20 Top-Rated Chicken Recipes

This 20-minute salad topped reviewer Kelly's expectations for a chicken salad. "This is surprisingly very good! I made it thinking it would be fine and healthy―but wow! The flavors are great and such a change from the run-of-the-mill salads I'm used to making!"

Kristen in Seattle raves about her first attempt at homemade soup, "This is a great recipe! I just tried it out on my husband and we both loved it! I've never made any kind of soup or chowder from scratch before. Not only did it taste great, but it was super simple to to prepare (easy weeknight meal, even for a busy couple)."

New to making pot stickers, reviewer smitty had no trouble with this recipe, "They turned out perfectly. It helps to chop everything in a food processor. I also made the filling the day before so putting them together was a snap."

Indian-food connoisseur azlall2 raves about this dish, "WOW! We do an amazing amount of Indian cooking, and this is by far one of the best chicken dishes we've had. If you like Indian food, this is a must-try."

Reviewer Daphne uses this recipe as a base for experimentation. "This is a standby recipe for me. I absolutely love the flavors. I've made a few variations on this, from butterflying the breast, then adding filling and using a bamboo skewer to hold it closed, to throwing the breasts on the grill, to just grilling the breasts and topping with the filling."

ppolock solved a few users' problems with broken tortillas with this helpful advice: "I gently poached two large chicken breast halves in chicken broth with two bay leaves. I then shredded the chicken and added it to the recipe. I used a pastry brush, brushed both sides of each tortilla with the poaching liquid, and finished the recipe from there," and adds, "My family loved this recipe!"

Reviewer daves1953 scored big points with this hearty chili: "This was a HUGE hit in my house! Everyone loved it. I barbecued the chicken and grilled the chilis. I used Great Northern beans, and suggest you add another can. This will be a multi-repeat dish, if my wife has her way!"

Pointing out that this meal works for both family and company, JustUs3 says, "Had I not made this myself, I would have sworn it came from a restaurant. The flavors of this meal are so incredible. I would serve this to guests without question, which is always the highest rating for me."

supergirl21269 has made this recipe many times, any time she "needs a sure-fire hit," she says. "It's light but flavorful, and turns out delicious every time. This recipe works well when cooked in a dutch oven, as specified, but I recently acquired an authentic Tunisian tagine, which adds a lot to the dish."

Involve your guests in dinner prep using this advice from reviewer D.: "I have some of my guests help me peel the garlic beforehand. Peeling the garlic while having good wine and conversation with friends always makes for an unforgettable night!"

Strong praise comes from reviewer akatedear, who says, "this is my favorite CL recipe!!!! The chicken is incredibly tender, the fennel is fantastic, and the sauce is wonderful. I serve this on jasmine rice. My kids love it too. It is time consuming, but definitely worth the effort!"

Reviewer Paula likes these pillowy buns for appetizers and light meals, "Made these for a party and they were a huge hit! They make a great party appetizer, or they're even great to make a bunch on Sunday to eat throughout the week."

mom2elly compares this recipe to the most popular meal of the year: "My husband and I made this last week and couldn't stop saying how wonderful it was while we were eating it. I told him I'd rather have it than turkey on Thanksgiving! It was juicy, tender, and oh so flavorful! YUM!"

Reviewer Becky O'Leary made some savvy substitutions in this recipe and loves how it expanded her family's palate, saying, "I didn't have fish sauce or red curry paste so I substituted soy sauce and a touch of chili powder. My family loved this dish and I was glad I got them to eat mango and broccoli!"

Says reviewer Erinhelm about these fresh wraps, "This recipe is a keeper. The peanut sauce wasn't too heavy. It complemented the food instead of overwhelming it. It also works well with lightly sautéed tofu."

tsabailey notes the healthy nature of this Italian classic: "It is a delicious recipe and just what is recommended by dietitians, with plenty of antioxidants. It is not difficult to do and very smart to decorate a dinner. I think that most people that try it will be pleased with the results."

Reviewer Barb offers a side-dish suggestion for this recipe. "The chicken was moist and flavorful. I served this to a group of women who really enjoyed it. I served it with the green bean with crushed walnuts dish from Cooking Light. The chickens looked great when I took them out of the oven, and the aroma was outstanding!"

From reviewer PSuflita, who took this dish to the great outdoors: "loved it―we tried this on vacation while camping and roasted the potatoes on the BBQ first. Outstanding!"

rojadecabeza found a new use for the household rice cooker. "I used my rice steamer and cooked the chicken and rice at the same time with the chicken in the veggie basket. The chicken was very juicy; my husband loved it!"

rutherann reviews our recipes often, saying, "I try new Cooking Light recipes all the time and my husband I rate them. My husband told me three times tonight that this was five-star and I have to agree."