30+ of Our Most Delicious Baked Chicken Recipes
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French Onion Roast Chicken
Make a big batch of this juicy roast chicken and caramelized onions and you've got enough for three meals. Save the leftovers to make Thai Chicken Pizza the next night, and Chicken and Herb Crêpes the night after!
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Baked Chicken Moussaka
This Greek dish is similar to lasagna, but it's traditionally layered with eggplant, tomatoes, ground beef or lamb, and a béchamel sauce. Our lightened version for the Cooking Light Diet calls for ground chicken, using a mix of light and dark meat for added richness, and a yogurt-based sauce. Brown the chicken well; most of the rich, meaty flavor comes from that step. Serve the casserole with a Greek salad and toasted whole-wheat pita.
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Baked Chicken Breasts With Dijon-White Wine Sauce and Haricots Verts
White wine and Dijon mustard are a classic bistro-style pair for chicken. Carrots add body and a touch of sweetness to the pan sauce, but you can leave them out, if you like.
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Chicken BLT Salad
Crisp chicken in this BLT salad boosts a favorite side salad to a healthy main-course attraction. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with 1 cup of Greek yogurt and 1 tbsp of milk instead. Don’t skip the step of browning the chicken to make sure it stays juicy in the oven and golden brown on the outside. This light and fresh dinner can be enjoyed by the whole family and would be great to serve to company as a different option at a summer barbeque. Great additions to this salad would be sliced avocado, few dashes of your favorite hot sauce or hard-boiled eggs for extra protein.
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Chicken With Olives and Lemons
Chicken with Olives and Lemons is a Mediterranean-influenced chicken dish topped with briny olives and fresh herbs. We suggest you serve with hot cooked orzo. Don’t rush the marinating process as the chicken breasts need to absorb all the flavor from the lemon and fresh garlic.
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Double Plum Baked Chicken
Plum wine and dried plums level the heat of the chile sauce and Chinese mustard in this quick and easy weeknight baked chicken dish. The sweet and salty flavors in this dish balance each other out very well with the sweetness of the dried plums, spice from the raw ginger and heat from the mustard. Serve with Garlic-Studded Brown Rice for a complete dinner and perfect base to soak up the rich and layered sauce. If you can't find plum wine, substitute a sweet white wine, such as Riesling, or plum brandy.
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Big Batch Baked Chicken Cacciatore
Prepare a batch of this saucy chicken on the weekend to get a head start on dinner for the week. Searing the chicken in the skillet builds big flavor into the chunky tomato sauce; anchovies add a deep savory flavor with way less fishiness than you’d expect.
Serve the chicken over polenta one night, then switch it up later in the week by serving it over whole wheat or chickpea pasta or your favorite mixed salad greens.
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Meyer Lemon Chicken
All the flavor of stovetop lemon chicken without all the trouble. Browning the chicken on the stovetop before baking allows the outside of the chicken to get nice and crisp, while the inside stays tender and juicy. Meyer lemon lends a tangy sweetness that works well with the chicken and potatoes. If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use a regular lemon. It will have more of a bitter bite, which you can counter with a pinch of sugar. If you don't like olives, just leave them out (as we did on the cover); the dish is still tasty. Make this lemon chicken recipe a weeknight regular.
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Maple-Mustard Glazed Chicken
The tangy-sweet flavor combination of this sauce will work equally well with chicken thighs or pork. Even if you do not like mustard, this dish will convince you otherwise. The combination of the sweet maple syrup and savory stone-ground mustard creates a caramelized glaze over the chicken. Let the oven do the work for you as the flavors blend together for an easy chicken dinner. If you do not have fresh thyme on hand, dried thyme will substitute just fine and add an earthy flavor to the chicken. Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed haricots verts or a tossed green salad.
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Miso Chicken
Miso will instantly add a depth of umami flavor as the chicken bakes in the oven. If you can't find miso, substitute 2 teaspoons anchovy paste and 1 teaspoon tahini instead. With miso, the darker the color, the more pronounced the salty flavor. Make sure to marinate the chicken for a full hour to let the meat absorb all the flavors to create a balanced dish. If you do not have cilantro, you can substitute chopped chives or green onions to add a fresh flavor to the baked miso chicken. The combination of sweet honey, salty soy sauce, tangy vinegar and the unique flavor of miso creates a marinade that pairs well with most protein including flank steak and swordfish.
