5-Star Spring Chicken Recipes

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Put a little spring in your step–and on your plate–with these top-rated chicken recipes.

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Baked Chicken Roulade

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

Baked Chicken Roulade Recipe
Fill tender chicken breast pieces with asparagus and spinach, bake, and top with a light white wine sauce for an elegant springtime entrée.

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Balsamic Chicken with Oranges and Radicchio

Kelsey Hansen

Balsamic Chicken with Oranges and Radicchio Recipe

Antioxidants called anthocyanins give radicchio its bold hue; research shows these compounds can help improve gut health. Grilled oranges help balance radicchio’s bitterness.

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Seared Chicken with Shallots and Grapes

Caitlin Bensel

Seared Chicken with Shallots and Grapes Recipe

This rustic skillet supper is the ultimate company-worthy comfort food. Juicy, antioxidant-rich red grapes combine with shallots, vinegar, and cardamom to yield an intriguing balance of tart and sweet flavors.

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One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes

Greg DuPree

One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes Recipe

You’ll love the bold flavors of this Mediterranean-inspired dish. Lemony chicken and artichokes are topped with a bright and tangy relish of green olives, parsley, and thyme. We love serving this dish over pearl couscous to soak up the delicious pan sauce, but you can swap it out for rice or even pasta.

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Pan-roasted Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitakes

Annabelle Breakey; Randy Mon

Pan-roasted Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitakes Recipe
Meaty shiitakes, a good sear on the chicken, and a sprinkle of nutty parmesan cheese—not to mention the sweet, tender-crisp asparagus—make this low-fat dish a winner.

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Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables Recipe
Make creamy risotto the main dish by adding strips of chicken and fresh asparagus.

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Chicken and Strawberry Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Chicken and Strawberry Salad Recipe
Strawberries are at their peak, so now is the perfect time to toss them with chicken and fresh greens for a simple no-cook salad.

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Chicken Pita Salad

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kevin Crafts

Chicken Pita Salad Recipe
Showcase springtime asparagus along with sliced chicken, kalamata olives, tomato and feta cheese in this hearty Mediterranean main dish salad.

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Steamed Chicken and Vegetables with Soy Dipping Sauce

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Steamed Chicken and Vegetables with Soy Dipping Sauce Recipe
Pile steamed fresh sugar snap peas and crisp asparagus on top of steamed chicken and serve with a soy dipping sauce for a dinner that comes in at only 250 calories per serving.

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Crispy Chicken Milanese

Caitlin Bensel

Crispy Chicken Milanese Recipe

This simple dredge-dip-dredge method is our go-to trick for adding superb crunch to quick-cooking cutlets. The speedy salad is also a perfect partner for pork and salmon; swap frisée or your favorite bitter greens for a flavor twist.

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Weeknight Fried Chicken

Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Elise Mayfield; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke and Laura Evans

Weeknight Fried Chicken Recipe

Peanut flour gives this chicken incredible toasty flavor, while Wondra flour makes for crave-worthy crispness. It’s a Sunday supper with weeknight preparation.

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Chicken Piccata with Capers

Photo: Lee Harrelson

Chicken Piccata with Capers Recipe

Get an Italian restaurant favorite at home for just a fraction of the cost. The best part? It comes together from start to finish in just 20 minutes. Serve over hot-cooked spaghetti or your favorite pasta and spritz with additional lemon juice for added brightness to the dish.

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Braised Chicken with Olives, Capers, and Prunes

Ryan Liebe

Braised Chicken with Olives, Capers, and Prunes Recipe

This recipe for a braised chicken with olives, capers, and prunes is inspired by Chicken Marbella, the recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook that went “viral” in the 1980s. It’s been updated with far less added sugar (the original recipe calls for a cup of brown sugar) and the welcome addition of citrus.

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Rosemary Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Randy Mayor

Rosemary Chicken Salad Sandwiches Recipe
Fresh rosemary and smoked almonds set this chicken salad apart from all the others, and rotisserie chicken breasts make it quick and easy. Reviewer Raquel recalls, "This chicken salad was so great! We served it at a wedding shower and everyone loved it."

