100 Easy Chicken Recipes

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Pair this entrée with a simple rice pilaf: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1⁄2 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1⁄2 cup long-grain rice, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Kalamata and picholine olives add salty flavor to this 5-ingredient dish . Serve over couscous with dressed greens on the side. Consider adding other fresh veggies like red or orange bell pepper, cucumber, or scallions. This versatile dish can adapt to whatever you have on hand.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Delicious, easy, and quick—you couldn’t ask for more for a weeknight meal. We add olives, capers, and crushed red pepper to bottled pasta sauce for a quick variation on the traditional version. Round it out with a tossed green salad and dinner is done.

Cozy up to a blazing fire on a cold winter’s night with this bistro-inspired meal. You’ll find it reminiscent of a cacciatore. Italian for “hunter,” cacciatore is a stew-like dish flavored with onions, herbs, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sometimes wine.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Chicken Tetrazzini combines cooked vermicelli, chicken, and mushrooms with a rich sherry–Parmesan cheese sauce. The mixture is sprinkled with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and baked until bubbly and golden. This is a great way to use leftover cooked chicken.

Parmesan is full of flavor, so a little goes a long way. We recommend buying the real thing, which has Parmigiano-Reggiano printed on the rind. It has a sharper taste and a firmer texture than domestic Parmesan.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish of garlicky meat or poultry served on pitas. From start to finish, you can have this on the table in 45 minutes.

Save any leftover yogurt-lemon sauce as a great dip for pita bread or cucumber.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Build on the traditional Mexican classic by adding fun new ingredients like sliced mushrooms and a different creamy cheese. Watermelon-jicama salad is a refreshing side for this easy dish. Combine 4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed seedless watermelon, 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled jicama, 1 cup chopped English cucumber, and 1/2 cup chopped red onion. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon olive oil; toss well.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Fresh spinach, chicken, and a combination of cheeses make this dish comforting enough for the last days of winter yet fresh enough for the first days of spring.

You can also cook the pasta mixture in individual 8-ounce ramekins, and bake for 15 minutes.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

We’ve made over a family favorite without losing crunch, flavor, or fun. Omit the hot sauce for a kid-friendly version and serve with mustard instead of blue cheese dressing. Pair with cool, crunchy carrot and celery sticks.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Spring ingredients, such as fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas, transform rotisserie chicken into a pretty one-dish meal befitting the season. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled for maximum versatility. Leftovers make an easy and satisfying lunch.

If sugar snap peas are a springtime favorite, but to make this anytime of year, look for 6-ounce packages of fresh, sugar snap peas in the produce section of your supermarket year-round.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This Mexican-inspired dish is a great way to use leftover chicken. The chimichangas are oven-browned instead of deep-fried, making them a healthful weeknight choice compared to traditional restaurant offerings.

The chimichanga filling uses queso fresco. If it’s not available, try shredded Monterey Jack.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This recipe has a nostalgic appeal that harks back to the 1950s and ’60s. If you make it ahead, don’t add the potato chips until it’s time to bake the casserole, or they’ll become soggy.

To crush baked potato chips for the casserole topping, place the chips in a large zip-top plastic bag. With a meat mallet or rolling pin, crush the chips by lightly pounding or rolling until you achieve the desired size and texture. This method makes cleanup a breeze and keeps crumbs in the bag.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This marinade of sweet rice wine, soy, and sesame oil would also pair nicely with salmon. Serve over rice with sautéed snow peas.

Remember to soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using them or they’ll burn. Wooden skewers should be discarded after use. If you grill often, invest in a set of metal skewers, which can be reused and won’t require soaking.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This delicious Thai chicken dinner makes for an exotic weeknight dinner that comes together quickly. It features traditional Thai flavors like fish sauce, Sriracha, fresh ginger, coconut milk, and cilantro. Use less hot sauce for milder flavor. A squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving is the crowning touch.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Serve a homemade potpie that tastes just like Mom’s, but cooks in a fraction of the time. We use a few convenience products, like rotisserie chicken, canned broth, and baking mix, but the result is all-day-in-the-kitchen flavor.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This recipe fits all the weeknight cooking requirements: quick, easy, and sure to please the family. Pair with a simple green salad for a complete dinner.

If you prefer crispier broccoli, remove it from the boiling water after three minutes instead of five. You could also add cauliflower to the veggie mix.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Spiedini is Italian for “little skewers.” These grilled kebabs are paired with a zesty sauce of herbs, nuts, citrus, and capers.

For a backyard barbecue, prepare the salsa up to a day ahead, and assemble the skewers earlier in the day. Coat with cooking spray and seasonings just before grilling.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Try this with a side of chipotle refritos: Combine 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans, and 1 minced garlic clove in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

If you just need to make three servings and would like to bake in individual portions, use 11⁄2 tablespoons flour, cut the phyllo sheets into quarters, and scale remaining ingredients down by half. Bake the potpies in three (10-ounce) ramekins.

(Tuck one quarter of phyllo sheets on top of each ramekin; discard remaining quarter.) Bake 15 minutes or until tops are golden. Reduce the prep time by using prechopped vegetables from the supermarket.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Fresh peaches and goat cheese headline this simple no-cook salad recipe. The 8-ingredient vinaigrette, made with pantry staples, takes minutes to make and is a delicious complement to the other ingredients in the salad. Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time in the kitchen. Serve with herbed bread.

Although we love the sweet freshness peaches add to this summertime salad, apricots or nectarines make a good substitute, too. Just be sure to use the freshest fruits you have on hand.

This 15-minute recipe is wonderfully simple and sure to become a weeknight staple. To cut down on prep time and keep cleanup to a minimum, use kitchen shears to easily chop tomatoes while they’re still in the can.

