25+ Essential, Easy Chicken Recipes for Every Night of the Week (2024)

If you're ready to expand your culinary skills, you can't go wrong with any of these simple chicken recipes. Chicken is incredibly versatile, and there are beginner-friendly options for almost any kind of chicken dish, whether you're craving a classic like roast chicken, something indulgent like chicken wings, or something inventive like a chicken pizza.

While you may be used to fancy restaurant-quality chicken, don't let that scare you away from attempting one of these easy chicken recipes. Clear, step-by-step instructions will guide you through the whole cooking process and teach you staple techniques like how to bread chicken cutlets or how to spatchco*ck a chicken. Once you get a little practice, we hope you'll never have to stress over what to make for dinner again.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

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Homemade chicken noodle soup will warm your heart and your belly with a single bowl. This chicken noodle soup recipe calls for a whole chicken, which might seem like a lot of effort, but it also makes a whopping 12 servings, so you'll be slurping down savory chicken and tasty noodles for days.

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02of 27

Chicken and Chard Dumpling Soup

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This fresh take on chicken soup recipes uses chewy gnocchi, tender chicken, and Swiss chard for a balanced meal in a single bowl. (Best of all, it's easy to make—only 30 minutes of hands-on time.)

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03of 27

Southwestern Chicken Soup

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It's labeled a soup, but let's be honest: This is a real white chicken chili. It's got salsa verde for flavor and cannellini beans for weight, both main ingredients in any good white chicken chili recipe, plus cumin and green onions for extra taste.

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04of 27

Instant Pot Chicken Pho

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If you're a fan of the Instant Pot, you likely already use it for almost everything, but trying something a little new with this Instant Pot chicken recipe. It'll give you all the pho flavors you know and love, but with less hands-on time.

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05of 27

Miso Chicken Noodle Soup

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Dress up your classic, comforting chicken noodle soup recipe with a little miso. This recipe from Healthyish by Lindsay Maitland Hunt uses white miso paste, soy sauce, tofu, udon or soba noodles, and chicken (of course) for a soup that is savory and satisfying all at once.

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06of 27

Grilled Pizza With Chicken and Peach

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Chicken may not be the first topping that comes to mind when you think of pizza, but this summer chicken recipe proves that it's on the same level as mozzarella and peppers. Best of all, this recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, so you can spend more time focusing on the pizza and less cooking chicken.

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Zesty Chicken Salad

25+ Essential, Easy Chicken Recipes for Every Night of the Week (7)

For this chicken salad recipe, you'll poach chicken breasts—it's easier than you think—and mix it with dill pickles, mayonnaise, shallot, and more for a homemade chicken salad you can rely on for office lunches, picnics, and more.

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08of 27

Grilled Chicken and Pepper Salad

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This easy chicken recipe has a salad base, but don't think that means it won't fill you up. Delicious marinated grilled chicken brings flavor and heft to the meal, and a homemade salad dressing means you can be certain this is a healthy dish.

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09of 27

Almond-Crusted Chicken With Arugula Salad

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This easy weeknight chicken dish can be made quickly, but speed doesn't come at the expense of flavor: With almond flour and sesame seeds for flavor and crunch on the chicken breast cutlets and a customizable salad, this is sure to become a regular in your weekly meal rotation.

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Vietnamese-Inspired Chicken Patties

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Chicken may be the main ingredient in this recipe, but the vinaigrette is the star of the show. With fish sauce, sambal oelek, and chile, it dresses up the ground chicken meatballs and rice vermicelli noodle base nicely.

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11of 27

Cherry-Bourbon Chicken Wings

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Make watching the game at home special with this irresistible chicken wings recipe. These wings are saucy, sweet, and sour, for a near-complete flavor palette in every bite. If you cook them on the grill, they'll even get a crispy, caramelized finish that will keep everyone coming back for more.

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12of 27

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings

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If you strongly believe that garlic makes everything better, this chicken wings recipe is for you. They're messy and delicious—everything wings should be—and can be cooked on the grill or in a broiler, depending on the cooking tools available for you.

