54 Easy Everyday Chicken Recipes

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

 The Spruce

Chicken is a naturally healthy choice for family lunches and dinners. Chicken is high in protein, and it is lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than red meat. The fact that chicken cooks quickly makes it an excellent choice for busy families. It's no wonder chicken outranks beef and pork consumption in the U.S.

These recipes run the gamut, from whole roasted chickens and boneless chicken breasts to crunchy fried chicken and slow cooker favorites. 

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    Chicken With Cranberries and Orange Sauce

    Baked Orange Marmalade Chicken Breasts

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

    Grand Marnier makes this chicken dish next-level. You can also use Cointreau or another type of orange liqueur, for a similarly delicious effect. Dried cranberries and green onions add color to these easy boneless chicken breasts. Or simply serve the chicken with a garnish of cranberry sauce.

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    Creamy Chicken Marsala

    creamy chicken marsala sauce

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Cream adds richness to this quick chicken Marsala recipe. The thickened sauce makes a tasty topping for the chicken and pasta or rice. 

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    Skillet Lemon Chicken With Mushrooms

    Lemon Chicken With Mushrooms

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    A light breading of seasoned flour gives the thin chicken breasts a delicious coating in this skillet lemon chicken recipe. A simple lemon and wine sauce mixture adds just the right amount of flavor to the dish.

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    Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs or Legs

    Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    If you think crispy fried chicken is a messy, labor-intensive task, think again. The skillet crisps the skin and then the chicken goes into the oven for a perfect finish.

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    Garlic Chicken and Shrimp

    Garlic Chicken and Shrimp

    The Spruce

    You might not think of making a dish with these two unrelated proteins, but chicken and shrimp go together remarkably well. Serve the delicious combo over hot cooked fettuccine or rice.

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    Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders

    spicy chicken tenders, deep fried

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Add these family-friendly buttermilk fried chicken tenders to your weekday menu rotation. Serve them with sweet and sour sauce, ranch dressing, or remoulade sauce for dipping. Creole seasoning adds the spicy flavor, but feel free to throw some cayenne in if you love heat.

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    Chicken With Cilantro Cream Sauce

    Chicken With Cilantro Cream Sauce

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Fresh chopped cilantro, red bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and green onions get together to make up the flavor profile for these fast and easy boneless chicken breasts.

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    Pulled Chicken Tacos

    Pulled chicken tacos with garnishes
    The Spruce / Laurel Randolph.

    Both boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs work great in this pulled chicken tacos recipe. The beauty of this dish is how fast and easy it is to prepare. The poaching liquid is spiced with Mexican seasonings and cooked down while you are shredding the chicken.

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    Basil Chicken With Pesto Cream Sauce

    Basil chicken with cream sauce

    The Spruce Eats/Nita West

    Whether homemade or purchased, pesto is a fantastic ingredient for all kinds of dishes. A simple combination of pesto and heavy cream makes up the flavorful sauce for these lean sautéed chicken breasts

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    Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

    Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    This roasted chicken dish, with its appealing blend of ingredients and flavors, is surprisingly easy to prepare and cook. 

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    Chicken Thighs With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

    Chicken Thighs With Mushroom and Wine Sauce

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    This sauce for these chicken thighs tastes rich, but it's lighter than you might think. To make it even lighter, use boneless chicken breasts in the recipe. Chicken breasts cook quickly, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

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    Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

    Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Chicken chili makes a hearty meal with slices of crusty French bread or hot baked cornbread. This recipe utilizes chicken thighs because they offer more flavor and stay juicy even after long, slow cooking.

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    20-Minute Creamed Chicken With Mushrooms

    Creamed Chicken with Mushrooms

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Whether you choose to serve it over biscuits, toast, or rice, creamed chicken is an excellent choice for a satisfying family dinner. Balance the meal with a tossed green salad or a vibrant green steamed vegetable.

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    Chicken Skin Chips

    Chicken Skin Chips

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

    When braising chicken or making chicken soup, you'll need to remove the skin. Rather than toss it, transform it into chicken skin chips. It's a versatile ingredient, whether as a salad, soup, or baked potato topping, a snack cracker substitute, or a crispy sandwich filler.

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    Creamy Bourbon Chicken With Mushrooms

    chicken with bourbon cream sauce
    Fudio/iStock / Getty Images Plus

    The sophisticated flavors in this creamy bourbon chicken dish will wow your friends and family. They'll never guess the dish took less than 30 minutes to throw together and cook. 

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    Paprika Chicken Breasts With Sour Cream Gravy

    Paprika Chicken Breasts

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Sweet paprika adds color and flavor to these baked chicken breasts. The reduced liquids and some sour cream make a rich, creamy gravy. Prep time is about 10 minutes; just pop the chicken in the oven and bake.

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    Chicken Thighs With Orange Sauce

    orange chicken thighs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Orange juice concentrate and herbs make a delicious sauce for these wonderful glazed chicken thighs. Serve this dish with your favorite rice pilaf or a noodle dish.​

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    Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

    Instant pot chicken and rice with serving spoon
    Diana Rattray

    This comforting and adaptable dish makes the whole family happy. Perfect for Little League nights when you need to get dinner on the table quickly or a curl-up-by-the-fire fall Sunday, Instant Pot chicken and rice can be your go-to all-in-one meal.