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Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken

Caitlin Bensel

Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken Recipe

Sweet and tangy pomegranate juice gives the chicken a gorgeous garnet-hued glaze. Dress up the quinoa pilaf by adding a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese for a pop of salty flavor.

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Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces Recipe

We love the smoky flavor of grilled wings, but we also like wings that are tender and juicy. The brine, made with herbs, garlic, brown sugar, and chiles, adds tons of flavor and keeps the wings from drying out on the grill. And the trio of sauces gives everyone plenty of options to choose from. We recommend using drumettes because they are nice and meaty and easier to pick up and eat.

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Chicken Cutlets with Spring Vegetable Salad and Herb Vinaigrette

Chicken Cutlets with Spring Salad and Herb Vinaigrette image

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Food Styling: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Chicken Cutlets with Spring Vegetable Salad and Herb Vinaigrette Recipe

Looking to showcase your farmers’ market haul in its finest glory? In that case—you, my friend, are looking for this awe-inspiring spring chicken dinner. Every component brings something special to the table in a salad like this: Your greens create a sweet, crunchy base with a peppery hit from arugula, radishes contribute a pleasant bitter-edged brightness, cucumbers offer a clean crunch, potatoes pack the buttery richness, and a tangy, herbaceous vinaigrette is everything you need to tie everything together. Served alongside a golden-crisp chicken cutlet this lively plate nails the perfect balance of fried and fresh. In other words, this recipe is sure route to dinnertime nirvana.

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Coriander Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables, Gnocchi, and Lemon-Butter Sauce

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Food Styling: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Coriander Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables, Gnocchi, and Lemon-Butter Sauce Recipe

Succulent, crispy-skinned thighs, vibrant veggies, and pillowy potato dumplings, all dressed in a luscious lemon-butter pan sauce—really, what more could you ask for? Treat yourself to a chicken dinner that’s 100% as impressive as it sounds. It’s not one of those “ready-in-15-minutes” meals, but it is a plate you’ll be happy you pulled together after a weekend trip to the farmers’ market.

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Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Lemon-Butter Carrots

Jennifer Causey

Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Lemon-Butter Carrots Recipe

Tossed in a simple lemon-tarragon butter, these tender baby carrots are the perfect partner for quick-cooking chicken cutlets. If you can’t track down steam-in-bag carrots, microwave baby carrots until just tender, about 5 minutes.

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Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens Recipe

Our Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens is truly a one pan wonder. Our Test Kitchen came up with this tasty, family friendly chicken dinner which comes together in a single skillet. Packed with protein, loaded with fiber, and just 390 calories per serving, Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens makes a healthy dinner any night of the week. This recipe is oh-so-versatile too—swap out the turnip greens for collards or kale. Use pinto beans, black beans, or chickpeas instead of cannellini beans. You can make this meal even heartier by serving the chicken and vegetables over cooked rice, whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, or farro) or orzo pasta. Whatever you do, don’t forget to add a dash or two of hot pepper vinegar at the end. The tang and heat of this Southern pantry staple makes the dish sing, and also adds tons of flavor while keeping the dish light and fresh.

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Crunchy Chicken-Peanut Chopped Salad

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Crunchy Chicken-Peanut Chopped Salad Recipe

Adding deli-fried chicken tenders to a fresh green salad not only adds interest and taste to an ordinary bowl of salad, but it turns a side dish into a main dish. This recipe, a fresh spin on the much-loved Asian-flavored coleslaw, requires only a few minutes of chopping and mixing; no cooking involved. To guarantee a smooth and creamy dressing, slowly whisk in each of the ingredients in the dressing to prevent it from breaking. If made in advance, whisk the dressing one more time to ensure all the ingredients are blended.

