The 101 Best Chicken Recipes for When You’re in a Dinner Rut
We love to shake up our weeknight dinner routine, but there’s no denying that chicken has a special place in our heart. It’s versatile, easy to prepare and crowd-pleasing to boot…but that also doesn’t mean you have to stick with the same old grilled boneless, skinless breast every time (bo-ring). Break out of your comfort zone with this handy roundup of the 101 best chicken dinner recipes—from chicken tinga tacos to the ultimate potpie—that will never let you down.
RELATED: 50 Chicken Recipes for Kids That They’ll Actually Like
1. Slow-Cooker Pulled Chicken
Serve it as a main dish with hearty sides or as a simple sandwich.
2. Parmesan-Ranch Chicken Thighs
Because everything’s better with cheese and ranch.
3. Bruschetta Chicken
It’s satisfying and flavorful without being heavy.
4. Avocado Chicken Salad
The best thing to happen to lunch.
5. Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken
Use the leftovers in salads, soups and pastas all week long.
6. Potato-Chip ‘Fried’ Chicken
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and a lot less fuss than frying.
7. Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches
Fried chicken + cheese waffles = the greatest invention since sliced bread.
8. Skillet Chicken with Apricots and Fresh Herbs
We’ll wait all year to make this with in-season apricots.
9. Mini Chicken and Waffles
They’re so tiny, we can eat ten of these, right?
10. Spicy Yogurt Marinated Chicken Legs
News flash: Roast chicken doesn’t have to be dull.
11. Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
Set it and forget it. See? It’s easier than ordering in.
12. Skillet Chicken Fajitas
Serve ’em in a sizzling skillet for the ultimate effect.
Get the recipe
13. Baked Mini Chicken Burritos
Try to eat just one. We dare you.
14. Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
It’s hearty and surprisingly low-maintenance.
15. Roasted Drumsticks with Tomatoes
This chicken dinner is almost too pretty to eat. (Almost.)
16. Chicken Tinga Tacos
Don’t save this one just for taco Tuesday.
17. Oven-Baked Buffalo Wings
Wings are the best thing about game day, hands down.
18. Whole Roasted Chipotle Chicken
It’s the easiest way to feed a crowd (or meal prep for an entire week).
19. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Behold, a takeout favorite that requires just ten minutes of prep.
20. Garlic Breaded Roast Chicken Breast
Thanks to crispy Panko breadcrumbs, deep fryers need not apply.
21. Chrissy Teigen’s Cheesy Chicken Milanese
It takes only 40 minutes to make, but tastes like it took all day.
22. Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
No one is immune to the siren call of the chicken tender, even adults.
23. Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce
Confession: We’d eat this peanut sauce by the spoonful.
24. Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata
Are you some kind of fancy chef? This sure tastes like it.
25. Family-Style Chicken Caesar Salad
The dressing is anchovy-free, in case you were wondering.
26. Black Pepper Chicken
We’re suckers for healthier take on one of our go-to takeout orders.
27. Grilled Peach, Chicken and Ricotta Pizza
Forget plain old pepperoni—this fancy combo totally works.
28. One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Carrots
Best of all, there’s only one pan to clean up.
29. Buffalo-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Make the sweet potatoes ahead of time and dinner is halfway made.
30. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
We challenge you not to eat all of these in one sitting.
31. Baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
Pass the honey mustard, please.
32. Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Warning: This recipe is about to change your soup game for good.
33. Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce
Haven’t you heard? Everything tastes better on a stick.
34. Tangy Green Chicken Enchiladas
Don’t tell anyone, but there are tons of veggies hidden inside.
35. Gochujang Chicken Stir-Fry
It’s twice as flavorful as takeout and comes together in a single skillet.
36. Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Serve this one with tortilla chips. Lots of tortilla chips.
37. Crispy Grilled Chicken
Our advice? Eat this in the backyard with a glass of rosé.
38. Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet
This is just as good as any restaurant dish, so we’re probably never going out to eat again.
39. Firecracker Chicken with Rice
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts don’t have to be bland. We prefer them spicy, sticky and irresistible.