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Tuscan Baked Chicken and Beans
This savory Italian-inspired recipe is a wonderful way to prepare a budget-friendly whole chicken. A roasting chicken means that the chicken still has the skin on and bones-ins to add a depth of flavor that skinless and boneless chicken breasts lack. Make sure to allot more time to bake the chicken as the bone-in cut requires a longer cooking time. Fresh rosemary, cannellini beans, and canned diced tomatoes make this dish flavorful, yet simple to prepare. You will have dinner ready to eat once this roasted chicken recipe is complete with fiber-rich spinach and protein-packed beans as the sides.
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Four Citrus-Herb Chicken
Citrus zest perfumes the chicken while it marinates. A fresh salsa of citrus segments and herbs doubles down on fruit flavor. The natural sugar from the citrus in the marinade creates a caramelized glaze on the roasted chicken while the serrano chiles add a layer of heat. Buying a whole chicken that still has the skin on and bones-ins will add a depth of flavor that skinless and boneless chicken breasts lack. Even though the chicken will be roasted in the oven, the citrus and herbs keep this dish very light and fresh. Pair with a fresh orzo or quinoa salad to let this zesty, roasted chicken shine as the main dish.
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Chicken With Turnips and Pomegranate Sauce
This dish makes use of delicious pomegranate in two ways: The juice goes into the sauce and the arils, or seeds, go atop the chicken for an elegant touch. With the flavors and colors of winter, this roasted chicken and vegetable dish is so comforting. One taste, and you know exactly what season it is. The roasted chicken, earthy rice, and peppery turnips are classic comforts, but the Pomegranate Sauce makes the dish sing. You can freeze the pomegranate sauce and use it for future dinners. Roasted turnips become a little sweeter and crisp on the outside in the oven.
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Herbed Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Dish up a company-worthy dish that calls for only four ingredients, plus salt and pepper. This baked chicken dish will leave you feeling satisfied with the saltiness from the bacon, creaminess from the goat cheese and earthy flavor from the rosemary. Serve this for family on weeknights or guests for a dinner party - everyone will be happy! If you do not have Canadian bacon on hand, you can substitute with prosciutto or any bacon of your choice. Choose Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter as a bright, fresh partner for this main dish.
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Couscous-Stuffed Chicken
Elevate your weekly chicken dinner to a whole new level. A mixture of couscous, feta cheese, kalamata olives, fresh herbs, and minced garlic stuffed into chicken breasts makes for an easy 45-minute entrée fit for a special occasion or weeknight dinner. This chicken is not only delicious but it's fast and won't overcook. The chicken breasts stay tender as they cook with the couscous filling. Don't skip the step to brown the chicken to create a golden color and add extra flavor. Using skinless chicken breasts saves on calories and fat but browning the chicken brings back some of that familiar flavor. We recommend using fresh herbs if you have them on hand, but you can also substitute with dried oregano and parsley. Serve with fresh sautéed green beans or squash for a complete meal.
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Chicken With Mustard-White Wine Sauce and Spring Vegetables
The deep, meaty flavor of chicken thighs stands up to its bold pairings, like mustard-white wine sauce and pungent herbs such as thyme in this recipe. This dish pairs early spring produce with cold-weather comfort. Roasted chicken is perfect for company and makes a easy dish seem very elegant. The sauce not only pairs well with protein, it’s rich and deep flavor transforms the red potatoes and carrots. Don’t be worried about the total cooking time for a weeknight meal - most of the work is done in the oven. Even if you are only cooking for one or two, roasted chicken is even better the next day for leftovers.
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Asian-Marinated Chicken With Corn and Basil Faux-Fried Rice
Skip take-out and save on calories with this Asian marinated chicken and healthy “fried” rice. The trick to beautifully cooked chicken is a nice sear on the outside while keeping it tender and juicy within. Browning the edges first, then baking your chicken is a great technique for flavorful mouthwatering chicken. Chicken stays tender as it roasts in the oven while maintaining almost a barbeque flavor from browning it beforehand. If you do not have mirin on hand, you can substitute it with wine wine and a ½ tsp of sugar. Don’t leave out the limes as a garnish - just a squeeze will complete the whole dish and add a brightness that Asian dishes need.