Escarole is a variety of endive but is not as bitter as Belgian endive or curly endive. It has broad, bright green leaves that grow in loose heads. When purchasing escarole, look for fresh, crisp leaves without discoloration. Store escarole tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Depending on the season, you may want to consider substituting thin, blanched, fresh asparagus for the sugar snap peas. You can’t go wrong with either application.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice is essential to the flavor of this salad. The bottled juice just doesn’t compare. Microwave lemons for about 30 seconds before squeezing them;  they’ll yield more juice.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This chicken tamale casserole is a quick and easy swap for more traditional tamales—but just as delicious!

"I came up with this Mexican dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamale recipes are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor." —Risë Minton, Smyrna, GA

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Trade traditional enchilada sauce for a creamy, cheesy topping on this Mexican chicken recipe. Your family will never know they're enjoying a lightened meal. Serve with a salad of fresh mango, jicama, and shredded lettuce topped with a lime vinaigrette.

To make sure the walnut pesto ingredients are evenly minced, stop the food processor halfway through processing, and scrape down the sides.

Kalamata olives are great to have on hand to add zesty saltiness to salads, sandwiches, and spreads.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Add a variety of root vegetables, such as turnips and parsnips, to chicken soup for subtle sweetness and bite. Or, feel free to omit them and simply add more carrot and leek, if you prefer. Be sure to cook the egg noodles separately so the starch in the noodles doesn’t cloud the clear soup broth.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

A traditional Mexican breakfast favorite, chilaquiles (chee-lah-KEE-lays) is a sauté of day-old tortilla strips, fresh tomato sauce, cream, and cheese. This Mexican entrée is usually prepared in a skillet, but our hearty version is baked.

Refrigerate leftover chilaquiles in individual microwave-safe containers with tight-fitting lids. To reheat, drizzle with a tablespoon of water, and microwave just until thoroughly heated.

This dish comes together quickly if one person grills the chicken while another cooks the pasta and sauce. If you serve wine, a chardonnay complements the creamy sauce perfectly. Topping with fresh basil brings brightness to the final dish.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

If you can’t find chicken cutlets, place chicken breast halves between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound to 1⁄4-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Broccoli florets can be substituted for broccoli rabe; the cooking time may be a little longer, though. Add a side of roasted potato wedges and carrots, if desired.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Dish up a company-worthy entrée that calls for only four ingredients, plus salt and pepper. Choose roasted asparagus as a bright, fresh partner for this main dish. Complete the meal with a baguette slice and a glass of crisp white wine.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

This simple main course salad is perfect for lunch or a light supper option. Plums or peaches would be a delicious substitute for the apricots.

In this salad, arugula’s peppery bite is nicely balanced by fragrant herbs, sweet apricots, and grilled chicken. A pinot gris from Oregon is a great wine to serve with a complexly flavored salad like this. It has a fresh, clean feel and a creamy, fruity flavor.

This hearty soup’s flavor comes from the roasted vegetables that have been caramelized. Serve with crusty bread on a cold winter’s night.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

The small red potatoes in this dish are roasted in the oven to give them a deep caramelized flavor before they’re tossed with the other ingredients. A Greek salad makes a great side dish for this wonderful blend of flavors and textures. A crusty bread loaf and a good bottle of wine are all you need to round out this meal.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

To round out your meal, serve this versatile grilled chicken with a couscous and pine nut pilaf and grilled asparagus. Garnish with grilled lemon slices for a special touch. This recipe makes a lot, so save extra chicken to top a salad for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Moist, well-seasoned chicken is topped with fantastically flavorful tomatillo salsa and queso fresco. If you’re short on time you can use a bottled salsa verde, but we think this fresh salsa is worth the effort.

Queso fresco is a Mexican cheese that is mild, crumbly, and a bit salty. It’s a wonderful topping for the tangy tomatillo salsa.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil temper tangy feta in a savory chicken breast stuffing. Serve with quick-cooking orzo pasta tossed with fresh parsley.

Sun-dried tomatoes add a burst of vivid flavor and nutrition to many dishes. When dried, the naturally sweet taste of Roma, or plum, tomatoes intensifies. Their slightly chewy texture adds richness to the consistency of a dish.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Coddling the egg makes it creamy but does not heat it to 160°, the temperature required to kill bacteria. Use a pasteurized whole egg if you have safety concerns.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Habanero peppers are fiery hot, so handle them carefully. In this dish, you simply pierce the chile with a fork and float it in the broth as the soup cooks. Remove it with a slotted spoon before serving. If you prefer milder heat, use the same technique with a jalapeño.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

A slow cooker is a boon to a busy cook because it does most of the work for you—it cooks dinner while you’re away. By the day’s end, you have a homecooked meal ready and waiting.

Add capers along with the olives, parsley, and seasoning to add a more briny flavor to the sauce, if you like. The parsley goes in last to keep its flavor and color intense.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, fresh ginger, lemon pepper, and garlic to make a flavorful marinade for grilled chicken. Fruit salsa adds sweetness, crunch, and a healthy dose of nutrients to this tropical dish.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Aromatic fresh sage and sweet dried plums and balsamic vinegar combine for a warming chicken dish. The sauce is delicious spooned over whole wheat couscous. Complete the meal with steamed green beans.

For more on cooking with herbs, see 11 Herbs Every Cook Should Use.

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. Try the Cooking Light Diet

Cracker meal gives the coating more crunch; look for it on the baking aisle of your supermarket. If you can’t find cracker meal, make your own by pulsing 10 saltine crackers in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Or place them in a zip-top plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Add a dinner roll to round out the meal.