30 Easy Chicken Recipes For Dinner With Few Ingredients You Might Already Have (2024)

Chicken is a fantastic ingredient because it is affordable and full of protein and flavor. There are plenty of chicken-based recipes around, but sometimes they call for dozens of ingredients you don't have on hand. Easy chicken recipes for dinner with only a few ingredients are perfect for any day of the week, won't break your budget, and will always satisfy your appetite.

Cooking chicken doesn't have to be complicated. If you're looking for easy chicken dinner recipes with ingredients on hand, you've come to the right place.

Here are thirty of our tried and tested chicken recipes perfect for weeknight dinners. So don't stress about what to make for dinner tonight; scroll through this list and pick your favorite recipe. You might even have most of the ingredients on hand already!

1. Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

PEANUT-FREE•TREE NUT-FREE Chicken Spaghetti Casserole Where Your Treasure Is

A cheesy, veggie, and chicken-filled spaghetti casserole using a whole chicken. It is made with "real," wholesome ingredients that all blend into pure comfort food.

2. Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan

EASY•LOW-FAT Easy Baked Chicken Parmesan SideChef

A quick and easy-baked chicken parmesan recipe made with only five ingredients.

3. Salsa Chicken Casserole

EASY•LOW-FAT Salsa Chicken Casserole SideChef

With just a handful of ingredients and a quick stir-fry, this casserole can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

4. Chicken Quesadilla

EASY•LOW-FAT Chicken Quesadilla Food Guru

This is a great way to reuse leftover chicken. This recipe is so quick and easy to make too!

5. Pineapple Chicken

EASY•LOW-FAT Pineapple Chicken Buy This Cook That

This fast and delicious recipe for pineapple chicken will soon become a weeknight family favorite using only five ingredients. Tangy sweet pineapple blended with sauce, brown sugar, and soy makes a perfectly tender, moist baked chicken entree.

6. Coca-Cola Chicken Wings

EASY•PEANUT-FREE Coca-Cola Chicken Wings Zelda at SideChef

Did you know that Coca-Cola Chicken Wings are one of the most popular dishes in China? These sweet, lightly spiced wings are perfect for any meal, from lunch to a late-night snack.

7. Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta

EASY•PEANUT-FREE Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta One Pot Chef Show

This easy version of Chicken Alfredo Pasta is perfect for quick weeknight dinners or whenever you need a satisfying creamy pasta dish!

8. Air-Fried Teriyaki Chicken Wings

EASY•LOW-FAT Air-Fried Teriyaki Chicken Wings Beverly Ng at SideChef

These Air-Fried Teriyaki Chicken Wings are bold in flavor and only require five ingredients to cook. The air fryer will shorten the cooking time and save you all that added oil. Store-bought teriyaki sauce will help you cut time in the kitchen, but feel free to use your go-to recipe.

9. Chicken Stuffed Eggplant

PEANUT-FREE•TREE NUT-FREE Chicken Stuffed Eggplant Cocina Familiar

Whether you're looking for a simple weeknight meal or something to show off at your next dinner party, these cheesy, delicious stuffed eggplants are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

10. Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice

LOW-FAT•PEANUT-FREE Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice Chef'd

Sometimes, fried rice can seem bland-but this recipe has the flavor those other recipes are missing. The great tastes of soy, onion, ginger, garlic and sesame make this dish. Carrots, green beans, and peas round out this dish that’s sure to become a favorite.

11. Baked Chicken Schnitzel

EASY•LOW-FAT Baked Chicken Schnitzel SideChef

Baked in the oven instead of deep-frying makes it healthier, but you never need to sacrifice any flavor! Besides using salt and pepper, mixing dried thyme in your breadcrumbs makes your schnitzel more next level. Before serving, let’s give them a splash of squeezed lemon juice to brighten the dish with freshness.

12. Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

PEANUT-FREE•TREE NUT-FREE Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole A Fork's Tale

This Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole fills a 9×13 baking dish, perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing half for later. It is loaded with Pepper Jack and Cheddar cheese with a semi-spicy chicken filling. Top this chicken enchilada casserole with black olives, salsa, and guacamole, and you have one easy, delicious meal!

13. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

EASY•PEANUT-FREE Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas SideChef

Make this Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas recipe when you crave some Mexican flavors but don’t have much time to cook! Chicken fajitas are ready to be served in only 30 minutes! Chop the vegetables you already have, throw them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven. Grab your tortillas, squeeze the lime, and enjoy!

14. Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

EASY•LOW-FAT Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole Step Stool Chef

This one-dish dinner is easy to prepare, only calls for six simple ingredients, and is great for the whole family!

15. Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake

EASY•LOW-FAT Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake Drizzle Me Skinny

The casserole is so easy to whip up and includes everything you want to stuff into your favorite fajita!

16. Simple Chicken Tacos

LOW-FAT•PEANUT-FREE Simple Chicken Tacos Alexandra's Kitchen

Assembling your Simple Chicken Tacos couldn’t be more fun, and kids and adults alike will consistently gobble up every shred of lettuce, cheese, chicken, and tortilla on their plates.

17. French Bread Buffalo Chicken Pizzas

EASY•LOW-FAT French Bread Buffalo Chicken Pizzas SideChef

These fantastic french bread pizzas are bursting with flavor and could not be easier to make. On the table and into your mouth in no time - the perfect meal to wrap up the week.

18. Fiesta Chicken Pasta

EASY•LOW-FAT Fiesta Chicken Pasta Cooking and Crafting

Zesty, filling, and so simple to put together! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal. This is one of those dishes you will have on your menu rotation schedule.

19. Easy Chicken Flautas

EASY•PEANUT-FREE Easy Chicken Flautas SideChef

Chicken Flautas is a quick and easy dish for an appetizer or a light dinner and is ready in 15 minutes. This recipe uses fewer ingredients but is more flavorful than you expect. Corn tortillas make the outside crunchy, combined with seasoned shredded chicken, and your preference topping will make this dish a perfect light meal.

20. Chicken Chilli Pepper Stir-Fry

EASY•LOW-FAT Chicken Chilli Pepper Stir-Fry Simon

Spicy flavor, beans, and chicken all in one! Goes great with white rice.

21. Chicken and Scallion Stir-Fry

It’s sweet, it’s salty, and with the tang of the onions and fragrance of the ginger and garlic, it’s seriously addicting. Serve it over brown rice or eat it as a lettuce wrap.

22. Four-Cheese Chicken

LOW-FAT•PEANUT-FREE Four-Cheese Chicken Homemade and Wholesome

This chicken dish and it’s packed with protein and iron. It’s also a great source of calcium. Using low-fat cheese means fewer calories for those of us watching our waistlines.

23. Cheesy Chicken Meatballs

PEANUT-FREE•TREE NUT-FREE Cheesy Chicken Meatballs Olga's Flavor Factory

Baked meatballs aren’t very exciting, but with golden, crisply melted cheese, they are transformed into an elegant entree. The meatballs are moist and flavorful and don’t taste heavy.

24. Super Fast Chicken Fried Rice

EASY•LOW-FAT Super Fast Chicken Fried Rice One Pot Chef Show

Super Fast Chicken Fried Rice is a quick and easy weeknight main meal, perfect for using leftovers! Chicken is stir-fried, then added to vegetables, egg, and cooked rice. Seasoned with soy sauce and wok-fried until hot, this delicious dish is adaptable and guaranteed to please the whole family - give it a go!

25. Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta Bake

EASY•LOW-FAT Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta Bake Drizzle Me Skinny

This pasta bake is loaded with chicken and cheese and is super filling! Sometimes I add a little aioli sauce if I’m in the mood for a garlicky dinner. Be sure to have cooked shredded chicken on hand, and cook your pasta first.

26. Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Parmesan Asparagus

EASY•LOW-FAT Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Parmesan Asparagus SideChef

This sheet pan lemon chicken with parmesan asparagus is a simple dish everyone can make. It’s tasty and full of nutrients and protein from chicken breast and asparagus. The perfect amount of lemon and the right cooking time will make the chicken breast tender and tasty.

27. Quick Chicken Orzo Soup

EASY•LOW-FAT Super Quick Chicken Orzo Soup A Hint of Rosemary

It’s okay to use some shortcuts and still refer to it as homemade soup. Feel free to use that leftover rotisserie chicken and canned chicken broth in this one.

28. Hot Honey Mustard Chicken With Crispy Sweet Potatoes

EASY•LOW-FAT Hot Honey Mustard Chicken + Crispy Sweet Potatoes SideChef

Sweet and spicy go together so well; now add crispy and juicy into the equation, and you got Hot Honey-Mustard Chicken with Sweet Potatoes. The best thing about simple recipes like this one is you can count on them to be delicious and satisfying every time.

