10+ Recipes with Chicken for Easy and Delicious Weeknight Dinners

Chicken’s one of those ingredients that just fits into almost any meal plan. It’s easy to cook, super versatile, and honestly, it plays well with just about any flavor you throw at it.

Whether you’re after a quick weeknight fix or something a bit more special, chicken’s got your back.

You can whip up simple, tasty chicken dishes with just a handful of everyday ingredients and not much time. Cooking chicken gives you room to get creative, but you don’t have to overthink it. Here are some ideas to help you find something that works for your mood and your schedule.

1) 30 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken

This one’s a no-brainer when you want flavor fast. You get crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sticky, sweet honey garlic sauce—hard to go wrong there.

Serve it up with some broccoli or asparagus if you want. The sauce clings to everything and makes each bite pop.

It comes together fast, so it’s perfect for those nights when you’re just not up for a big production. Most of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts or thighs
• Honey
• Garlic cloves
• Soy sauce
• Vinegar
• Butter
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Cook chicken in a hot skillet until golden brown.
3. Add butter and garlic, sauté for a bit.
4. Stir in honey, soy sauce, and vinegar.
5. Simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
6. Serve warm with your favorite sides.

For more details, see this 30 Minute Honey Garlic Chicken recipe.

2) Creamy Garlic Chicken

Creamy garlic chicken is the kind of meal you can throw together after work and still feel like you made something special. It’s basically tender chicken in a rich, garlicky sauce.

You cook everything in one pan, which means less cleanup—huge bonus. This dish goes well with rice, pasta, or just some roasted veggies.

You can have it on the table in under half an hour. Not bad for a comfort food fix.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add chicken, season, and cook until browned and done—about 6-7 minutes per side.
3. Take out the chicken and set aside for a minute.
4. Toss garlic into the same skillet and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
5. Pour in broth and cream, stir to combine.
6. Add Parmesan and cook until the sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes.
7. Return chicken to the pan, coat with sauce, and heat through.
8. Sprinkle with parsley if you like, then serve.

You can find more details on creamy garlic chicken at Budget Bytes.

3) One-Pot Chicken and Rice

One-pot chicken and rice is a weeknight hero. You cook both in the same pot, so there’s hardly any cleanup.

The chicken comes out juicy, and the rice soaks up all the flavor. You can use thighs or breasts, whatever you’ve got.

Throw in some onions, celery, or even frozen veggies. Herbs and mild spices add a little something extra, but nothing overpowering.

This one’s a lifesaver when you want a home-cooked meal without a ton of effort. Check out the step-by-step recipe here.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or breast)
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (like thyme or parsley)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a big pot over medium.
2. Add onion and celery, cook until soft.
3. Brown the chicken on all sides.
4. Stir in rice, salt, and herbs.
5. Pour in broth or water.
6. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.
7. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until rice and chicken are cooked.
8. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

4) Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets

Cheesy bruschetta chicken cutlets are a fast way to make dinner feel a little fancier. The chicken stays juicy under a pile of tomatoes, garlic, and gooey cheese.

You can use mozzarella or whatever cheese you like that melts well. Serve it up with a salad or some crusty bread—it’s hard to go wrong.

This is a light, satisfying dish that won’t take much time or energy to pull off.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken cutlets
• 1 cup canned or fresh diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Season chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side.
3. Top each cutlet with tomatoes and garlic.
4. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
5. Move skillet to oven and bake 5-7 minutes until cheese melts.
6. Garnish with basil if you want, then serve.

Learn more about this recipe at Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets – Simply Recipes.

5) 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts

This one’s about as easy as it gets. You only need four ingredients and you’ll end up with juicy chicken that’s packed with ranch flavor.

Coat the chicken with ranch seasoning or dressing, then bake until it’s tender. You can serve it with veggies, rice, or a salad.

It’s a quick, no-fuss meal that doesn’t skimp on taste.