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Hazelnut Chicken
Craving salty and crunchy chicken fingers? You can have them for dinner but this time they are covered in hazelnuts, crispy panko, with half the calories and so much more flavor. This oven-fried chicken recipe delivers full flavors of Dijon mustard, hazelnuts, sage, and red wine, and is ready in less than 40 minutes. If you don’t have ruby port, you can substitute it with a sweet red cooking wine such as dry sherry or Marsala wine. This is a weeknight chicken meal the whole family will enjoy with the crunchy, oven fried chicken and elevated port sauce - ketchup or a homemade ranch would pair well if children do not like the port sauce. Serve with roasted butternut squash as a side to complete the meal.
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Champagne–Browned Butter Chicken
This intensely-flavored dish features chicken that's browned in bacon drippings and baked in a Dutch oven along with carrots, potatoes and herbs. This is a riff on coq au vin, the French standard of chicken and veggies simmered in red wine. The coq usually takes on a deep purplish-red cast from the vin, but our modern take cooks the chicken in broth: It tastes lighter and looks much brighter. After the chicken cooks, it's smothered with a delicious Champagne reduction sauce that's enriched with nutty brown butter that’s perfect for entertaining. This is definitely a chicken recipe Julia Child would approve of!
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Maple-Soy Chicken Thighs
Fresh and flavorful, this recipe calls for an hour to marinate your chicken. For even more flavor, place the chicken in the marinade earlier that morning and cook that night. The leftover marinade takes care of the sauce to finish the roasted chicken. By basting the chicken with the sweet and salty sauce, the chicken caramelizes in the oven and the skin becomes crispy as the chicken itself stays moist. Most of the ingredients from the marinade should be found in your pantry and fridge. If you have leftover fresh ginger from this recipe, grate it into smoothies, use it in ginger cookies and mince it for other dressings and marinades.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu
This lightened version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, featuring Gruyère cheese and fresh thyme, remains just as delicious as the classic comfort dish. Transform boneless, skinless chicken breasts with these classic French flavors. If you do not have pancetta on hand, you can substitute it with bacon. Make sure to use panko bread crumbs resulting in the crispiest crust on the chicken. By toasting the panko in the pan before breading the chicken you are not only adding flavor to the dish, you also are ensuring that the panko will create a great crust and texture on the chicken.
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Vanilla Balsamic Chicken
After scraping the seeds for the sauce, add the vanilla bean pod to a canister of sugar. The scent of the bean will permeate the sugar. Vanilla beans provide more of a full flavor compared to extract and pairs well with savory ingredients. Beyond putting the vanilla beans in sugar, you can also put the leftover pods in a glass bottle with 1 cup of vodka to make your own vanilla extract. Homemade vanilla extract is super easy to make and is ready to use after one month of infusing the vodka with the pods. Transform boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the tang of the balsamic vinegar and sweetness of the vanilla pods, orange juice and brown sugar. Serve the chicken with a tossed green salad.
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Peanutty Baked Chicken Cutlets
This family-friendly chicken dish will satisfy everyone's cravings with the crispy chicken, sweet honey and salty peanuts. Make sure to use panko bread crumbs to get the crispiest crust on your chicken. The chopped peanuts not only add a buttery and salty flavor to the crust for the chicken, they also add a new texture beyond bread crumbs. The distinct tangy flavor of Dijon mustard balances the sweetness from the honey. A quick spritz of cooking spray on the cutlets before they hit the hot oven enhances the crispness and color of the crust. Pair these oven-fried chicken cutlets with good quality, store bought peach chutney. Serve with baked sweet potatoes and broccoli spears for a full meal.
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Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken
This 5-star rated dish is delicious and easy to prepare. Transform your skinless, boneless chicken breasts with fresh green onions, sautéed mushrooms and creamy mozzarella cheese. Browning the chicken ensures a golden crust and fully baking the chicken in the oven will result in a tender and perfectly cooked chicken breast. Because all of the flavor is inside the chicken, there is no need for a fancy sauce. You can substitute Italian bread crumbs if you do not have white bread on hand. You can also try using other bread you have to make bread crumbs as long as it can pulse in the food processor to form fine crumbs. Serve with 3 cups cooked egg noodles tossed with 2 tablespoons butter and green onions alongside steamed green beans for a complete meal.
