Quick & Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

Find quick and easy chicken recipes for dinner, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Rating: 4.92 stars
24
Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Rating: 4.8 stars
7
Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey.
By Julia Levy

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Rating: 4.53 stars
14
Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
By Carolyn Malcoun

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
5
Serve these quick chicken cutlets with creamy pesto sauce over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.
By Carolyn Casner

Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Rating: 3.74 stars
21
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.
By Devon O'Brien

Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

Rating: 4.57 stars
6
This simple, ultra-quick chicken dinner--packed with spinach and peppers--is delicious on its own or served over brown rice or your favorite pasta.
By Carolyn Casner

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Rating: 4.9 stars
25
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.
By Breana Killeen

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
2
Serve these saucy, ultra-quick chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite.
By Carolyn Casner

Antipasto Baked Smothered Chicken

Rating: 5 stars
4
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.
By Adam Dolge

Broccolini, Chicken Sausage & Orzo Skillet

Rating: 5 stars
2
We love this quick skillet meal for busy evenings. The sausage and orzo simmer together in chicken broth, resulting in a creamy, risotto-like dish in under 30 minutes.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Rating: 5 stars
1
We love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs in this quick and easy pasta recipe for one. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken and quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Grilled Chicken with Red Pepper-Pecan Romesco Sauce

Rating: 5 stars
3
Many variations of the Catalonian roasted tomato sauce, romesco sauce, add roasted red peppers for a little sweetness. Here, we scorch the peppers and tomato on the grill alongside the chicken to keep things simple.
By Adam Dolge
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Inspiration and Ideas

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl
Learn how to make this healthy burrito bowl with smoky chipotle peppers for a quick delicious weeknight meal.
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Who doesn't love this neighborhood-deli classic? We've added some spinach and done away with all the greasy breading to make it more healthy.
Curried Squash & Chicken Soup

Curried Squash & Chicken Soup
17 Chicken Cutlet Recipes in 20 Minutes

17 Chicken Cutlet Recipes in 20 Minutes
11 Creamy Skillet Chicken Recipes in 20 Minutes

11 Creamy Skillet Chicken Recipes in 20 Minutes
18 500-Calorie Chicken Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes

18 500-Calorie Chicken Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes

Lemon & Dill Chicken

Rating: 4.33 stars
26

Fresh lemon and dill create a quick Greek-inspired pan sauce for simple sautéed chicken breasts. Make it a meal: Serve with roasted broccoli and whole-wheat orzo.

All Quick & Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

Creamy Lemon Chicken Parmesan

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
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.
By Hilary Meyer

Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Rating: 3.4 stars
4
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.
By Julia Levy

One-Pot Greek Pasta

Rating: 4.44 stars
8
A little bit of Sunday meal prep goes a long way in this one-dish Mediterranean pasta recipe. The pasta is cooked ahead of time and stored in the fridge to use for meals all week, but any leftover cooked pasta you have on hand will do. Chicken sausage with feta is especially good in this recipe.
By Katie Webster

Chicken & Vegetable Penne with Parsley-Walnut Pesto

Rating: 4 stars
2
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.
By Patsy Jamieson

Chicken Parmesan & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Rating: 5 stars
1
Chicken Parm gets a fun low-carb and gluten-free twist with these cheesy stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Serve with a salad for a healthy dinner that's easy to prep too.
By Robin Bashinsky

Crunchy Chicken & Mango Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
4
This Asian-inspired dinner salad has terrific crunch, thanks to sugar snap peas and napa cabbage. Give the dressing a kick of heat by adding a bit of sambal oelek, an Indonesian hot sauce that you can find in most large supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Hummus-Crusted Chicken

Rating: 3.5 stars
1
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.
By Robin Bashinsky

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets & Zucchini Noodles with Creamy Tomato Sauce

This low-carb chicken dinner whips up in only 20 minutes, thanks to thin-cut chicken breast and packaged zucchini noodles. If you have a spiralizer and want to make your own zucchini noodles, use two medium zucchini.
By Carolyn Casner

Jerk Chicken & Pineapple Slaw

Rating: 5 stars
1
Ready in under 30 minutes, this spicy chicken dish with sweet pineapple slaw is perfect for any night of the week.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken & Kale Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch

