10 Chicken Dinners for the Busy Cook

Champion Chicken Parmesan

You'll love this easy-to-make weeknight winner. Let your family take part in dinner by divvying up kitchen duties. While sun-dried tomatoes soak for the sauce, take time to unwind from the day's events. Next, assign someone as head cook: They'll prepare the chicken while the sous-chef stands guard over the sauce.

Recipe: Champion Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Scallopini

Prepare chicken breasts scallopini-style by pounding them into thin, quick-cooking servings, then dredge in lemon juice and breadcrumbs and sauté for about 3 minutes on each side. The white wine sauce with capers complements the flavor of the lemon juice, and makes a great topping for wild rice.

Recipe: Chicken Scallopini

Stir-Fried Chicken Salad

A vibrant six-ingredient pan sauce performs double-duty as a marinade and a vinaigrette in this quick-cooking recipe. The chicken cooks in minutes, and because it's served on top of a salad, there's no real need for side dishes. Just grab a few breadsticks and a glass of tea and enjoy.

Recipe: Stir-Fried Chicken Salad

Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Serve this flavorful dish in a bowl or wrap in a tortilla for festive Mexican flair. The simple homemade salsa adds spicy flavor and a healthy dose of corn and black beans. This recipe serves one, making it perfect for busy weeknights, and easily scales for two or four servings.

Recipe: Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Pan-Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Maple-Mustard Dill Sauce

Serve this one-pan dish in less than 20 minutes. The rich maple syrup and Dijon mustard sauce is flavored with fresh dill and orange rind, the perfect combination to spice up a basic scallopini-style chicken dinner.

Recipe: Pan-Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Maple-Mustard Dill Sauce

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken-Apricot Skewers

Bring the flavor and ease of cooking outdoors into the kitchen with simple chicken skewers infused with the bright flavors of fresh lemon juice, apricot jam, and dried herbs. They broil in about 10 minutes, just long enough to steam a green veggie and microwave quick-cooking rice.

Recipe: Sweet-and-Sour Chicken-Apricot Skewers

Kung Pao Chicken

Make this Szechuan restaurant classic in just 30 minutes. The chicken, cut into uniform strips, browns quickly and absorbs the flavor of the zesty hoisin sauce. Serve with quick-cooking white or brown rice.

Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Bake a hearty chicken dinner with over-the-top flavor in less than 30 minutes.  Smoky prosciutto, paired with mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, spices up scallopini-style chicken breasts.  Steam a side of broccoli and call the family to the table for an impressive dinner.

Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Sweet Vermouth Chicken

Go ahead, invite last-minute company over on a weeknight. This saucy chicken dish with sweet vermouth, fresh tarragon, and dried cranberrie, is impressively quick and delicious. Brown the chicken in a skillet, then bake in the oven until done. While the chicken bakes, quickly make the fragrant vermouth sauce and let it simmer while you open a bottle of wine or toss a simple salad.

Recipe: Sweet Vermouth Chicken

Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing

Cut chicken breasts into strips and pan-fry for a crispy, low-fat version of fried chicken tenders. A simple, six-ingredient dip, flavored with blue cheese, garlic, and red wine, accents the peppery buttermilk batter on the strips. Serve with a side of extra veggies for dipping, and you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes.

Recipe: Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing

More Easy Chicken Dinners

Get dinner on the table in no time with our easy and flavorful chicken dishes. Browse the galleries below or sign up for the Chicken Tonight Newsletter, delivered to your inbox every weekday.

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