Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (2024)

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Diana Rattray

Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (1)

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 09/17/20

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Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (2)

Chicken is anaturally healthy choice for family lunches and dinners. Chicken is high in protein, and it is lower in cholesterol and saturated fatthan red meat. The fact that chicken cooks quickly makes it an excellent choice for busy families. It's no wonder chicken outranks beef and pork consumption in the U.S.

These recipes run the gamut, from whole roasted chickens and boneless chicken breasts to crunchy fried chicken and slow cooker favorites.

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    Chicken With Cranberries and Orange Sauce

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    Grand Marnier makes this chicken dish next-level. You can also use Cointreau or another type of orange liqueur, for a similarly delicious effect. Dried cranberries and green onions add color to these easy boneless chicken breasts. Or simply serve the chicken with a garnish of cranberry sauce.

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    Creamy Chicken Marsala

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (4)

    Cream adds richness to this quick chicken Marsala recipe. The thickened sauce makes a tasty topping for the chicken and pasta or rice.

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    Skillet Lemon Chicken With Mushrooms

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    A light breading of seasoned flour gives the thin chicken breasts a delicious coating in this skillet lemon chicken recipe. A simple lemon and wine sauce mixtureadds just the right amount of flavor to the dish.

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    Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs or Legs

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    If you think crispy fried chicken is a messy, labor-intensive task, think again. The skillet crisps the skin and then the chicken goes into the oven for a perfect finish.

    Continue to 5 of 55 below.

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    Garlic Chicken and Shrimp

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    You might not think of making a dish with these two unrelated proteins, but chicken and shrimp go together remarkably well. Serve the delicious combo over hot cooked fettuccine or rice.

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    Spicy Fried Chicken Tenders

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    Add these family-friendly buttermilk fried chicken tenders toyour weekday menu rotation. Serve them with sweet and sour sauce, ranch dressing, or remoulade sauce for dipping. Creole seasoning adds the spicy flavor, but feel free to throw some cayenne in if you love heat.

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    Chicken With Cilantro Cream Sauce

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    Fresh chopped cilantro, red bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and green onions get together to make up the flavor profile for these fast and easy boneless chicken breasts.

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    Pulled Chicken Tacos

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    Both boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs work great in this pulled chicken tacos recipe. The beauty of this dish is how fast and easy it is to prepare. The poaching liquid is spiced with Mexican seasonings and cooked down while you are shredding the chicken.

    Continue to 9 of 55 below.

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    Basil Chicken With Pesto Cream Sauce

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    Whether homemade or purchased, pesto is a fantastic ingredient for all kinds of dishes. A simple combination of pesto and heavy cream makes up the flavorful sauce for these lean sautéed chicken breasts.

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    Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

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    This roasted chicken dish, with its appealing blend of ingredients and flavors, is surprisingly easy to prepare and cook.

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    Chicken Thighs With Creamy Mushroom Sauce

    This sauce for these chicken thighs tastes rich, but it's lighter than you might think. To make it even lighter, use boneless chicken breasts in the recipe. Chicken breasts cook quickly, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

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    Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

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    Chicken chilimakes a hearty meal with slices of crusty French bread or hot baked cornbread. This recipe utilizes chicken thighs because they offer more flavor and stay juicy even after long, slow cooking.

    Continue to 13 of 55 below.

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    20-Minute Creamed Chicken With Mushrooms

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    Whether you choose to serve it over biscuits, toast, or rice, creamed chicken is an excellent choice for a satisfying family dinner. Balance the meal with a tossed green salad or a vibrant green steamed vegetable.

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    Chicken Skin Chips

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    When braising chicken or making chicken soup, you'll need to remove the skin. Rather than toss it, transform it into chicken skin chips. It's a versatile ingredient, whether as a salad, soup, or baked potato topping, a snack cracker substitute, or a crispy sandwich filler.

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    Creamy Bourbon Chicken With Mushrooms

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    The sophisticated flavors in this creamy bourbon chicken dish will wow your friends and family. They'll never guess the dish took less than 30 minutes to throw together and cook.

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    Paprika Chicken Breasts With Sour Cream Gravy

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    Sweet paprika adds color and flavor to these baked chicken breasts. The reduced liquids and some sour creammake a rich, creamy gravy. Prep time is about 10 minutes; just pop the chicken in the oven and bake.