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    Chicken Under a Brick

    Chicken Under a Brick

    The Spruce Eats / Anita Schecter 

    Chicken under a brick is an interesting roasted chicken recipe. It's spatchcocked, so the backbone of the whole bird is removed. This allows it to be flattened out to ensure even cooking and juicy pieces. The thyme, rosemary, and garlic gives the chicken extra flavor, too.

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    One-Dish Roasted Chicken Dinner With Potatoes

    Roasted Chicken Dinner

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    The addition of chunks of potatoes, carrots, and celery make this roasted chicken a complete meal in one pan. If you're a fan of sheet pan dinners, this recipe is for you.

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    Bulgogi Chicken

    charcoal grilled bulgogi marinated chicken with sliced scallions, kim chi, sesame seeds and lettuce

    Pete Scherer 

    While it's admittedly not quite as easy as ordering takeout barbecue from the Korean restaurant, this backyard replica Bulgogi Chicken makes a convincing stand-in without too much effort. Serve it with rice, kimchi, and your favorite Korean condiments.

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    Tandoori Chicken

    Tandoori Chicken
    Elaine Lemm

    As long as you plan ahead, this Indian tandoori chicken recipe comes together easily. Cubes of boneless chicken marinate in a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and Indian spices for several hours before cooking in the oven. Feel free to sear on the stovetop first to get a bit of char.

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    Instant Pot Chicken Breast

    instant pot chicken breasts with rice and pea pods
    Diana Rattray

    The Instant Pot produces tender, juicy chicken breasts every time, easily answering the age-old question, "What's for dinner?" Chicken breasts can be shredded for pulled chicken sandwiches and tacos; diced for soups, salads, and casseroles; or sliced and served as an entrée along with side dishes.

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    Skillet Chicken With Bacon and Sour Cream

    Easy skillet chicken with bacon

    The Spruce

    This chicken is a snap to prepare and cook in a skillet. The sour cream makes for a rich finish, balancing the flavors of the diced cooked bacon, green onions, and garlic.

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    Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

    Instant Pot barbecue chicken with rice and peas and barbecue sauce.
    Diana Rattray

    This Instant Pot bbq chicken is ideal when you need a family-friendly dinner fast. Chicken parts are coated with a rub including smoked paprika, chili powder, and brown sugar, and then cooked in a bit of store-bought barbecue sauce. A quick trip under the broiler crisps up the skin.

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    Air Fryer Fried Chicken

    air-fryer-fried-chicken-4777789-11

     The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Chicken pieces cook up quickly in an air fryer, which creates a crispy crust while keeping the meat juicy on the inside. And air fryer fried chicken leaves little mess to clean up, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or a relaxing Sunday evening, especially when everyone in the family likes a different part. Just add a salad and a favorite side dish.

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    Chicken Marbella

    Chicken Marbella Recipe

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    This storied dish is adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook, first published in 1982. Although that name might not ring a bell for younger generations, it was a standout cookbook in its time, and Chicken Marbella was its standout dish. This one-pan meal features skin-on chicken marinated in a brine of vinegar, olives, capers, and prunes, and then baked in the same dish—it couldn't be easier. This recipe is a little sweet, a little salty, and perfectly balanced with acidic tang. Great with Spanish rice or mashed potatoes.

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    Honey Dijon-Baked Chicken

    Honey Dijon Baked Chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    It's amazing how a few simple pantry ingredients can turn an everyday piece of chicken into a fabulous entrée. That's the case with this honey dijon-baked chicken.

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    Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

    Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

    The Spruce / Laurel Randolph 

    Chicken noodle soup is a comforting dish but it can take all day to make. This Instant Pot recipe is just as satisfying and delicious but takes under an hour to cook. Chicken thighs are cooked in the broth and then shredded before reincorporating into the soup.

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    Nashville Hot Chicken

    Nashville hot chicken with pickles, bread, and beer.
    Diana Rattray

    Nashville hot chicken might be considered a "trend" to some, but for those in the know realize it's been around for nearly a half century now. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, this famous recipe is inspired by Prince's Hot Chicken, a now-legendary institution that first served up the deep-fried, spicy bird in the '70s. Nashville hot chicken is characterized by its spicy, deep-red glaze, traditionally made with cayenne pepper. Although the level of spiciness varies, it's almost always served on top of white bread—plain white bread, the cheaper and sweeter the better—with some pickles on top.

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    Easy Italian-Style Baked Chicken

    Easy Italian-Style Baked Chicken

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    These easy baked boneless chicken breasts are incredibly easy, and they come out of the oven moist and crusty. Even your pickiest eaters will ask for more.

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    Super Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Baked Glazed Chicken Pieces

    svariophoto / E+ / Getty Images

    This four-ingredient chicken recipe takes less than 10 minutes to throw together. Just pop the chicken in the oven and enjoy the free time.

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    Honey-Baked Chicken Drumsticks

    Honey Baked Chicken Legs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Baked chicken drumsticks or chicken legs get a drizzle of honey and brown sugar sauce as soon as they come out of the oven.