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13of 27

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

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Green salsa verde and Muenster cheese (or Monterey Jack, if you prefer) offer an alternative to the classic red enchilada sauce in this chicken enchiladas recipe. Mild and tangy, these enchiladas are sure to be a crowd favorite. Plus, they have corn in them, so you can serve them on their own as a full meal or add a side salad for an even more balanced meal.

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14of 27

Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

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A homemade enchilada sauce takes this easy chicken enchiladas recipe from good to great. Using a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own saves you time and effort—so you can focus on the sauce—and the four-serving yield feeds the whole family.

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15of 27

Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken With Biscuits

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With this slow-cooker recipe, your cooker takes care of the chicken. When the chicken is almost ready, all you have to do is make some easy-drop biscuits, and then combine it all in a bowl. It'll taste amazing on night one and every night afterward, if you're meal-prepping.

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16of 27

Chicken and Vegetable Potpie

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Potpie might be the pinnacle of comfort food. This chicken potpie recipe includes onions, carrots, and peas, so it's healthy, too, without sacrificing any of the rich flavor you know and love.

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17of 27

Creamy Chicken and Corn Potpie

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All good chicken potpies are creamy, but this chicken potpie recipe might be the creamiest, thanks to the addition of corn chowder, which both introduces tasty corn and veggies to the dish and adds plenty of luscious creaminess.

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18of 27

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

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Consider this chicken recipe with an eight-serving yield, so you can enjoy an indulgent chicken and pasta dish for days to come or feed a crowd. You'll need your stovetop and broiler for this one, so it's more suited to fall and winter than summer, but it's a dish you'll love in any season.

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Crunchy Baked Chicken With Ham and Swiss

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Baked chicken gets a fresh update with this quick, easy chicken recipe, which bakes chicken cutlets with a rich thyme-and-Swiss cheese sauce topped with prosciutto and breadcrumbs. Mouth watering yet? We've got great news: It's all ready in 30 minutes, too.

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20of 27

Baked Chicken Parmesan

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Skip the breading step—easily the most challenging part of making chicken parmesan—with our clever baked chicken parmesan recipe, which layers those beloved chicken parm ingredients and bakes them for a still-satisfying (but easier) dish.

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21of 27

Slow-Roasted Lemon & Herb Chicken

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This easy roast chicken recipe is sure to impress a crowd—but the secret is that it's incredibly easy to make. Foolproof, juicy, and well-seasoned, this is sure to be your new go-to roast chicken dish.

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Spatchco*cked Buffalo Chicken

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You don't need to know how to spatchco*ck chicken before you start this recipe—it's easier than you think, and you'll learn in the process. The finished product is tender with a kick, thanks to a hot sauce marinade, and when you serve it with a wax bean and celery salad on the side, it's a full chicken meal.

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Crispy Chicken With Roasted Radishes

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It sounds fancy and intensive, but this chicken recipe is actually incredibly easy—and all it takes is one pot. It's a chicken thigh recipe that is delightfully crispy and juicy, with roasted red onion and radish on the side—and some toasted baguette to soak up any extra sauces.

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Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Thighs

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Enjoy robust Middle Eastern flavors at home with this completely doable chicken thigh recipe. A delicious blend of spices brings the flavor, and the dish is served with a fresh tomato salad on the side.

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Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Artichoke Dressing

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This easy chicken recipe will have you serving a delicious chicken dinner in less than 30 minutes. The chicken cutlets are amazingly crispy, and the accompanying lemony dressing brings those just-right extra flavors to the meal. With fresh asparagus for the all-important vegetable, it's everything you want from a weeknight dinner.

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26of 27

Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt

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Put your slow-cooker to work with this easy chicken recipe. Cumin, curry powder, and fresh ginger bring the delicious curried taste, and when you set your slow-cooker up before work, you can come home for a ready-to-eat meal that the whole family will love.

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Teriyaki Chicken

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Make your favorite restaurant dish at home with this teriyaki chicken recipe. All you need is chicken and some teriyaki sauce—we'll teach you the rest.

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25+ Essential, Easy Chicken Recipes for Every Night of the Week (2024)

FAQs

How do you make plain chicken breast taste good? ›

Brine them before cooking.

Brined chicken breast has a lot going for it — the meat is already seasoned and brining helps keep the meat moist during the cooking process, leaving little room for cooking error. Make a basic salt brine more interesting by throwing in a bunch of fresh herbs or a little citrus peel.

