Kid-Friendly Chicken on the Cheap

Hands-down, chicken is the most popular main dish to serve for dinner. So why not save money on this family favorite? We put our budget-friendly recipes to the test with our kid taste-testers; see which recipes came out on top.

Chicken Pot Pie ($1.38) Recipe

Your kids may not even notice that they’re eating veggies when they dig into this creamy chicken mixture topped with tender biscuits. The budget-friendly feature of this recipe is that you make your own biscuits from pantry basics instead of buying canned or frozen biscuits.

Cornflake-Crusted Chicken ($1.43) Recipe

Use crushed cornflakes to make a crispy coating for chicken tenders. Decrease or omit the red pepper if your kids don’t care for the heat.

Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks ($1.01) Recipe

Make an easy teriyaki sauce for the drumsticks with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Kids love the sweetness of this not-too-spicy sauce.

Grilled Chicken Skewers ($0.92) Recipe

The key to getting kids to eat healthier is to make meals fun! Our panel of judges enjoyed eating this grilled chicken off of skewers, and even suggested serving it with easy sides such as broccoli and mashed potatoes.

Chicken Noodle Soup ($0.73) Recipe

Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic comfort food that takes just pennies to prepare. Add chickpeas or white beans to make this soup even heartier.

Parmesan Chicken with Bow Ties ($0.91) Recipe

Parmesan Chicken with Bow Ties offers a twist to the traditional favorite with the inclusion of bow-tie pasta, diced tomatoes, and chopped chicken.

Fried Chicken ($0.65) Recipe

This Southern favorite makes use of the whole chicken; a less expensive option than chicken breasts. Be sure to start prepping early so that the poultry has plenty of time to soak in the buttermilk.

Buttermilk Chicken Tenders ($1.19) Recipe

With a kick of heat from Tabasco and cayenne, this recipe received the highest marks. (You can leave out the spices for not-so-daring taste buds.) In the judges' words, the chicken tenders are "spicy, really juicy, and flavorful."

Buffalo Chicken Skewers ($0.81) Recipe

Yummy Buffalo Chicken Skewers win points for flavor and presentation--making it a perfectly fun meal for kids.

Chicken Fried Rice with Vegetables ($0.88) Recipe

Why order takeout when you can fix fried rice for the family in less than 30 minutes? Although this hearty dish can stand alone, feel free to add other Chinese recipes to your dinner menu.

Popcorn-Crusted Chicken Strips ($1.10) Recipe

Popcorn-Crusted Chicken Strips are the tasty results of a coating of whole-grain popcorn on ordinary chicken strips. The results are a crunchy texture that the kids will love.

Easy Broiled Drumsticks ($0.86) Recipe

"It's a little crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a lot of flavor," kid judge Davis raved. Plus, drumsticks are just as easy for small hands to hold as they are for Mom to make!

Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken ($1.32) Recipe

Whether it's stuffed into tortillas or served over rice, the whole family will enjoy Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken.