Baked Chicken Recipes That Are Perfect for Weeknights

August 27, 2019
What's better than a healthy chicken dinner that can be on the table in just 30 minutes? Absolutely nothing. From creamy Lemon Chicken Parmesan to Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas, these baked chicken recipes are here to save your weeknights.
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Hummus-Crusted Chicken

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Hummus goes from appetizer to main dish as a rich, tangy coating on chicken breasts. In the oven, the hummus coating caramelizes slightly and the sprinkle of sesame seeds turns extra-crunchy and nutty. For leftovers, you could slice up the chicken and tuck it into a pita with crisp lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes.

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Spaghetti Squash Peanut "Noodles" with Chicken

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Chinese five-spice powder, a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, adds a hint of warmth and the suggestion of sweetness to this healthy chicken recipe. It's great on just about anything you grill or roast, so it's worth keeping in your spice cabinet.

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Creamy Lemon Chicken Parmesan

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This riff on classic chicken Parmesan replaces the usual marinara with a luscious lemony cream sauce. We've lightened it up by using half-and-half instead of cream, with just-as-delicious results. Serve this lemony chicken dinner with whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.

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Sheet-Pan Chicken & Brussels Sprouts

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Roasted Brussels sprouts and chicken thighs are a match we go back to over and over again in the Test Kitchen. Paired with cumin, thyme, sweet potatoes and a hit of sherry vinegar, they create one of our favorite easy dinner recipes.

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Honey-Mustard Chicken Tenders with Couscous & Carrots

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Thanks to the quick-cooking power of chicken tenders, this honey-mustard chicken dinner comes together fast and easily for a family-friendly weeknight meal. The baby carrots are cooked in a simple orange juice and butter sauce which is lovely drizzled over the chicken and couscous.

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Cocoa-Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Orange-Pomegranate Salsa

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Make a big batch of the cocoa-infused spice rub in this healthy baked chicken thigh recipe and let it be your weeknight secret weapon. It's also great on salmon, steak and tofu. Serve with brown basmati rice or whole-wheat couscous.

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Bacon-Wrapped Chicken with Roasted Zucchini

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We wrap tender chicken with strips of bacon that crisp up when placed under the broiler. It's a fast recipe for a satisfying, healthy meal.

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Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad

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Barley and pistachios give this healthy chicken recipe a double dose of nutty flavor. For an easy change-up, swap in your favorite whole grain, such as brown rice, farro or quinoa.

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Oven-Roasted Chicken Thighs

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This easy recipe for sheet-pan roasted chicken thighs is a basic building-block recipe for meal prep. You can easily double the recipe or change the seasoning to suit your tastes.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs, Potatoes & Scallions with Herb Vinaigrette

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Roasting chicken thighs directly on top of the vegetables bastes the scallions and potatoes with delicious drippings in this healthy dinner recipe. Serve with steamed broccoli, sautéed spinach or a mixed green salad.

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Paprika Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts

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In this healthy chicken recipe, paprika-rubbed chicken thighs are nestled into Brussels sprouts and shallots and roasted on a sheet pan in the oven for an easy, healthy dinner. As the chicken thighs roast, the garlicky drippings flavor the Brussels sprouts and shallots. Delicious one-pan cooking! Smoked paprika adds a touch of smoky flavor--look for it at well-stocked supermarkets or in the bulk-spice section at natural-foods markets. Regular paprika can be used in its place, but doesn't add the hint of smoke.

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Za'atar-Roasted Chicken Tenders & Vegetables with Couscous

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Za'atar (or zaatar)--a Middle-Eastern spice blend that's a mix of thyme, sumac, salt, sesame seeds and sometimes other herbs--gives this sheet-pan roast chicken recipe tons of flavor. Chicken tenders and pretrimmed green beans make this healthy dinner super-fast.

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Chimichurri Chicken

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Chimichurri is a no-cook herby-garlicky sauce from Argentina and Uruguay. It's delicious on grilled proteins and vegetables. Here, we use it to double the flavor of basic grilled chicken breasts. The chicken is both baked with and topped with this flavor-packed sauce.

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Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo Salad

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Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean salad--packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade Greek vinaigrette--for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day.

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Roast Chicken with Parmesan-Herb Sauce

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A store-bought rice blend and quick-cooking chicken breast help get this healthy chicken recipe on the dinner table fast. Check the label to avoid excessive sodium or other undesirable ingredients. Other herbs, such as rosemary and sage, are also delicious in this recipe.

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Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Nuggets

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Adults and kids alike devour these crunchy pretzel-coated chicken nuggets. What really makes them special is the tart-sweet cranberry dipping sauce. Make some extra sauce to spread on post-holiday turkey sandwiches.

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Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

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Caramelized sweet potatoes and red onion are the bed for chicken thighs that cook up fast in a very hot oven--perfect for a quick healthy chicken dinner. Serve with a fall salad of mixed greens, sliced apples and blue cheese.

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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas

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One sheet pan is all you'll need to whip up these zesty chicken fajitas. They're quick and easy to make and cleanup is even faster!

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Crispy Chicken Schnitzel with Herb-Brown Butter

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This healthy recipe for crispy chicken schnitzel involves coating the chicken breasts with fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs and oven “frying” using a mist of olive oil cooking spray instead of frying in lots of oil. Serve on a bed of mixed greens or with mashed potatoes.

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Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

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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.

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Apple-Glazed Chicken with Spinach

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A drizzling of lemon scented apple jelly glazes the chicken during broiling and lightly sweetens the braised spinach in this recipe.

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Pesto Chicken with Summer Squash

This quick-and-easy dinner will be ready in just 15 minutes. Seasoned with a time-saving, store-bought pesto sauce, chicken and summer squash happily coexist on a sheet pan where they are broiled to perfection. This means you can spend more time enjoying your meal--and less time cleaning up! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Looking for a quick, easy dinner? This baked lemon-pepper chicken recipe is it. Chicken breasts are cooked in a skillet, then finished in the oven with lemon slices that soften and become part of the sauce, with a touch of maple syrup and butter to carry the flavor. It's so simple and delicious, you'll be making this healthy dinner again and again. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Antipasto Baked Smothered Chicken

We like the touch of heat that pepperoncini give to this briny chicken, but if you really want to turn up the spiciness, swap them for hot cherry peppers. Source: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2020

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Baked Sriracha-Coconut Chicken Tenders

A mixture of egg and Sriracha brings heat to these homemade chicken tenders and also helps the crunchy blend of puffed rice cereal and coconut chips stick. The tenders are then baked for a quick and healthy meal--no frying required. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November 2019

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