5-Ingredient Chicken Dinners for Easy Weeknight Meals

Updated March 09, 2009
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Cari South

These 50+ chicken recipes don’t come with a long list of pricey ingredients. All you need is salt, pepper, cooking oil, and water to start prepping for these simple yet flavorful meals. With recipes ranging from soups to casseroles to pizza, you’ll never tire of these family-friendly chicken dinners.

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Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts

Credit: Greg DuPreeFood Styling: Rishon HannersProp Styling: Thom Driver

Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts Recipe

This is a perfect basic grilled chicken recipe, simple and versatile enough to meal prep, whip up on a hectic weeknight, or serve to company. Make sure to cook the chicken breasts until the internal temperature reaches a safe 165 degrees—about six minutes on each side. Save three of these grilled chicken breast halves to make our Hearts of Romaine Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken. Garnish the plate with grilled lemon slices.

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Chicken and Dumplings

Credit: 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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Harissa Grilled Chicken Skewers

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Harissa Grilled Chicken Skewers Recipe

These skewers get a nice, long marinating time due to the low amount of lemon juice. If your marinade is loaded with vinegar or citrus, go for 30 minutes to an hour at most to ensure the best texture.

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Simple Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

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Simple Slow Cooker Whole Chicken Recipe

This simple whole chicken recipe is great served as is with crusty bread or over rice, but it’s also a great way to cook chicken ahead of time to use in a variety of dishes, such as chicken salad, soups, and casseroles.

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Grilled Bone-In Chicken Thighs

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Grilled Bone-In Chicken Thighs Recipe

How can such a simple recipe for grilled chicken thighs taste so flavorful and satisfying? Once you sink your teeth into the super-crispy skin and find rich, tasty dark meat waiting underneath, you’ll understand. This low and slow cooking method yields tender, succulent meat with carefully developed flavors. Make grilled chicken thighs the simple way, because juicy, decadent chicken doesn’t have to be so complicated.

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Easy Chicken Adobo

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Anna Theoktisto

Easy Chicken Adobo Recipe

Inspired by the Philippine national dish, this Easy Chicken Adobo uses a simple blend of garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce to give chicken a zingy boost. Traditional adobo sauces are commonly enriched with coconut milk, and the dish is frequently made with pork. But for everyday cooking, we like this lighter, simpler chicken recipe. Serve with rice. This is the perfect dinner for spicing up your usual routine. 

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Perfect Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Claire Spollen

Perfect Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts Recipe

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Grilled Chicken Skewers with Wasabi Mayo

Credit: Victor Protasio; Styling: Paige Hicks

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Wasabi Mayo Recipe

A kicking dipping sauce adds amped up fun and flavor. If you make these skewers on the outdoor grill, make sure to soak your wooden skewers in water before grilling to avoid burning. Make a few extra skewers to add chicken to lunches and salads the next day. The wasabi mayo adds a kick to the simple grilled chicken that pairs well with the sweetness of honey and tang of rice vinegar. The mayo can be saved and served alongside roasted vegetables, skirt steak or fresh grilled fish. 

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Simple Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Simple Sheet Pan Chicken And Veggies Recipe

Comforting, savory, and satisfying, this sheet pan chicken dinner is perfect for weeknights. The chicken has a crispy, slightly salty skin with a juicy, tender interior. Meanwhile, the vegetables get lightly bathed in the chicken’s buttery juices. Feel free to cut up and use any leftover veggies you have—this recipe is all about technique. Line the baking sheet with foil for the fastest after-dinner cleanup ever. 

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Coconut-Curry Chicken

Credit: Christina Schmidhofer

Coconut-Curry Chicken Tout

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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Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Credit: 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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Crispy Oven-Fried Drumsticks

Credit: 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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Mesquite-Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Credit: 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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Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups

Credit: 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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Chicken Quesadilla

Credit: Ryan Benyi

Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

This kid-friendly quesadilla requires just a handful of ingredients.

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Herbed Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Credit: 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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Vietnamese Stir-Fry

Credit: 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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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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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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Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Credit: 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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Almond-Stuffed Chicken

Credit: 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

Credit: 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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Barbecue-Stuffed Potatoes

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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

Credit: 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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Rosemary-Brined Rotisserie Chicken

Credit: 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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Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

Credit: 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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Pineapple-Soy Chicken Wings

Credit: 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

Credit: 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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