Chicken Appetizer Recipes

Find healthy, delicious chicken appetizer recipes including chicken fingers, chicken wings and chicken kabobs. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Jalapeño Popper Casserole

In this jalapeño popper casserole, tender, juicy bites of chicken are slathered in a creamy, slightly spicy, sauce with a crunchy topping of panko breadcrumbs and crispy bacon. Enjoy this casserole over rice for dinner or serve it with chips as a game-day appetizer.
By Karen Rankin

Slow-Cooker Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
1
Turn classic chicken parm into meatballs with this easy load-and-go appetizer recipe with a cheesy surprise inside. Making meatballs for a party? Switch your crock pot to warm for serving all party long.
By Devon O'Brien

Air-Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

Rating: Unrated
1
The perfect football-party food, classic jalapeño poppers get a crispy upgrade in an air fryer. Cream cheese tempers the just-right hint of heat from the pepper and Buffalo sauce. To save time, you can stuff the peppers ahead of the party and fry them just before serving.
By Adam Hickman

Meat Fondue

Everyone can have fun cooking their own steak, chicken and shrimp in only minutes. Enjoy with Ginger-Wasabi Sauce and Lemon-Pepper Aioli.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings

These baked Buffalo chicken wings hit the oven, not the fryer, saving on fat and calories. Just like the original Buffalo wings, these baked Buffalo wings are coated in a tangy, spicy sauce and served with carrots, celery and your favorite creamy dipping sauce.
By Liv Dansky

Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Rating: Unrated
10
Spicy peanut sauce is the perfect match for these Thai-marinated grilled chicken strips.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Air-Fryer Buffalo Wings

Rating: Unrated
2
A sports bar favorite comes home with these deliciously crispy chicken wings, which require just 10 minutes of active prep time, thanks to the air fryer. In fact, one of EatingWell's recipe testers declared this air-fryer Buffalo wing recipe "a reason to buy an air fryer." Add a spicy sauce, carrot sticks, celery sticks and ranch dressing for dipping and you have a healthy take on wings that's sure to score.
By Robin Bashinsky

Cauliflower Chicken Nachos

Rating: Unrated
3
Swapping in tender-crisp cauliflower slices for chips in these cauliflower nachos ups your veggie servings for the day.
By Breana Killeen

Guacamole Chicken

Rating: Unrated
4
This sautéed chicken breast recipe topped with melty cheese and creamy guacamole is your ticket to a superfast and satisfying family dinner. Round out this healthy meal with Spanish rice (or cauliflower rice to keep it grain-free).
By Hilary Meyer

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Rating: Unrated
23
Crispy, Parmesan-flecked chicken tenders dipped in marinara sauce is an easy dinner the whole family will love. Dipping them in a mixture of plain yogurt with chopped fresh basil would be tasty too. Serve with sautéed green beans and roasted sweet potato wedges.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Honey Glazed Cajun Chicken Wings

These oven-baked wings are designed to be cooked ahead, taken to a tailgate or picnic, and reheated on a charcoal or gas grill. We love the sweet-spicy glaze--just be sure to pack plenty of napkins!
By Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.

Chicken Taco Bowls

Rating: Unrated
1
This chicken taco bowl recipe uses the underside of a muffin tin as a mold to bake cute little homemade “tortilla bowls.” The “tortilla bowls” are filled with a zesty chicken filling and topped like nachos. If you have 2 large muffin tins, you can make all 8 “bowls” at once. Bake them in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating top to bottom about halfway through baking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Inspiration and Ideas

BBQ Chicken Tenders

BBQ Chicken Tenders

Rating: Unrated
14
These crispy chicken “wings,” made with boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders, stay crispy with only a light coating of oil--no deep-frying needed. Serve as an appetizer or try them for dinner with crunchy vegetables and dip on the side.
Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Rating: Unrated
2
This healthy Buffalo chicken dip is one quick appetizer to remember for your next Super Bowl party. A simple mixture of reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat cream cheese is baked with shredded chicken breast and the classic spicy-tangy hot sauce with a crumble of blue cheese on top. It's perfect for heaping onto celery and carrot sticks or any other crispy vegetable.
Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

Rating: Unrated
35
Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Dip

Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Dip

Rating: Unrated
4
Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

Almond-Crusted Chicken Fingers

Rating: Unrated
37
Baked Chicken Taquitos

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Chicken Empanadas

Empanadas usually are served hot and blistered from the deep fryer, but home cooks will be glad that these baked healthier handpies offer similar pleasures without a trip into a vat of bubbling oil. The simple dough, similar to pie crust, comes together in a jiffy in the food processor. For a fun tweak, make the recipe into mini empanadas with 3-inch, rather than 6-inch, rounds of dough.

