85 Chicken Dinners for the Busy Cook

Updated September 06, 2016
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Simplify dinner with these quick and easy chicken recipes that will get you in and out of the kitchen in no time.

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Easy Chicken Parmesan

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

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

This chicken parmesan is an Italian classic that's easy to make and easy on your budget.

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Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr and Lindsey Lower

Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salad Recipe

All the fresh flavors of summer come together in this easy grilled chicken salad. The homemade buttermilk dressing balances the heat of the chicken and completes the meal.

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Grilled Mango-Habanero Jerk Chicken

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Grilled Mango-Habanero Jerk Chicken Recipe

You probably have all the ingredients on hand to make this quick spice rub. Water or chicken stock can be substituted for rum in the mango sauce.

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Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken Recipe

The tangy-sweet flavor combination of this sauce will work equally well with chicken thighs or pork. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed haricots verts or a tossed green salad.

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Sweet-Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Sweet-Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipe

This colorful chicken and veggie stir-fry features a sweet-spicy sauce and a topping of dry-roasted peanuts, which add delicious crunch.

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Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe

Saltimbocca means "jump in the mouth"–apt for a fast dish that marries woodsy sage, bright lemon, and salty prosciutto.

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Flattened Chicken with Almond and Paprika Vinaigrette

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Flattened Chicken with Almond and Paprika Vinaigrette Recipe

While pounding the chicken breast thin and searing is a French technique, the flavor profile here is decidedly Spanish.

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Chicken Yakitori

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Chicken Yakitori Recipe

Kids will love swapping forks for skewers to build their own kebab bites. The sweet-savory glazed chicken is perfect served with basmati rice and crisp steamed veggies.

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Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad with Chicken

Credit: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Lemony Orzo-Veggie Salad with Chicken Recipe

This colorful orzo and chicken main dish salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a tangy lemon dressing. It's a great use for leftover or rotisserie chicken.

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Fast Skillet Chicken Cacciatore

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Fast Skillet Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Lean chicken breasts cook quickly--in just 15 minutes compared to the hour-long braise in most cacciatore recipes. If you'd like more heat in the sauce, kick up the crushed red pepper to 1/2 teaspoon.

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Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Penne and Chicken Tenderloins with Spiced Tomato Sauce Recipe

Keep chicken, pasta, and canned tomatoes on hand so that you can toss this easy dinner together at any time. Any type of small pasta will work in place of penne.

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Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta

Credit: Mary Britton Senseney/Wonderful Machine; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Grilled Chicken Florentine Pasta Recipe

Add grilled chicken, spinach and a light cream sauce to linguine for an easy one-dish meal.

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Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic Recipe

Bake apples alongside the chicken, and then mash the apples for a flavorful, chunky sauce. To enhance the rustic nature of the dish, leave some of the peel on the apples.

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Chicken, Red Grape, and Pesto Pizza

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Chicken, Red Grape, and Pesto Pizza Recipe

Grapes make an ideal salad topping, but what about on pizza...? This surprising addition is a sweet contrast to the tangy Romano cheese, herby pesto, and juicy chicken.

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Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Credit: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs Recipe

The tasty Asian-inspired glaze gives these chicken thighs a mahogany sheen. Rich thigh meat is higher in fat than lean white meat, so the thighs stay moist even when they're roasted without skin.

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Chicken and Guacamole Tostadas

Credit: John Autry; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Chicken and Guacamole Tostadas Recipe

This easy, no-cook tostada recipe features store-bought tostada shells and rotisserie chicken. You only need 20 minutes to prep the ingredients and assemble.

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Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

Credit: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs Recipe

Spice up boneless, skinless chicken thighs with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, and ground red pepper–ingredients which you probably already have in your pantry.

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Champion Chicken Parmesan

Champion Chicken Parmesan Tout

You'll love this easy-to-make weeknight winner featuring tender breaded chicken served over linguine and topped with herbed tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.

Watch Weeknight Wine Pairings for Champion Chicken Parmesan

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Chicken Scallopini

Chicken Scallopini Tout

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.

Video: How to Pound Chicken Breasts

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Stir-Fried Chicken Salad

Credit: Lee Harrelson

Stir-Fried Chicken Salad Recipe

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.

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Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Credit: Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Chicken with Black Bean Salsa Recipe

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.

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How to Cook with Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken is a welcome time-saver in the kitchen. Learn new ways to cook with this easy ingredient from the Editors at Southern Living.

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Pan-Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Maple-Mustard Dill Sauce

Credit: Randy Mayor

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

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.

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Sweet-and-Sour Chicken-Apricot Skewers

Credit: James Carrier

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken-Apricot Skewers Recipe

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.

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Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs with Cremini Mushrooms

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs with Cremini Mushrooms Recipe

A wide skillet and less liquid allow for a relatively short, intense braise--less than 20 minutes, compared to many hour-long versions.

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Kung Pao Chicken

Credit: Randy Mayor

Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

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.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu

Credit: Beau Gustafson

Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe

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.

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Sweet Vermouth Chicken

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sweet Vermouth Chicken Recipe

Go ahead, invite last-minute company over on a weeknight. This saucy chicken dish with sweet vermouth, fresh tarragon, and dried cranberries, 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.

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Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing

Credit: Randy Mayor

Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

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.

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How to Cook the Perfect Chicken Breast

Does your chicken breast always turn out tough, dry, or undercooked? Learn how to cook the perfect chicken breast using a meat thermometer.

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Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa Recipe

Three minutes in a flavorful cilantro-lime marinade is all that's needed to deliver big flavor to these pan-cooked chicken breasts.

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Chicken with Sherry-Soy Sauce

Credit: Randy Mayor

Chicken with Sherry-Soy Sauce Recipe

Brown chicken breasts in a skillet, then make a tangy Asian-style sauce with soy sauce, sherry vinegar, red pepper flakes and green onions in the same skillet for a flavorful one-dish chicken entree. Serve with bagged salad greens and quick-cooking rice noodles.

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Asian Chicken Salad