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    Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs With Panko Crumb Coating

    Oven fried chicken thighs recipe

    The Spruce

    A coating of Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs ensures a crispy, crunchy crust on the oven-fried chicken thighs.

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    Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

    Garlic roasted chicken leg recipe

    ​The Spruce / Ali Redmond

    Whole chicken legs are not only budget-friendly; they also offer loads of flavor. A ​combination of garlic, olive oil, and simple seasonings flavor these chicken legs perfectly.

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    Potato Chip Chicken

    potato chip chicken

    Leah Maroney

    Change up your oven-fried chicken recipe by using crushed potato chips instead of breadcrumbs. Barbecue kettle-cooked chips are best, adding a nice hint of flavor and a great crunch.

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    Easy Chicken Parmesan

    Easy Chicken Parmesan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    How can something so easy, taste so special? Simply sautéed chicken breasts are finished in the oven with spaghetti sauce and lots of melty mozzarella cheese.

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    Boursin Chicken With Parmesan Coating

    boursin stuffed chicken breasts

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    A Boursin cheese filling keeps these baked stuffed chicken breasts moist and tender while a Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb coating provides the crispy coating.

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    Crock Pot Italian-Seasoned Chicken With Potatoes

    Italian Seasoned Chicken With Potatoes

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    All you need is 10 minutes and a slow cooker to make this easy crock pot Italian chicken dish. Just add a salad or steamed veggies for a satisfying everyday dinner.

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    Crock Pot Chicken and Corn Chowder

    Crockpot chicken and corn chowder recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    You probably have all of the ingredients for this chicken chowder on hand. It's the perfect blending of flavors, and condensed soups make preparation a breeze.

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    Crock Pot Chicken and Biscuits

    Slowcooker chicken and biscuits

    ​The Spruce Eats / Victoria Heydt

    Baked biscuits provide the base for this slow-cooked chicken and biscuits dish. Use frozen, canned, or homemade biscuits for the recipe.

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    Halal Cart Chicken

    Halal Cart Chicken

     Anita Schecter

    Halal carts are a popular fast food on the streets of New York for good reason. This halal cart chicken is a healthier but still tasty version that's ready in just over 30 minutes.

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    Creamy Broccoli Chicken

    Creamy Broccoli Chicken

    The Spruce / Abbey Littlejohn

    The straightforward combination of chicken breasts, condensed soup, and broccoli, makes this chicken recipe perfect for a busy day.

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    Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

    Creamy chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Dry salad dressing mix and cream cheese add zesty Italian flavor and creaminess to these crock pot chicken breasts.

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    Slow Cooker Creole Chicken With Sausage

    chicken and sausage

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Spicy andouille sausage pairs nicely with boneless chicken thighs and a Cajun-style tomato sauce mixture. Serve it over rice for a taste of Louisiana.

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    Crock Pot Chicken Breasts in Creamy Creole Sauce

    Chicken With Creamy Creole Sauce

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    A creamy Creole-style sauce highlights the chicken in this crockpot dish. The "holy trinity" of Cajun and Creole cooking, onions, bell pepper, and celery, adds flavor and texture to the dish. 

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    Grilled Chicken With Cajun Cream Sauce

    Grilled chicken with cajun sauce

    The Spruce

    Grilled chicken takes center stage with a delicious Cajun seasoned cream sauce. Serve the chicken and sauce with hot cooked linguine or rice.​

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    Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

    Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

    The Spruce 

    Get your trusty seasoned black iron skillet out for this moist and juicy chicken. This whole roasted chicken is easy enough for an everyday meal and special enough for Sunday dinner.

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    Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

    Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    You only need four ingredients to make this fabulous chicken dish: chicken thighs, a packet of dry ranch-style dressing, a clove of garlic, and olive oil. The chicken bakes to golden perfection in about 30 minutes.

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    Ritzy Chicken Casserole

    Ritzy Chicken Casserole

    The Spruce

    Just one taste will convince you to add this ritzy casserole to your monthly mealtime rotation. It's an excellent potluck dish as well.

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    Classic Southern Fried Chicken

    Classic southern fried chicken recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Fried chicken is probably the first dish one thinks of when asked to name some iconic Southern dishes. Dig out your skillet and fry some chicken.

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    Chicken Stew With Vegetables

    Chicken stew with vegetables recipe

    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

    Cook this versatile family-pleasing chicken stew in the oven or slow cooker. A cut-up chicken or chicken thighs are the main protein, so not only is the stew delicious; it's easy on the budget. 

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    Easy Chicken Marengo With Garlic and Tomatoes

    Chicken marengo

     The Spruce

    Boneless chicken breasts team up with mushrooms and a flavorful tomato dish in this French-inspired dish. The original dish was created in the year 1800 to celebrate Napoleon's Battle of Marengo victory.

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    Hunter's Chicken With Tomatoes and Mushrooms

    hunter's chicken
    Diana Rattray

    This rustic chicken dish is a family-pleasing combination of chicken leg quarters, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Serve the chicken with roasted or mashed potatoes or noodles.