22 Heart-Healthy Chicken Dinners You'll Want to Make Forever
From simmering soups to sheet-pan roasts, these healthy, flavorful chicken dinners are undeniably tasty. These recipes dial back the amount of saturated fat and sodium in every serving, so you can enjoy fajitas, chili, salad and more while sticking to a heart-healthy eating pattern. Recipes like our Creamy White Chicken Chili with Cream Cheese and Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts are so satisfying, you'll want them on the dinner table night after night.
1 of 22
Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese
This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.
1 of 22
2 of 22
Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta
You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.
2 of 22
3 of 22
Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.
3 of 22
4 of 22
Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts
This easy sheet-pan recipe brings together many fall favorites into a hearty dinner.
4 of 22
5 of 22
Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew
This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.
5 of 22
6 of 22
Slow-Cooked Ranch Chicken and Vegetables
This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)!
6 of 22
7 of 22
Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale
This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.
7 of 22
8 of 22
Skillet Chicken Potpie
A store-bought pie crust, frozen veggies and precooked chicken simplify the prep for this easy potpie. This healthy dinner recipe is comfort food at its best.
8 of 22
9 of 22
Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl
This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
9 of 22
10 of 22
Garlic Cashew Chicken Casserole
Combine brown rice, cashews, chow-mein noodles and vegetables galore with chicken in this delicious casserole.
10 of 22
11 of 22
Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
This sheet-pan dinner combines chicken thighs and sweet potatoes for a healthy dinner that cooks up fast in a very hot oven. Serve with a fall salad of mixed greens, sliced apples and blue cheese.
11 of 22
12 of 22
Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto
Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.
12 of 22
13 of 22
Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter--making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.
13 of 22
14 of 22
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas
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!
14 of 22
15 of 22
Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes
Tons of spice, corn and bell pepper give this healthy one-pot chicken chili recipe Southwestern flair. Serve with your favorite hot sauce, tortilla chips and a cold beer.
15 of 22
16 of 22
One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again.
16 of 22
17 of 22
Mediterranean Chicken with Orzo Salad
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.
17 of 22
18 of 22
Roast Chicken with Parmesan-Herb Sauce
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.
18 of 22
19 of 22
Slow-Cooker Chicken Marsala
This slow-cooker chicken Marsala recipe gets its full flavor from plenty of mushrooms and fragrant shallots. Whole-wheat pasta soaks up the rich sauce. Round it out with a simple green salad for a comforting healthy dinner.
19 of 22
20 of 22
Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce
The key to cooking juicy chicken without a spit in this healthy recipe is high heat and dark meat. The yogurt in the marinade gives the chicken both its tender texture and its alluring char. More yogurt in the sauce, along with crunchy cucumbers and herbs, keeps the flavors bright.
20 of 22
21 of 22
Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad
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.
21 of 22
22 of 22
Moroccan-Inspired Chicken & Sweet Potato Soup
This healthy chicken soup recipe gets bold Moroccan flavor from sweet potatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and a touch of fiery harissa. To get a homemade stock flavor using store-bought broth, we simmer bone-in chicken breasts in the broth before adding the rest of the soup ingredients.