40. Sheet-Pan Persian Lemon Chicken
This dish can be assembled in five to ten minutes, so it’s what we call “meal-prep magic.”
41. Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken and Avocado Salad
Introducing the salad to end all others (because it’s all about the toppings, really).
42. Skillet Roast Chicken with Peaches, Tomatoes and Red Onion
The combination of sweet peaches and savory onions is *chef’s kiss.*
43. Grilled Curried Chicken Thighs
The secret to maximum flavor with minimal effort? Basting the chicken with a five-ingredient curry sauce as you grill.
44. Chicken with Feta Cheese, Dill, Lemon and Harissa Yogurt
We’ll never say no to a harissa yogurt sauce—or feta, for that matter.
45. Honey-Lime Chicken and Veggies in Foil
The whole meal cooks inside the foil packets, so there’s zero cleanup. (Genius, right?)
46. Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders
The coconut coating is sweet and crunchy in all the right ways.
47. Lime Chicken with Corn and Poblano Salad
It’s zesty, hearty and a little bit spicy.
48. Crispy Za’atar Chicken and Cauliflower
Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend of dried herbs, sesame seeds and sumac, and an excellent match for chicken thighs.
49. Chimichurri Chicken Meatballs with Herbed Greek Yogurt, Red Quinoa & Green Beans
About that bright, herby, garlicky sauce: We’ll be licking it off our fingers.
50. Potato-Chip Crusted Chicken with Arugula Pesto
Is it the greatest chicken Parm rendition of all time? We’d bet money on that.
51. Baked Chicken and Ricotta Meatballs
They’re tender, quick-cooking and easy enough to make on a weenight.
52. Grilled Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
We could all use a few more lettuce wraps in our lives.
53. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken
Totally hands-off and super seasonal is our M.O.
54. One-Pan Lemon Sage Chicken and Cauliflower
A one-pan dinner that’s low-carb and made with cauliflower? Be still our heart.
55. Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs
We love meatballs. We love chicken tikka masala. It was only a matter of time before they joined forces.
56. Keto Sheet-Pan Chicken and Rainbow Veggies
Proof that diet-friendly doesn’t have to mean flavorless or sad.
57. Instant Pot Keto Indian Butter Chicken
Here’s the kicker: It’s ready in 20 minutes.
58. Whole30 Chicken Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice with Coconut-Herb Sauce
Whether you’re Whole30-ing or not, that coconut sauce is something to talk about.
59. Pasta Florentine with Grilled Chicken
You'll use ¾ cup of wine to make this cream sauce. What you do with the rest of the bottle is your call.
60. 30-Minute Creamy Chicken, Corn and Tomato Skillet
You’re three steps and 35 minutes from a delectable dinner.
61. Pomegranate-Sumac Chicken with Roasted Carrots
The buttermilk brine ensures ultimate tenderness and beautiful browning.
62. Ina Garten’s Updated Chicken Marbella
You didn’t think we’d leave the queen of chicken recipes off this list, did you?
63. Dijon-Maple Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
The tangy glaze is equally tasty on the chicken and the veggies.
64. Sheet-Pan Chicken Shawarma with Lemon-Tahini Drizzle
FYI, this one also happens to be paleo-friendly and gluten-, dairy- and grain-free.
65. Oven-Baked Chicken Kofta Wraps
Fill those lettuce cups with alllll the cucumbers, tomatoes and lemon-garlic aioli.
66. Spicy Lemon-Ginger Chicken Soup
This chicken soup is as customizable as it is easy to make.
67. Chicken Thighs with Pancetta and Green Olives
The trick to crispy skin is to cook your chicken thighs low and slow.
68. Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
It’s just as easy as opening up a can of soup but about a million times more delicious.
69. Honey Mustard Sheet-Pan Chicken with Brussels Sprouts
On our ideal dinner checklist? Fast, easy and minimal cleanup. This chicken dinner ticks all the boxes.
70. Antoni Porowski’s Chile-Maple Roast Chicken
This bird relies on just a few ingredients (chili powder, maple syrup and, of course, butter) for maximum flavor.