    Continue to 17 of 55 below.

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    Chicken Thighs With Orange Sauce

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    Orange juice concentrate and herbs make a delicious sauce for these wonderful glazed chicken thighs. Serve this dish with your favorite rice pilaf or a noodle dish.​

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    Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

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    This comforting and adaptable dish makes the whole family happy. Perfect for Little League nights when you need to get dinner on the table quickly or a curl-up-by-the-fire fall Sunday, Instant Pot chicken and rice can be your go-to all-in-one meal.

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    Chicken Under a Brick

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    Chicken under a brick is an interesting roasted chicken recipe. It's spatchco*cked, so the backbone of the whole bird is removed. This allows it to be flattened out to ensure even cooking and juicy pieces. The thyme, rosemary, and garlic gives the chicken extra flavor, too.

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    One-Dish Roasted Chicken Dinner With Potatoes

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    The addition of chunks of potatoes, carrots, and celery make this roasted chickena complete meal in one pan. If you're a fan of sheet pan dinners, this recipe is for you.

    Continue to 21 of 55 below.

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    Bulgogi Chicken

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    While it's admittedly not quite as easy as ordering takeout barbecue from the Korean restaurant, this backyard replica Bulgogi Chicken makes a convincing stand-in without too much effort. Serve it with rice, kimchi, and your favorite Korean condiments.

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    Tandoori Chicken

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    As long as you plan ahead, this Indian tandoori chicken recipe comes together easily. Cubes of boneless chicken marinate in a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and Indian spices for several hours before cooking in the oven. Feel free to sear on the stovetop first to get a bit of char.

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    Instant Pot Chicken Breast

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    The Instant Pot produces tender, juicy chicken breasts every time, easily answering the age-old question, "What's for dinner?" Chicken breasts can be shredded for pulled chicken sandwiches and tacos; diced for soups, salads, and casseroles; or sliced and served as an entrée along with side dishes.

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    Skillet Chicken With Bacon and Sour Cream

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    This chicken is a snap to prepare and cook in a skillet. The sour cream makes for a rich finish, balancing the flavors of the diced cooked bacon, green onions, and garlic.

    Continue to 25 of 55 below.

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    Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

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    ThisInstant Pot bbq chickenis ideal when you need a family-friendly dinner fast. Chicken parts are coated with a rub including smoked paprika, chili powder, and brown sugar, and then cooked in a bit of store-bought barbecue sauce. A quick trip under the broiler crisps up the skin.

  • Air Fryer Fried Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (28)

    Chicken pieces cook up quickly in an air fryer, which creates a crispy crust while keeping the meat juicy on the inside. And air fryer fried chicken leaves little mess to clean up, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or a relaxing Sunday evening, especially when everyone in the family likes a different part. Just add a salad and a favorite side dish.

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    Chicken Marbella

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    This storied dishis adapted fromThe Silver Palate Cookbook, first published in 1982. Although that name might not ring a bell for younger generations, it was a standout cookbook in its time, and Chicken Marbella was its standout dish. This one-pan meal features skin-on chicken marinated in a brine of vinegar, olives, capers, and prunes, and then baked in the same dish—it couldn't be easier. This recipe is a little sweet, a little salty, and perfectly balanced with acidic tang. Great withSpanish riceormashed potatoes.

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    Honey Dijon-Baked Chicken

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    It's amazing how a few simple pantry ingredients can turn an everyday piece of chicken into a fabulousentrée. That's the case with this honey dijon-baked chicken.

    Continue to 29 of 55 below.

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    Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

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    Chicken noodle soup is a comforting dish but it can take all day to make. This Instant Pot recipe is just as satisfying and delicious but takes under an hour to cook. Chicken thighs are cooked in the broth and then shredded before reincorporating into the soup.

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    Nashville Hot Chicken

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    Nashville hot chicken might be considered a "trend" to some, but for those in the know realize it's been around for nearly a half century now. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, this famous recipe is inspired by Prince's Hot Chicken, a now-legendary institution that first served up the deep-fried, spicy bird in the '70s. Nashville hot chicken is characterized by its spicy, deep-red glaze, traditionally made with cayenne pepper. Although the level of spiciness varies, it's almost always served on top of white bread—plain white bread, the cheaper and sweeter the better—with some pickles on top.