29. 20 Minute Curry Chicken With Spinach

EASY•LOW-FAT 20 Minute Curry Chicken With Spinach CaribbeanPot

A dish that screams flavor, is simple to put together, and done in under 20 minutes.

30. Grilled Chicken Thighs with Herb Dry Rub

These chicken thighs are the perfect choice when you want an easy dinner. They only take ten minutes of prep and then a few hours to marinate in the fridge. Put the rub on the chicken in the morning; it will be ready to cook when you get home.

30 Easy Chicken Recipes For Dinner With Few Ingredients You Might Already Have (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 ways to cook chicken? ›

There are so many ways to prepare chicken. We can stir-fry, pan-fry, grill, barbeque, bake or roast chicken.

How many meals can 1 chicken make? ›

This is how I make a large chicken into 3 meals for a family of four. First and foremost, we need a large chicken. The bigger the better! Go for the best quality you can afford so you get the most meat and flavour for your money.

How to cook chicken for healthy eating? ›

Healthiest: Poaching

Once water in your deep-bottomed pan comes to a gentle boil, turn the flame down to low and carefully drop the chicken in the water. Allow the chicken to cook through and then remove it from the water. You're cooking the chicken on low heat, so there's no danger of losing nutrients.

What are the 5 ways to cook chicken? ›

There are plenty of ways one can cook chicken from roasted, grilled, baked, fried, or poached. No matter how you choose to cook chicken, there are a variety of ways to highlight the rich flavors that come from poultry.

What is the easiest type of chicken to cook? ›

Boneless chicken breasts are a go-to because they cook quickly, faster than chicken thighs and bone-in chicken breasts. They're often found skinless, which makes them leaner than their bone-in counterpart, which usually comes with the skin on.

What is the best kind of chicken for beginners? ›

10 Best Backyard Chicken Breeds for Beginners: Chicken Care 101
  • Orpington. ...
  • Sussex. ...
  • Ameraucana. ...
  • Marans. ...
  • Cochin. ...
  • Brahma. ...
  • Silkie. If you're a beginner looking for a backyard chicken breed, look no further than the silkie! ...
  • Bantam. Bantam chickens are a popular breed for backyard chicken enthusiasts.
Dec 5, 2022

How to cook chicken to be tasty? ›

Go high and fast: Bake chicken for 12 to 15 minutes.

This will take between 12 and 15 minutes in a preheated 400ºF oven. That's hot enough to taste good without drying out. And as long as you eat it right away, it won't be in the danger zone for long enough to be unsafe.

What should you season chicken with? ›

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Can I eat one chicken a day? ›

Potential Downsides of Eating Chicken Daily

"Eating chicken every day as your sole protein source could result in some nutrient gaps," says Burgess. "For example, since skinless chicken breast contains very little fat, consuming it every day may lead to a lack of essential fats in your diet."

Can you eat chicken for every meal? ›

As a general guideline, incorporating chicken into your diet a few times a week is safe and can be a part of a balanced diet. However, it's essential to diversify your protein sources with fish, lean meats, legumes, and plant-based proteins for a well-rounded and healthy diet.

How many chicken breasts should I eat in one meal? ›

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern recommends the average person eat 26 ounces of poultry (including chicken) per week. Per day, this would be roughly the same as eating 3.5 ounces of chicken breast.

Is it healthier to saute or bake chicken? ›

The healthiest way to cook chicken is to bake it in the oven or stir fry it with vegetables. Put the parts in a baking pan, rub some olive oil on them, and surround them with plenty of garlic, lemon, carrots, or whatever you like. Bake at 350° until brown.

What is the healthiest tastiest way to cook chicken? ›

According to the American Diabetes Association:
  1. Choose chicken without the skin for less saturated fat and cholesterol.
  2. Healthy preparation options include broiling, baking, roasting, steaming, or grilling foods.

What is the cleanest way to cook chicken? ›

Stir-frying is one of the healthiest methods to cook chicken. You can cook chicken in many different ways, whether that means steaming, roasting, grilling, or frying. This helps kill any germs and improves flavor prior to consumption.

What are the 3 cooking methods? ›

There are three types of cooking methods: dry heat cooking, moist heat cooking, and combination cooking. Each method describes how chefs use heat to cook food and bring out unique flavors and textures.

What are the 3 types of chicken? ›

Chickens. Many different breeds of chickens have been developed for different purposes. For simplicity, you can place them into three general categories: Laying, meat-producing and dual-purpose breeds.

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