40 Favorite Chicken Recipes
Easy Balsamic Chicken [1]
This easy weeknight chicken recipe offers sweet balsamic taste and a golden grilled finish with 10 minutes of prep. Originally published in August 2002, it made our 25th anniversary list of our all-time favorite recipes in 2012.
Download a free printable collection of 7 fresh chicken recipes [3]
Grape-Stuffed Chicken with Lemon Orzo [6]
Fruit-and-nut stuffing transforms everyday chicken breasts into a company-ready feast. Bonus: It's deceptively simple; you’ll have dinner on the table in an hour.
Lemon-Thyme Roast Chicken with Artichokes [10]
We used all packaged veggies (baby carrots, frozen pearl onions and jarred artichoke hearts) to make this Mediterranean-inspired roast chicken a convenient Sunday supper choice. Luscious honey-mustard pan gravy adds to the appeal. If you like, serve with Herbed Brown Rice and use the leftover chicken and rice to make Easy Chicken Gumbo later in the week.
Chef Joe's Cranberry Orange Chicken [14]
Joe Schadler of Celebration River Cruises in Moline, Illinois, loves to fix this colorful make-ahead dish; his passengers savor its sweet-tart flavor.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings [18]
Mix cider vinegar, Jamaican jerk seasoning, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil and soy sauce for this version of jerk marinade. Let chicken marinate 4 to 24 hours, and you'll be ready to go straight to the grill. Serve with Mango Salsa for more Caribbean flavor.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings [19]
Mango Salsa [20]
Texas-Style Casserole [23]
Patterned after a legendary Texas recipe, this irresistible main dish includes seasoned chicken stacked up with chili peppers, tortillas, sour cream sauce, and cheese.
Unforgettable Chicken Pie [27]
This from-scratch deep-dish chicken casserole comes from a Caledonia, Michigan, reader. "It's not your run-of-the-mill chicken pie," says the reader, who adds a bit of pork sausage for farm-hearty flavor. "Anyone who tries it just can't get enough of it."
Sesame Grilled Chicken [31]
A lively ginger marinade flavors chicken pieces on their way to the grill. The recipe is a backyard favorite from Linda Taylor of West Des Moines.
Midnight Star Chicken [35]
Orange juice, red sweet pepper and green onions make a sweet-and-tangy sauce for chicken in this colorful stir-fry recipe, which comes from Jake's restaurant at the Midnight Star Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry [39]
Garden-fresh veggies and juicy pineapple give classic stir-fry a seasonal refresh. For an easy substitute, switch the chicken for thinly sliced boneless pork or peeled, deveined medium shrimp.
Chicken Dinner in a Packet [43]
Chicken, mushrooms, zucchini and carrots steam in tidy foil packages in your oven. Serve in the foil packets, or transfer chicken and vegetables to serving plates and drizzle with cooking juices. If you like, serve with rice and garnish with basil.
Asian-Style Chicken Salad [47]
Curly noodles, almonds, sesame seeds and rice vinegar blend in this crunchy, tangy brunch or luncheon salad from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.
Angel Chicken [51]
Chicken and fresh mushrooms slow-cook in cream cheese, wine and soup. It's easy to put together but tastes like chicken in a complex cream sauce -- smooth with delicate seasoning.
Angel Chicken [52]
Blackened Chicken with Avocado Salsa [55]
A zesty fresh salsa tops flavorful chicken breast. A little bit of creamy avocado goes a long way to making the dish taste more indulgent than it really is.
Country-Style Chicken Paprikash [59]
A paprika-seasoned sour cream sauce adds buttery flavor to tender, juicy chicken. Serve with spaetzle or noodles. The recipe comes from the Sidekick Cafe in Osseo, Michigan.
Rosemary Garlic Stir Fry [63]
Fresh garlic and chopped rosemary flavor this easy chicken-and-vegetable stir-fry dinner from a Zumbro Falls, Minnesota, reader. Top with crunchy cashews.
Chicken Pot Pie [67]
Ina Pinkney, owner of Ina's in Chicago-- home of this pot pie recipe--calls this dish creamy, chickeny goodness. The pastry lids can be made a day or two ahead. Bake as directed; cool and then cover loosely with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
Chicken Pot Pie [68]
Spiced Chicken with Cucumber-Mint Sauce [71]
East Indian garam-masala blend seasons this grilled chicken, giving off an enticing aroma as it cooks. Creamy Cucumber-Mint Sauce adds a cool touch to the spiced chicken.
Spinach-Stuffed Chicken [75]
A spiral of chicken stuffed with oozing cheese creates an impressive and irresistible main dish--perfect for company. The recipe is from Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, Minnesota.
Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry [79]
This dish from Max Archer of McPherson, Kansas, packs some heat. Adjust it to suit your taste by varying the amounts of chili paste and poblano chiles.
Chicken Salsa Chili [83]
Our Test Kitchen created this quick and easy chicken chili, which takes just 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. Serve with assorted toppers such as sour cream, low-fat yogurt, chopped red onions, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and chopped avocado.