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Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

Cooked quinoa is a healthy way to bulk up a salad to make it more filling. We paired the protein-rich grain with shredded chicken, tender butter lettuce, crunchy radishes and cucumbers, and a tangy herbed dressing that brings everything together deliciously. If you don’t want to use all of the cooked quinoa in the salad, store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Use it to make a grain bowl or stir it into soup. This salad not only makes a healthy weeknight dinner, but it would make a perfect bring-to-work lunch the next day. It’s also springy, colorful, and has a pretty enough presentation to serve to company at a luncheon. Eating healthy during the week can be difficult when faster options await at the drive-thru, but with 30-minute recipes like this salad, you can stay on track all week.

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Oven-Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Oven-Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

These oven-baked pecan-and-panko crusted chicken tenders have fabulous fried chicken flavor with much less grease and mess. As the chicken cooks, the rest of this family-friendly recipe comes together in minutes. Grilled romaine lettuce gives this salad a smoky flavor. Instead of using a grill pan, you can cook the veggies on a charcoal or gas grill outside.

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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette

Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette image

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette Recipe

This elegant single-skillet meal for two is deceptively easy to make. Ready in under an hour, this skillet chicken dinner includes your protein (perfectly golden-crisp chicken thighs), green veggies (peas and asparagus), a starch (baby Yukon gold potatoes), and a whole lot of vibrant flavor (hello, shallot vinaigrette). A great recipe for anyone cooking for one or two, this easy weeknight chicken dinner is one you’re sure to come back to again and again.

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Mediterranean Chicken and Farro

Greg DuPree

Mediterranean Chicken and Farro Recipe

Chicken thighs hold up nicely in the slow cooker, surrendering rich juices that make this fiber-packed farro extra-satisfying. Castelvetrano olives are bright green and buttery; look for them at your grocery’s olive bar. Having trouble finding pearled farro? Pick some up here.

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Chicken Paillard with Citrus Salad and Couscous

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Chicken Paillard with Citrus Salad and Couscous Recipe

Want to add some pep to your Chicken Paillard? Don't just stop at lemon zest. Oranges and fresh spring vegetables work wonders aganst a chicken breast canvas, all while adding nutrients and color. Add Israeli couscous, also known as pearl couscous, for a side that doesn't distract from the chicken's flavor.

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Classic Roast Chicken

Photo: Greg DuPree Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Prop Styling: Thom Driver

Classic Roast Chicken Recipe

A classic roasted chicken served with greens and your favorite side makes a delicious and easy dinner that never goes out of style. Be prepared to turn on your vent; the high-heat finishing may generate some smoke.

Roast chicken is juiciest and tastiest when it’s cooked to an internal temperature of 165°. To get an accurate reading, place your meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken or in between the breast and the thigh. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before serving—this locks in moisture and ensure perfectly juicy meat.

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Citrus-Braised Chicken Thighs

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Citrus-Braised Chicken Thighs Recipe

Dishes like these are what Dutch ovens were made for. Just dump all the ingredients inside and let your stove transform chicken thighs into a juicy meal. Braising gives you tender, tasty results and a pan sauce to boot.

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5-Star Spring Chicken Recipes

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Baked Chicken Roulade

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Balsamic Chicken with Oranges and Radicchio

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Seared Chicken with Shallots and Grapes

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One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes

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Pan-roasted Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitakes

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Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables

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Chicken and Strawberry Salad

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Chicken Pita Salad

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Steamed Chicken and Vegetables with Soy Dipping Sauce

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Crispy Chicken Milanese

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Weeknight Fried Chicken

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Chicken Piccata with Capers

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Braised Chicken with Olives, Capers, and Prunes

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Rosemary Chicken Salad Sandwiches

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Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken

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Brined Grilled Chicken with Dipping Sauces

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Chicken Cutlets with Spring Vegetable Salad and Herb Vinaigrette

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Coriander Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables, Gnocchi, and Lemon-Butter Sauce

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Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Lemon-Butter Carrots

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Skillet Chicken Breast with Beans and Greens

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Crunchy Chicken-Peanut Chopped Salad

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Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

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Oven-Fried Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Spring Vegetables and Shallot Vinaigrette

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Mediterranean Chicken and Farro

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Chicken Paillard with Citrus Salad and Couscous

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