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds)
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Ranch seasoning or dressing (as much as you like)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Mix buttermilk, garlic, and ranch seasoning or dressing for a marinade.
3. Coat chicken in marinade, place in a baking dish.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the chicken hits 165°F (74°C) inside.
5. Let it rest a couple minutes before serving.

For more details, check this easy 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts recipe.

6) No-Peek Chicken

No-Peek Chicken is a true set-it-and-forget-it recipe. You mix up chicken and rice with some creamy soups, cover it tightly, and let it all bake together.

Mix rice, soups, and broth in a bowl. Lay the chicken in a casserole dish, pour the rice mixture over, cover with foil, and bake.

You’ll end up with creamy, filling comfort food that basically cooks itself. Check out this No-Peek Chicken recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix soups, broth, and rice.
3. Grease a casserole dish, lay in chicken.
4. Pour rice mixture over the top.
5. Cover tightly with foil.
6. Bake for 1 hour, until chicken is done and rice is tender.

7) Chicken Breast Tempura

Chicken breast tempura is a fun way to get crispy, juicy chicken without too much hassle. Cut the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces.

Mix up a tempura batter with ice-cold water and flour—don’t overthink it. Dip the chicken, fry until golden, and you’re all set.

That cold water in the batter really keeps things light and crunchy. Serve with soy sauce or your favorite dip.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ice-cold water
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying
• Salt

Cooking Instructions

1. Slice chicken into strips.
2. Beat egg and mix with ice-cold water.
3. Add flour, stir gently—lumps are fine.
4. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
5. Dip chicken in batter, fry 3-4 minutes until golden.
6. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve right away.

8) Chicken Breast Teriyaki

Chicken breast teriyaki is quick and always hits the spot. Brown bite-sized chicken pieces in a skillet, then toss them in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

If you’d rather bake, just pop everything in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 25-30 minutes. Make sure the chicken’s cooked through and juices run clear.

Serve with rice and some steamed veggies for a classic combo.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
• 2 tablespoons water

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Toss in chicken pieces and cook until they’re no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.
4. Pour the sauce over the chicken and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes.
5. If you want a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with water and stir it into the skillet.
6. Cook until the sauce thickens. Serve hot.

9) Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie just feels like home, doesn’t it? You get that flaky crust, juicy chicken, and loads of veggies all tucked into a creamy sauce.

It’s honestly not hard to make. Store-bought pie crust or puff pastry can save you a ton of time.

You can use cooked chicken, whatever vegetables you have, and a simple sauce with broth and cream. Sometimes I just grab a rotisserie chicken and frozen veggies if I’m in a rush.

The trick is getting a rich, smooth filling. Bake it until the crust turns golden and crisp.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup peas or mixed vegetables
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ¾ cup milk or cream
• ¼ cup flour
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 store-bought pie crust or puff pastry
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until soft.
3. Stir in flour and cook for about a minute.
4. Slowly pour in chicken broth and milk, stirring until the mixture thickens.
5. Add chicken and peas. Season with salt and pepper, then take it off the heat.
6. Pour the filling into a pie dish. Cover with pie crust, seal the edges, and cut a few slits on top.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
8. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before cutting in.

10) Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches are one of those things you can throw together without much fuss. Cook the chicken until it’s super tender, then shred it up.

Mix the chicken with BBQ sauce and a few spices. That’s your filling.

Pile it onto a soft bun. I like to add coleslaw or pickles for crunch, but you do you.

A slow cooker makes this even easier. Just toss everything in and let it do its thing.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Soft sandwich buns
• Optional: coleslaw or pickles

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss the chicken thighs into your slow cooker.

2. In a bowl, mix together the BBQ sauce, ketchup, honey, and red pepper flakes.

3. Pour that sauce right over the chicken.

4. Set the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or crank it to high for 3-4 hours. Wait until the chicken’s super tender.

5. Grab two forks and shred the chicken right in the pot.

6. Mix the shredded chicken back into the sauce.

7. Serve on buns. Top with coleslaw or pickles—totally your call.

For more ideas, check out slow cooker pulled chicken sandwiches.