediterranean Chopped-Chicken Pita
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Grilled chicken isn't just a fast weeknight standby—it's a weekday treat, too. Here, grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast halves are cut into strips and top grilled pitas along with hummus, cherry tomatoes, radicchio, and feta. It's the best open-faced chicken sandwich ever.
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Vinegar-Glazed Chicken with Creamed Corn
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This southern-inspired meal transforms boneless, skinless chicken thighs into a tasty one-skillet dinner (you cook the chicken in the pan, then wipe it out and use it for the creamy corn). It all comes together in less than 30 minutes.
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General Tso's Chicken
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Lightly battered and fried chicken is paired with an addictive chile-laced sweet-and-sour sauce in this takeout classic. It's tastier and faster than waiting for delivery—promise.
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Braised Chicken with Artichokes, Olives, and Lemon
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Hearty, homey, and satisfying, this braise is faster than most. It takes one hour to transform a whole chicken cut into pieces into a Mediterranean-inspired main.
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