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    Greek Chicken Kabobs

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (33)

    Perfect for summer, the Mediterranean flavors of garlic, lemon, and oregano turn these chicken kabobs into a bright-tasting dish. The homemade tzatziki, made of Greek yogurt, cucumbers, and dill, is the perfect dipping sauce.

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    Easy Italian-Style Baked Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (34)

    These easy baked boneless chicken breasts are incredibly easy, and they come out of the oven moist and crusty. Even your pickiest eaters will ask for more.

    Continue to 33 of 55 below.

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    Super Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

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    This four-ingredient chicken recipe takes less than 10 minutes to throw together. Just pop the chicken in the oven and enjoy the free time.

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    Honey-Baked Chicken Drumsticks

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    Baked chicken drumsticks or chicken legs get a drizzle of honey and brown sugar sauce as soon as they come out of the oven.

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    Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs With Panko Crumb Coating

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    A coating of Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs ensures a crispy, crunchy crust on the oven-fried chicken thighs.

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    Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (38)

    Whole chicken legs are not only budget-friendly; they also offer loads of flavor. A ​combination of garlic, olive oil, and simple seasonings flavor these chicken legs perfectly.

    Continue to 37 of 55 below.

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    Potato Chip Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (39)

    Change up your oven-fried chicken recipe by using crushed potato chips instead of breadcrumbs. Barbecue kettle-cooked chips are best, adding a nice hint of flavor and a great crunch.

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    Easy Chicken Parmesan

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (40)

    How can something so easy, taste so special? Simply sautéed chicken breasts are finished in the oven with spaghetti sauce and lots of melty mozzarella cheese.

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    Boursin Chicken With Parmesan Coating

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (41)

    A Boursin cheese filling keeps these baked stuffed chicken breasts moist and tender while a Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb coating provides the crispy coating.

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    Crock Pot Italian-Seasoned Chicken With Potatoes

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (42)

    All you need is 10 minutes and a slow cooker to make this easy crock pot Italian chicken dish. Just add a salad or steamed veggies for a satisfying everyday dinner.

    Continue to 41 of 55 below.

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    Crock Pot Chicken and Corn Chowder

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (43)

    You probably have all of the ingredients for this chicken chowder on hand. It's the perfect blending of flavors, and condensed soups make preparation a breeze.

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    Crock Pot Chicken and Biscuits

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (44)

    Baked biscuits provide the base for this slow-cooked chicken and biscuits dish. Use frozen, canned, or homemade biscuits for the recipe.

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    Halal Cart Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (45)

    Halal carts are a popular fast food on the streets of New York for good reason. This halal cart chickenis a healthier but still tasty version that's ready in just over 30 minutes.

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    Creamy Broccoli Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (46)

    The straightforward combination of chicken breasts, condensed soup, and broccoli, makes this chicken recipe perfect for a busy day.

    Continue to 45 of 55 below.

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    Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (47)

    Dry salad dressing mix and cream cheese add zesty Italian flavor and creaminess to these crock pot chicken breasts.

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    Slow Cooker Creole Chicken With Sausage

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (48)

    Spicy andouille sausage pairs nicely with boneless chicken thighs and a Cajun-style tomato sauce mixture. Serve it over rice for a taste of Louisiana.

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    Crock Pot Chicken Breasts in Creamy Creole Sauce

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (49)

    A creamy Creole-style sauce highlights the chicken in this crockpot dish. The "holy trinity" of Cajun and Creole cooking, onions, bell pepper, and celery, adds flavor and texture to the dish.

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    Grilled Chicken With Cajun Cream Sauce

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    Grilled chicken takes center stage with a delicious Cajun seasoned cream sauce. Serve the chicken and sauce with hot cooked linguine or rice.​

    Continue to 49 of 55 below.

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    Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (51)

    Get your trusty seasoned black iron skillet out for this moist and juicy chicken. This whole roasted chicken is easy enough for an everyday meal and special enough for Sunday dinner.

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    Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (52)

    You only need four ingredients to make this fabulous chicken dish: chicken thighs, a packet of dry ranch-style dressing, a clove of garlic, and olive oil. The chicken bakes to golden perfection in about 30 minutes.

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    Ritzy Chicken Casserole

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    Just one taste will convince you to add this ritzycasserole to your monthly mealtime rotation. It's an excellent potluck dish as well.