71. Chicken Kebabs with Garlic Lemon Yogurt
Once again, yogurt sauce proves it’s worth its weight in gold.
72. Sticky Orange Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Fennel
A word of warning: You’ll want to stock up on napkins for this one.
73. Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken with Potatoes
No basting or babysitting your oven required. (Just don’t tell Ina Garten.)
74. Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken and Shredded Brussels Bowls
Brussels sprouts in a stir-fry might be unconventional, but they’re also damn tasty.
75. Spicy Glazed Popcorn Chicken
The spicy-sweet glaze will have you coming back for thirds.
76. Dorie Greenspan’s Sheet-Pan Balsamic Chicken with Baby Potatoes and Mushrooms
You only need 15 minutes to prep this dish, but when it comes out of the oven, prepare for the ooh s and ahh s.
77. Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet
Mozzarella cheese, balsamic vinegar and jammy roasted tomatoes? There’s nothing not to love.
78. Rotisserie Chicken Ramen
This is miles ahead of what you’ll find at the grocery store.
79. Mini Chicken Shawarma
Pack these cuties into lunches or serve them for dinner—no silverware required.
80. Meal-Prep Honey Sesame Chicken with Broccolini
If you thought meal prep was intimidating, you probably just hadn’t met this chicken recipe yet.
81. Chicken Pesto Focaccia Sandwiches
The chicken gets pounded paper-thin then cooked to golden, crispy perfection. Any questions?
82. One-Pot Creamy Chicken Alfredo
Aside from minimizing the amount of cleanup, this one-pot method results in the creamiest sauce ever (and surprisingly, you don’t have to use cream).
83. Chicken Parmesan Bites
The more bite-size, the better, if you ask us. They’ve got the ideal ratio of coating to chicken (and they’ll never get soggy).
84. Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry
Set your timer, because dinner is ready in 20 minutes.
85. Buffalo Chicken Wraps with Blue Cheese and Celery
These wraps have a secret: store-bought rotisserie chicken.
86. Kung Pao Chicken
You only need one skillet to make this spicy-sour-sweet masterpiece.
87. Cheater’s Grilled Whole Chicken and Vegetables
By spatchcocking the chicken (aka removing its backbone), you can cook it in an hour on the grill and leave the dirty kitchen for another night.
88. Everything Chicken Wings
Is there anything this seasoning blend doesn’t make better? (That’s a rhetorical question.)
89. Grilled Jerk Chicken Cutlets with Mango Salsa
The cinnamon and spicy cayenne flavors in the jerk seasoning pair magically with the juicy, zesty fruit salsa.
90. Pineapple Korean Chicken Thighs
Gochujang, Korean chile paste, is the key to maximum flavor in this dish.
91. Fried Chicken BLT with Jalapeño Honey
To be quite honest, we’d eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
92. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Stuffed Peppers
The Greek yogurt dressing has the creamy, tangy flavor you crave, just lightened up a little.
93. One-Pan Creamy Chicken Fricassee with Sage
It’s luscious, lemony and has a half cup of white wine in the sauce (just FYI).
94. 15-Minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders
We’d let these cuties—made with store-bought rotisserie chicken—slide into our DMs any day.
95. Honey-Mustard Chicken Bake
Reserve half of the honey-mustard sauce and add it just before broiling at the end, to caramelize the top.
96. Chicken Sausage, Spelt and Pepper Skillet
We’re not sure what’s more exciting: a nutritious dinner or the lack of dishes to clean afterward.
97. Green Bowl with Chicken, Citrus and Herbs
There’s something about a warm weeknight bowl that just feels right.
98. The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich
If only all sandwiches were served with frizzled onions…
99. Cheater’s White Wine Coq au Vin
Our version of the French classic isn’t necessarily authentique, but it’s undeniably delish and oh-so-easy to make.
100. Lemon-Roasted Potatoes, Chicken and Spinach with Tzatziki
Sad salad? We don’t know her.
101. The Ultimate Chicken Potpie
Is this what they mean by “winner, winner, chicken dinner”?
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