5-Ingredient Chicken Recipes

Updated: July 18, 2017
These 40 simple chicken recipes can be prepared using no more than five ingredients, not including salt, pepper, cooking spray and water.
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Poppy Seed Chicken Salad

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell
Poppy Seed Chicken Salad Recipe
This classic chicken salad recipe incorporates grapes and pecans for sweetness and crunch. If you prefer, go tropical and substitute chopped pineapple for the grapes and macadamia nuts for the pecans. Stir in about 1/2 cup coconut for more island flavor.
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Grilled Chicken Skewers

Grilled Chicken Skewers Recipe
Grilled chicken really doesn’t need much more than olive oil, salt and pepper to reach perfection. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce if you wish, toss a fresh green salad, and you’ve got dinner.

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Almond-Stuffed Chicken

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Almond-Stuffed Chicken Recipe
The nutty, cheesy filling spices up chicken breasts and is a snap to make. Toast the almonds in a skillet before you cook the chicken and you'll have just one pan to clean.
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Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

Photo: Yunhee Kim
Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
Take a shortcut to delicious barbecued chicken by combining shredded chicken, barbecue sauce, and jalapeños and serving the delicious mixture on hamburger buns.

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Chicken and Dumplings

Photo: Antonis Achilleos
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Use convenience products like canned soup, canned biscuits, frozen veggies and rotisserie chicken to get this home-style dinner on the table in no time.

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Chicken Quesadilla

Photo: Ryan Benyi
Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
This kid-friendly quesadilla requires just a handful of ingredients.
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Philly Chicken Sandwiches

Photo: Alexandra Grablewski; Styling: Gerri Williams
Philly Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
Sandwiches don't have to be boring! Serve an easy version of Philly Chicken Sandwiches with shredded rotisserie chicken, provolone cheese, and sauteed onion and red bell pepper on whole-grain buns.

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Chicken Sandwiches with Melted Cheese

Photo: Michael Paul
Chicken Sandwiches with Melted Cheese Recipe
Dress up a plain chicken sandwich by adding tangy blue cheese and tart apple slices. Serve with simply steamed veggies and potato chips for a relaxed weeknight meal.

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Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
Pickled jalapeños kick the flavor up a notch in these easy chicken and cheese quesadillas, but if you don't care for the heat, just leave them out. Serve with jarred salsa, refrigerated guacamole, and sour cream, and you've got dinner.
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Rosemary-Brined Rotisserie Chicken

Tim Turner
Rosemary-Brined Rotisserie Chicken Recipe
If you are fortunate enough to have a rotisserie on your grill, nothing beats a brined whole chicken that turns slowly on a spit and bastes itself while the skin turns golden brown and delicious.

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Coconut-Curry Chicken

Christina Schmidhofer
Coconut-Curry Chicken Recipe
Perk up plain chicken breast halves by coating them in shredded coconut and curry powder.  To round out your meal with more Indian-inspired flavor, top with chicken with a spoonful of chutney and serve with basmati rice.

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Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups

Karry Hosford
Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups Recipe
Stuff boneless chicken breast halves with a spicy mixture of cream cheese, picante sauce and cilantro and coat in seasoned breadcrumbs for an easy, but impressive main dish.
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Herbed Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Herbed Stuffed Chicken Breasts Recipe
Dish up a company-worthy dish that calls for only four ingredients, plus salt and pepper.

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Sautéed Chicken Breasts

Photo: Becky Luigart-Staynor; Stylist: Cindy Barr
Sautéed Chicken Breasts Recipe
It's hard to find a simpler chicken dinner than sautéed chicken breasts. Simply season with kosher salt and pepper and cook in a skillet in hot olive oil until golden brown.

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Baked Curry Glazed Chicken

Baked Curry Glazed Chicken Recipe
Keep dinner economical by starting with a whole chicken, cut up into pieces. Simply bake the chicken in a tangy mixture of honey, butter, mustard and curry powder for a high-flavor, super-easy main dish.
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Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Photo: Oxmoor House
Apricot-Lemon Chicken Recipe
Simple yet elegant, this dish takes less than 20 minutes to prepare, making it perfect for a busy lifestyle. The apricot marinade adds a surprising and deliciously tangy flavor. Serve on a bed of salad greens or with a side of rice pilaf.

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Barbecue-Stuffed Potatoes

Photo: Oxmoor House
Barbecue-Stuffed Potatoes Recipe
A smoky twist turns a traditional side-dish into this mouth-watering entrée. Purchase barbecue from you favorite grocery store or barbecue joint and preparation is a breeze. Don't worry about whose turn it is to do the dishes, because a microwave is all you need to make this hearty meal.

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Grilled Asian Drumsticks

Photo: Oxmoor House
Grilled Asian Drumsticks Recipe
Save yourself a trip to the grocery store and grab those pantry staples for this easy recipe. Balsamic vinegar adds a tangy flavor, while honey supplements sweetness to this oriental dish. If you can't find fresh ground chili paste, substitute with a hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco mixed with a pinch of garlic powder.
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Chicken and Shiitake Marsala

Photo: Oxmoor House
Chicken and Shiitake Marsala Recipe
Pounding the chicken to an even thickness helps it cook quickly and evenly. In just 15 minutes, this sweet and smoky Italian classic is ready to serve. Enjoy over a bed of whole-wheat pasta.

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Sweet Mustard Chicken Thighs

Photo: Oxmoor House
Sweet Mustard Chicken Thighs Recipe
This flavorful recipe is on the table in less than 10 minutes and is sure to become an instant family favorite. Whether it's the sweetness of the brown sugar, the zest of the mustard, or the punch of the red pepper, there is something in this dish for everyone.