All Chicken Appetizer Recipes

Soy-Lime Baked Buffalo Wings

Rating: Unrated
2
Make this baked Buffalo chicken wing recipe at home to save 138 calories and a whopping 598 milligrams of sodium compared to the same number of deep-fried wings. If your market sells its chicken wings whole, you'll want to separate each into a wingette and a drumette so they cook evenly. They're easy to split apart with a sharp knife. Serve with carrot sticks, celery and ranch (or blue cheese) dressing.
By Stacy Fraser

Polynesian Glazed Wings

Serve these baked appetizer wings for a party. The prep is quick: buying frozen chicken wing drumettes saves you having to split the wings yourself.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Japanese Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune)

Rating: Unrated
2
Chicken meatballs called tsukune are a Japanese-restaurant favorite--they're essentially a chicken sausage mixture flavored with garlic and ginger. Use flat sword-shaped skewers instead of traditional round bamboo skewers to keep the meatballs from slipping when you try to turn them. Serve with bowls of steamed rice on the side.
By Bruce Aidells

Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce

Chicken wings are great for game night and a perfect appetizer for a party, but don't get stuck in the rut of always serving BBQ wings. Add variety to game nights with this easy slow-cooker recipe for Thai wings with peanut sauce--and BBQ wings may just become a thing of the past!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Sichuan Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Stuff low-carb lettuce wraps with Asian-inspired bang-bang chicken for an easy weeknight dinner that beats takeout! Sichuan peppercorns aren't peppers--they're the dried berries of the Chinese prickly ash bush. Don't have any on hand? Substitute 1/2 tsp. each crushed red pepper and five-spice powder for the Sichuan pepper.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
5
Sautéed mushrooms, celery and garlic add flavor and help keep calories in check and portions hearty in this easy Buffalo chicken meatball recipe. Serve these meatballs as an appetizer with carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch-style dressing for dipping, or make them into a Buffalo chicken sandwich.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Boneless Buffalo Wings

Rating: Unrated
16
Even though boneless Buffalo wings are made with healthy white-meat chicken, they're usually deep-fried and drenched in hot sauce laced with butter. The solution: chicken tenders are dredged in seasoned whole-wheat flour and cornmeal, pan-fried in only a small amount of oil and then drizzled with a tangy hot pepper sauce. With a fraction of the fat, calories and sodium, these boneless wings are reason enough to throw a party.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

These decadent-tasting wraps are lightened up with fat-free Greek yogurt in place of mayo--and lettuce makes a crisp, fresh alternative to a flour wrap.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Instant Pot Orange-Jalapeño Chicken Wings

These sweet-hot tender Instant Pot chicken wings boast a balance of orange and lime. They're very tangy and very sticky, so be sure to serve with lots of paper towels!
By Cooking Light

Chicken Parmesan Dip

No breading and frying here! Layer on the cheese and tomatoes using leftover chicken (or turkey) in this healthy dip recipe. Pair with soft Italian bread and a salad for an easy dinner or serve it as an appetizer for your next party.
By David Bonom

Barbecue Chicken Kale Wraps

Smooth, lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale) is topped with barbecue chicken, carrots and cabbage in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Try them for a low-carb dinner or light lunch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings

Rating: Unrated
1
Forget the fryer--these baked garlic-Parmesan chicken wings get a crispy coating (without tons of oil) from panko breadcrumbs combined with grated Parmesan cheese. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze gives this healthy appetizer a sweet and tangy finishing note.
By Robin Bashinsky

Indonesian Chicken Satays

Rating: Unrated
1
Classic Indonesian fare, satays (or satés) are skewers of broiled or grilled marinated meat or fish. This flexible recipe works with tofu or chicken. If serving a group with some vegetarians and some meat eaters, prepare 12 ounces of chicken and 10 1/2 ounces of tofu and marinate separately.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Country-Style Chicken Liver Mousse

Rating: Unrated
1
What makes this chicken liver mousse so special is its coarse texture and use of very little fat. Most recipes for liver mousse made from cooked chicken livers contain copious amounts of butter or other fats for a moist and creamy texture. This version gets moisture, flavor and texture from onions, shallots and apple. For best results, do not overcook the chicken livers, which should be pink on the interior. Serve with mustard and crackers or toasted bread.
By Bruce Aidells

Apricot-Honey Mustard Sausage Bites

Let your slow cooker do the work of making these tasty appetizers.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings

Don't save these wings for game night--they're easy enough to make that you can feel comfortable preparing them whenever you're having friends over. And since they're made with pieces of boneless chicken breast, you can eat them with a fork and eliminate messy fingers!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken Taco Lettuce Cups

This fun kid-friendly snack is easy to make with leftover chicken, and the protein gives it plenty of staying power.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Tuna, seafood or tofu salad would be a tasty filling for plum tomatoes as well.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

BBQ Cauliflower Nachos with Chicken

Choose a spicy, sweet or vinegary barbecue sauce for these vegetable-loaded healthy nachos with a BBQ twist--it's your call! Roasting cauliflower slices gives them a tender-crisp texture perfect for piling with hearty nacho toppings.
By Breana Killeen

BBQ Chicken Bites

Complete with cilantro and green onions, these cheesy stuffed peppers are sure to please your guests.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken Skewers with Peach Salsa

Not only is this sassy peach salsa a tasty accompaniment for grilled chicken, it's a great serve-along for grilled pork or fish too.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Thai Peanut Chicken Wonton Cups

This appetizer will be a hit at your next party! The wonton cups are filled with chicken, crunchy cabbage and a delicious peanut satay sauce. Make sure to serve them right away as the wonton cups will lose their crispness once refrigerated.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken and Eggplant Stuffed Shells

Leave enough time to cook and let the macaroni shells dry thoroughly; otherwise it will be difficult to get the breadcrumb coating to stick before stuffing with the chicken and eggplant mixture.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Picadillo Chicken Pizzettas

Chicken and dried fruit make for a sweet and savory topping in this appetizer pizza recipe.
By Diabetic Living Magazine
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