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Pimiento Cheese Chicken
Instead of using pimiento cheese as a sandwich filling, try using it as a stuffing for skillet-cooked chicken breasts. The impressive-looking results of stuffed chicken breasts belie the ease of preparation. Homemade pimiento cheese is easy to make and can be saved in the fridge for other uses. By browning the stuffed chicken breast in the bacon drippings, you are not only adding flavor, the chicken will turn golden and crisp without the added calories and fat from chicken skin. Let the oven do the rest of the work for you as the cheese melts and chicken becomes tender. You can stuff them up to a day ahead, keep refrigerated, and then simply cook and serve. Let the stuffed chicken breasts shine as the main dish by serving them with a simple green salad.
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Italian-Seasoned Roast Chicken Breasts
Fresh Italian herbs and seasonings make these roast chicken breasts taste out-of-this-world delicious. Most of ingredients to flavor the chicken can be found in your pantry and fridge. Roast chicken with herbs and fresh lemon is easy and classic but will impress and please any crowd. Don't worry about having leftovers - with this flavor profile, lemon roasted chicken breasts can be added to salads, tacos and pasta the next day. Leaving the skin on lean breast meat as it cooks helps shield the chicken and allows it to tenderize in the oven. Since chicken breast is low in calories and saturated fat, you can eat the skin and still keep saturated fat within allowable limits. Serve with steamed spinach and mashed potatoes.
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Blackened Chicken With Dirty Rice
Bring classic New Orleans' fare to the table with this dazzling duo. Perfectly seasoned blackened chicken and spicy dirty rice make the perfect pair. Fragrant spices enliven the rub on the boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Without the trouble of a barbeque, the spices on the chicken create crust and char in the oven. The chicken will stay moist and tender in the oven and won't dry out with the additional chicken broth spooned over at the end. Don't leave out the chicken livers - there is a rich and deep subtle flavor that completes the rice. However, if you can't find chicken livers, you can substitute them with chicken sausages. The trinity of vegetables—onion, celery, and green pepper—along with thyme, spices, and chicken livers combine for a decadent side of Dirty Rice.
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Chicken in Wine Sauce
Fresh ingredients enhance the flavors of this French-inspired chicken stew. From applewood-smoked bacon to fresh tarragon, the complexity of ingredients paired with bone-in chicken, deliver an abundance of flavor to your table. Although the ingredient list is long, most things can be found in your fridge or pantry making this one-pot meal easy for weeknight chicken dinners. This dish is perfect for a crowd or family dinner because you can make it ahead of time and then warm the chicken up before serving. If you do make this chicken dish ahead of time, wait to roast the tomatoes as well before serving. Don't be afraid of the time or steps in the recipe - with these classic flavors paired with roasted chicken, it will be worth it.
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Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Breasts
Fresh rosemary, lemon juice, and chicken broth are three simple, yet flavorful ingredients that create a beautiful sauce for baked chicken breasts. Transform bone-in chicken breasts with just four ingredients beyond salt and pepper. This dish requires barely any shopping at the grocery store and minimal work in the kitchen but the flavors of this lemon-rosemary roasted chicken will definitely impress and please a crowd. The fresh rosemary finishes the roasted chicken with an earthy flavor. Adding fresh asparagus and creamy polenta makes an easy and elegant dinner for company.
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Balsamic and Shallot Chicken Breasts
Chef Boyce (Cotton Row and Commerce Kitchen, Huntsville, Ala.) remembers his father's chicken from weekly family barbecues when he was a kid. Our take amps up flavor with a balsamic reduction and cooks the chicken on the stovetop and in the oven for better control over doneness. With skin on and bone-in chicken breasts make sure to brown the chicken before putting it in the oven. The skin will be crispy and the chicken will be fully cooked and tender with the bone-in. These classic flavors of chopped shallots, garlic cloves, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar will elevate your weeknight chicken dinner. Make sure to finish your roasted chicken with green onions to brighten the complete dish.
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Feta, Herb, and Sun-Dried Tomato-Stuffed Chicken
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. Fresh basil really brightens and brings out the flavors of this feta-stuffed chicken breast. The Mediterranean-inspired filling keeps the chicken tender as it bakes in the oven. The crumbled feta will add a creaminess to the stuffed chicken breast as the grated lemon rind provides a fresh and tangy citrus flavor that keeps the baked dish feeling light. There is no need for a sauce to finish the chicken as the stuffing provides so much flavor; a simple sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh basil will complete the dish. Serve with a light orzo or couscous salad to complete the meal.