Rating: 5 stars
3
This healthy, super-fast salad recipe swaps out romaine for kale, giving you more than 10 times the vitamin C. Easy flavor hacks like store-bought ranch and pickled jalapeños help make a creamy, tangy and spicy dressing you'll want to drizzle on everything from salad to sliced veggies and shredded poached chicken.
By Breana Killeen

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken with Warm Barley Salad

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
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.
By Hilary Meyer

Chicken Pesto Pasta with Asparagus

Rating: 4 stars
2
This healthy chicken pesto pasta is easy to make thanks to convenience ingredients like rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto. The addition of fresh asparagus--which is cooked in the same pot as the pasta--brightens up the look and the flavors of this family-friendly and easy one-pot dinner. Fresh basil, if you have it on hand, is a nice finishing touch.
By Pam Lolley

Chicken & White Bean Soup

Rating: 4.41 stars
15
Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Florentine

Rating: 5 stars
3
Classic chicken Florentine--creamy spinach served atop sautéed chicken cutlets--is a fast and easy meal. To keep calories lower, this recipe uses cornstarch to thicken the cream instead of cheese. This chicken recipe is simple enough for weekdays but also elegant enough for a dinner party.
By Carolyn Casner

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

Rating: 5 stars
4
This chicken Caesar salad wrap recipe is elevated by the irresistible smoky flavor of grilled chicken and grilled romaine. Whisk together this easy Caesar salad dressing, toss with the grilled chicken and romaine and wrap it all together for a delicious lunch or dinner.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Air-Fryer Chicken Nuggets

These crispy air-fried chicken nuggets are a quick kid-friendly dinner that parents will love too. The homemade nuggets are healthier than fast-food versions--and more flavorful, thanks to the cornflake coating. You can also cut the chicken into strips for air-fryer chicken tenders. Be sure to cook those 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until done.
By Adam Hickman

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Rating: 5 stars
5
A rich and creamy sauce coats chicken breasts in this quick and comforting dinner. If you don't have chicken cutlets (thin-sliced boneless chicken breast) on hand, you can make your own by slicing two 8-ounce chicken breasts in half horizontally.
By Hilary Meyer

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw

Rating: 4.75 stars
4
This zippy, creamy slaw is so good you might find yourself making it for other sandwiches. Still, it pairs beautifully with the tangy pulled chicken for an incredibly quick dinner you can make even on your busiest nights. To save even more time, use a preshredded coleslaw blend.
By Sarah Epperson

Pesto Chicken Bake

Rating: 5 stars
2
This pesto chicken bake is easy to make as well as delicious! The chicken stays moist while the cheese on top gets bubbly and crispy. The pesto, mozzarella and tomato combination is a home run every time. Serve the chicken over pasta or your favorite grain.
By Liv Dansky

Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Chicken & Vegetables

Rating: 5 stars
1
This flavorful dish--with the combination of balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese--makes a great weeknight meal since it requires little legwork (and only one pan!). The marjoram adds a distinct earthy aroma. If you don't have marjoram in your spice arsenal, you can use dried oregano instead. Both have a woodsy flavor that complements the dish beautifully.
By Carolyn Casner

Bruschetta Chicken Pasta

Rating: 5 stars
1
This healthy chicken pasta recipe is jazzed up with traditional bruschetta toppers, including cherry tomatoes, garlic and basil. Multicolored cherry tomatoes look pretty, but you can use all one color of tomato too. Either way, you've got an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in 25 minutes. We've called for spaghettini (thin spaghetti) in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite shape of pasta.
By Liz Mervosh

Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce

Rating: 4.33 stars
3
You won't want to let a drop of this creamy lemon sauce go to waste. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes to soak it all up.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry with Basil & Cashews

Rating: 4.2 stars
2
This quick chicken stir-fry recipe is flavored with classic Thai ingredients: savory fish sauce balanced with tangy lime juice and plenty of fresh basil. Have all the ingredients prepared and ready to add to the wok before you turn on the heat. Serve with brown rice.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

One-Skillet Chicken Paprikash with Mushrooms & Onions

Rating: 4.2 stars
4
Try this quick and easy one-skillet version of the Hungarian classic chicken paprikash. Serve the chicken cutlets, mushrooms and creamy sauce over egg noodles with a green salad on the side.
By Carolyn Casner
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