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Chicken Pasta Soup

Photo: Oxmoor House
Chicken Pasta Soup Recipe
Using pre-chopped vegetables makes preparation easy for this dressed-up chicken noodle soup. Fresh vegetables, whole wheat pasta, and low sodium chicken broth combine to produce a soup full of flavor and low in calories.
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Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwiches

Photo: Oxmoor House
Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwiches Recipe
A fresh new twist on the grilled chicken sandwich, this recipe substitutes the traditional lettuce leaf with a fresh sprig of basil and then adds a slice of juicy pineapple. Add a splash of lime juice and you have a sandwich that practically bursts with tropical flavor.

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Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts

Randy Mayor; Stuart Mallory
Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts Recipe
Make a super-quick glaze for chicken breasts using on-hand pantry items: hoisin sauce, fruit spread and chicken broth. Steam quick-cooking rice and a green veggie in the microwave to round out the meal.

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Skillet-Roasted Chicken

Photo: Amy Neunsinger
Skillet-Roasted Chicken Recipe
Browning the chicken in a skillet before putting it in the oven will decrease the roasting time from about an hour to only 25 minutes. And you can add succulent flavor by stuffing garlic and parsley under the skin of the chicken before you roast.
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Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Thighs Recipe
At $0.73 a serving, you'll stay within your grocery budget for sure with these citrusy herbed chicken thighs. Rice and steamed fresh broccoli are equally economical sides that are great with the tender dark meat chicken.

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Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce Recipe
Apple cider and bacon give this easy sauce a salty, tangy-sweet flavor that's hard to resist. In fact, you might want to double the amount of sauce so you'll have a little extra to spoon over rice. Pounding the chicken into thinner pieces helps decrease the cooking time.

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Sun-dried Tomato Chicken

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Cari South
Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Recipe
Bottled sun-dried tomato vinaigrette along adds such great flavor to the chicken that all you need to add is a sprinkle of coarse-ground black pepper. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes for an easy dinner.
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Pineapple-Soy Chicken Wings

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: P.J. Mehaffey
Pineapple-Soy Chicken Wings Recipe
This crowd-pleasing twist on teriyaki wings is perfect for entertaining or just an easy meal at home.

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Bistro Roast Chicken

Photo: Raymond Hom; Styling: Pamela Duncan Silver
Bistro Roast Chicken Recipe
Fresh herbs, butter, and Dijon mustard provide big flavor in this simple roast chicken. It first cooks breast side down, then is turned over to finish cooking, ensuring extra moist breast meat.

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Lime and Pepper Grilled Chicken Breasts

Annabelle Breakey
Lime and Pepper Grilled Chicken Breasts Recipe
Fresh lime juice brightens up simple grilled chicken. Throw a few sliced fresh vegetables on the grill with this chicken, add thick corn tortillas, and enjoy a tasty summer dinner.
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Vietnamese Stir-Fry

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Vietnamese Stir-Fry Recipe
Few ingredients lend big flavors to this Asian stir-fry. Serve with wide rice noodles tossed with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro leaves.

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Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

Photo: Ryan Benyl; Styling: Stephana Bottom
Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Recipe
Simple ingredients take roast chicken from boring to great. Here, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs are the flavor boosters.

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Chicken Parmesan

Photo: Frances Janisch
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes stand between you and this delicious chicken dinner. Serve with mixed greens dressed with a simple vinaigrette.
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Mesquite-Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Photo: Justin Walker; Styling: Kaitlyn du Ross
Mesquite-Smoked Beer Can Chicken Recipe
Pop open a cold one for a moist smoked chicken. Just add a few spices and brown sugar to boost the flavor profile.

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Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs Recipe
Soy sauce is great in marinades for grilled chicken, as it stands up to charred flavors. The simple solution would also be tasty with steaks, pork tenderloin, or pork chops.

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Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken

Crunchy Pan-Fried Chicken Recipe
A mix of cornmeal and breadcrumbs gives this fried chicken recipe a crisp bite while keeping the inside of the meat juicy.
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Oatmeal-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Oatmeal-Crusted Chicken Tenders Recipe
Oatmeal-crusted chicken tenders are delightfully crunchy, and are sure to be a hit with adults and children alike. Serve with commercial honey mustard or light ranch dressing for dipping.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kevin Crafts
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
In an attempt to create something new, we sometimes forget how good the classics can be. That's the perfect reason to bring back cordon bleu in its simplest form to your table tonight.

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Crispy Oven-Fried Drumsticks

Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Rose Nguyen
Crispy Oven-Fried Drumsticks Recipe
These oven-fried chicken drumsticks have a satisfyingly crunchy texture. We loved the flavor results when we used 1/2 tsp. red pepper. Use 1/4 tsp. for kids.
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Pollo con Jugo de Morillas (Chicken with Morels)

Karry Hosford
Pollo con Jugo de Morillas (Chicken with Morels) Recipe
The dried morels make this easy chicken thigh recipe fit for company, but you can substitute fresh mushrooms if you wish.

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Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe
The prebaked Italian pizza crust and deli-roasted whole chicken make this buffalo chicken pizza meal a quick and easy choice for weeknights.

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Marian's Easy Roast Chicken

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine
Marian's Easy Roast Chicken Recipe
A good roasted chicken is like a little black dress--always appropriate and very versatile. Add this recipe to your repertoire and you will always be prepared to make quick, easy chicken dinners.
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South-of-the-Border Grilled Chicken and Green Tomatoes

Photo: Oxmoor House
South-of-the-Border Grilled Chicken and Green Tomatoes Recipe
A fresh salsa marinade makes this Mexican-style dish as tasty as it is easy to prepare. Substitute whole wheat for regular tortillas and enjoy a nutritionally complete and figure-friendly meal.
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