What should you season chicken with? ›

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

How to make chicken more flavorful? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

How do you get the most meals out of a whole chicken? ›

Turn the chicken breast-side up, then press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten and open out the chicken.
  1. Meal 1: Spatchco*cked roast chicken with orzo and roast vegetables. ...
  2. Meal 2: Chicken, leek and ham pasties. ...
  3. Meal 3 Freekeh, chicken and pomegranate salad. ...
  4. Meal 4: Chicken and mango coconut curry.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

Do you put spices on chicken before cooking? ›

To obtain the most flavor from your chicken, try seasoning before cooking. Eat This Not That says seasoning beforehand allows the spices to penetrate the poultry's meat, yielding lots of flavors while spices coat only the outside of the chicken when seasoned after being cooked, leaving the inside bland and flavorless.

How do you get seasoning to penetrate chicken? ›

The spices and herbs would be mixed with some fat/oil and rubbing directing onto the chicken's flesh, under the outer skin. When the chicken is cooked the cooking and the fat will help the herb and spice flavours to penetrate into the flesh of the animal. Most herb and spice aromats are fat soluble.

How do you get seasoning to stick to chicken? ›

Drizzle a light layer of olive oil onto the chicken if you want the rub to stick better. Olive oil helps the dry rub adhere to the meat so it's less likely to fall off while you're cooking it. Put a coin-sized amount of olive oil on the chicken and spread it evenly across the sides of the chicken.

What spices enhance the flavor of chicken? ›

5 best spice and herbs blends for chicken and meat
  • Paprika and garlic powder. Paprika is a great spice that makes any chicken dish stand out, it comes in many forms sweet, hot, regular and smoky. ...
  • Basil and rosemary. ...
  • Ginger and lemongrass. ...
  • Turmeric and chili. ...
  • Coriander and cumin.

How do you fix bland chicken? ›

There are several simple and delicious ways to enhance the flavor and moisture of bland and dry chicken: Marinade: Marinating chicken before cooking can infuse it with flavor and moisture. You can use a mixture of olive oil, herbs, spices, and acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) to create a flavorful marinade.

What makes chicken more juicy? ›

There are many ways to make chicken breast more moist and flavorful:
  1. Brine the chicken breast before cooking. ...
  2. Marinate the chicken breast before cooking. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breast using a moist cooking method, such as poaching, steaming, or braising.
  4. Cover the chicken breast while cooking to trap in moisture.
Jul 9, 2018

How many meals can 1 chicken make? ›

This is how I make a large chicken into 3 meals for a family of four. First and foremost, we need a large chicken. The bigger the better! Go for the best quality you can afford so you get the most meat and flavour for your money.

How many meals can 1 whole chicken make? ›

I often buy whole chickens and create an entire menu plan around 1 chicken, using it in a variety of different ways to create 4-5 meals from one chicken. The meals are diverse enough that it doesn't feel like you're eating the same thing every day.

Can you eat a whole chicken everyday? ›

While chicken can be a versatile and convenient protein to cook, if your diet doesn't have a diverse protein profile, you lose out on some key nutrients—including essential fats, such as omega-3s. "Eating chicken every day as your sole protein source could result in some nutrient gaps," says Burgess.

How do you add flavor to a bland cooked chicken? ›

Make a Rub

Just because the chicken is already cooked doesn't mean it can't benefit from a rub. Before reheating, make a custom blend of your favorite spices like paprika, cayenne, onion or garlic powder. Mix in dried herbs or a bit of sugar for beautiful caramelization, then sprinkle it evenly over the skin.

What is the tastiest and healthiest way to cook chicken breast? ›

The healthiest way to cook chicken is to bake it in the oven or stir fry it with vegetables. Put the parts in a baking pan, rub some olive oil on them, and surround them with plenty of garlic, lemon, carrots, or whatever you like. Bake at 350° until brown.

Why do people eat plain chicken breast? ›

1. Dietary Preferences: Some individuals prefer a simple, unseasoned taste and may enjoy the natural flavor of chicken without additional seasonings or sauces. 2. Health Reasons: Unseasoned chicken breasts are often considered a healthier option because they contain fewer added salt, sugar, and artificial flavorings.

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