Chicken Salsa Chili [84]
Chicken and Corn Hash Brown Bake [87]
This comfort food hotdish offers a new twist on the usual hash brown casserole. Try it for everyday meals as well as potlucks!
Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken [91]
Think this is loaded in fat and calories? Think again! Herb bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese make the coating on this oven-baked dish extra tasty.
BBQ Chicken Grilled Pizza [95]
Barbecue-sauced pizza tops the favorites list at many pizzerias. Here's our quick and easy version, which uses boneless chicken breasts, purchased barbecue sauce, smoked cheese and bottled banana pepper rings.
Chicken Veneto [99]
Salvatore's Ristorante in Indianapolis has served this classic Italian dish for years. Artichokes, white wine and pistachios add flavor and texture to a simple sauce spooned over sautéed chicken. The recipe takes only 30 minutes from start to finish.
Chicken Veneto [100]
Garlic Chicken Italiano [103]
Garlic lovers will enjoy the aroma of this chicken almost as much as its flavor. The recipe comes from Ristorange Brissago at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We've reduced their suggested 40 cloves of garlic to about 16--though you can add more if you like!
Garlic Chicken Italiano [104]
Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing [107]
These succulent chicken wings might disappear as fast as you can grill them. The recipe comes from Danny Edwards Famous Kansas City BBQ, formerly Li'l Jake's Eat It and Beat It. The tiny, no-frills eatery has served weekday lunch crowds in Kansas City for more than two decades.
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole [111]
This easy, cheesy chicken recipe combines long grain and wild rice with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. Serve with a fresh salad and crusty bread.
Creamy Chicken-Broccoli Bake [115]
Chicken breast and chopped broccoli combine with a soup-based cream sauce and noodles in this classic potluck dish. We've lightened the traditional recipe by using reduced-fat, reduced-sodium soup and fat-free sour cream, though you can substitute the richer versions if you prefer.
Buffalo-Style Chicken Fingers [119]
Dunk this neat-to-eat chicken breast variation of chicken wings in bottled blue cheese dressing.
Wild Rice and Chicken Soup [123]
Mix a can of cream of chicken soup, mushrooms, veggies and rice mix for the soup base. Any boneless cooked chicken works in this slow-cooker recipe, but chicken thighs, with more moisture from fat, cook the best.
Pesto Penne with Deli-Roasted Chicken [127]
Purchased pesto and roast chicken help get this quick and easy main dish on the table in just 20 minutes. Fresh broccoli cooks with the pasta and lends straight-from-the-garden flavor.
Chicken with Lemon-Thyme Dumplings [131]
This country-style chicken soup with dumplings will remind you of Grandma's recipes--hearty, rich and comforting.
Lemon-Grass Chicken Over Noodles [135]
The popular Thai herb lemon grass seasons this stir-fry, which has strips of chicken and a variety of fresh vegetables. Serve it with your choice of noodles, such as Chinese egg noodles, vermicelli, capellini, fettuccine or linguine.
Mediterranean Stuffed Breast of Chicken [139]
Stuff chicken with a colorful mix of tomatoes, mushrooms, pine nuts and goat cheese or feta cheese in this recipe from the DeSoto House Hotel in Galena, Illinois. A rich cream sauce tops the chicken.
Chicken Spiedini [143]
Zia's restaurant on the Hill in St. Louis uses provel in this grilled chicken dish. It's a cheese made in the neighborhood that tastes like a blend of cheddar, Swiss and provolone. You can substitute mozzarella if provel isn't available.
Chicken Spiedini [144]
Old-Time Fried Chicken [147]
This crispy chicken keeps diners returning to the Brookville Hotel restaurant in Abilene, Kansas. Brookeville Restaurant owner Mark Martin skillet-fries his chicken in lard, just as his grandma did. If you'd rather, you can cook your chicken in shortening or cooking oil.
Old-Time Fried Chicken [148]
Chicken and Garden Vegetable Penne Pasta with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes [151]
Tomatoes, squash, red sweet peppers and green onions give fresh flavor and color to this recipe, which comes from the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio.
Grilled Chicken and Garden Vegetable Penne Pasta with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes [152]
Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder [155]
Nina Swan-Kohler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, loves easy-to-make dishes. Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder is one of her favorites. "It uses a variety of convenience foods that are stirred together in one big pot, and brings out the great flavor of all the ingredients," Nina says.
Showstopper Chicken Surprise [159]
Smoked cheese melts inside chicken breasts for this easy-to-make entrée. It's from the Roth Kase USA cheese factory in Monroe, Wisconsin. The company says the hole in the center of its Italian-style Rofumo lets the distinctive hickory-smoke flavor penetrate the cheese. If you can't buy Rofumo, substitute smoked Gouda, Edam or cheddar.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Hickory-Smoked Chicken [163]
Top spinach, strawberries, blueberries, cheese, mushrooms and smoked chicken with Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette for a main-dish salad that's full of seasonal flavors.
Blue-Ribbon Cranberry Chicken [167]
Just three ingredients make the sweet-tart sauce for this super-easy chicken. While it's baking, cook rice and a quick-fixing frozen vegetable mix for a quick-and-simple dinner.