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    Classic Southern Fried Chicken

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (54)

    Fried chicken is probably the first dish one thinks of when asked to name some iconic Southern dishes. Dig out your skillet and fry some chicken.

    Continue to 53 of 55 below.

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    Chicken Stew With Vegetables

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    Cook this versatile family-pleasing chicken stew in the oven or slow cooker. A cut-up chicken or chicken thighs are the main protein, so not only is the stew delicious; it's easy on the budget.

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    Easy Chicken Marengo With Garlic and Tomatoes

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    Boneless chicken breasts team up with mushrooms and a flavorful tomato dish in this French-inspired dish. The original dish was created in the year 1800 to celebrate Napoleon's Battle of Marengo victory.

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    Hunter's Chicken With Tomatoes and Mushrooms

    Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (57)

    This rustic chicken dish is a family-pleasing combination of chicken leg quarters, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Serve the chicken with roasted or mashed potatoes or noodles.

  • Chicken Recipes
Excite Your Palate With These Everyday Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to make chicken breast actually taste good? ›

Here are 7 tricks to make chicken breasts taste better and even totally delicious.
  1. Cook them right. Most people get scared and overcook chicken breasts, cooking out all the moisture and leaving them tough and dry. ...
  2. Marinate them. ...
  3. Cut them thin. ...
  4. Fry them. ...
  5. Stuff them. ...
  6. Shred them. ...
  7. Use the right pan.

What enhances chicken flavor? ›

Classic Poultry Seasoning: 1 teaspoon dried basil + 1 teaspoon dried rosemary + 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon mustard powder + ½ teaspoon black pepper.

How to make store-bought rotisserie chicken taste better? ›

Use your favorite preserves, chutney, barbecue sauce, or build your own thick and sticky concoction to coat the bird with. Think honey and lemon or brown sugar and soy sauce; just be mindful of how much salt the glaze contains as most store-bought rotisserie chickens are already seasoned with salt.

What can I add to chicken to make it taste good? ›

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

  1. Flatten the chicken breasts. ...
  2. Heat the pan. ...
  3. Cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for 1 minute without moving. ...
  4. Flip the chicken breasts. ...
  5. Turn the heat down to low. ...
  6. Cover the pan and cook on low for 10 minutes. ...
  7. Turn off the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes. ...
  8. Remove lid and take temperature.

How do you make chicken meat more flavorful? ›

Brine the chicken: Brining involves soaking the chicken in a mixture of water and salt before cooking, which helps to infuse it with flavor and moisture. To make a simple brine, dissolve 1/4 cup of salt in 4 cups of water, then soak the chicken breast in the brine for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Which spice is best for chicken? ›

5 best spice and herbs blends for chicken and meat
  • Paprika and garlic powder. Paprika is a great spice that makes any chicken dish stand out, it comes in many forms sweet, hot, regular and smoky. ...
  • Basil and rosemary. ...
  • Ginger and lemongrass. ...
  • Turmeric and chili. ...
  • Coriander and cumin.

What chicken has the best flavor? ›

Red Broilers, part of the preferred broiler breeds, are primarily raised for meat. Their slower growth rate than other commercial meat breeds, like the Cornish Cross, translates into a more developed flavor and firmer texture. The white meat is notably tender.

Why do rotisserie chickens taste so good? ›

This is not only due to the addition of extra water but also additives including phosphate. These additives help the meat absorb and retain moisture before, during, and after the cooking process. As a result, every mouthful of the meat retains a succulent texture.

How does Costco make their rotisserie chicken so good? ›

The reason Costco's chicken is so juicy is because of a salt solution pumped inside, which is basically like super-brining. That makes the meat moist and evenly seasoned every time, delivering a consistent—though there has been some Reddit uproar about weird-tasting chicken lately in some states—tasting chicken.

Is anything added to rotisserie chicken? ›

Some chickens may be brined or soaked in a saline (salt) solution before cooking to make them juicier. Others may use a rub or seasoning that contains a lot of salt on both the skin and the innards of the bird.

What brings out the flavor in chicken? ›

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

What to do with tasteless chicken? ›

Marinade: Marinating chicken before cooking can infuse it with flavor and moisture. You can use a mixture of olive oil, herbs, spices, and acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) to create a flavorful marinade. Allow the chicken to soak in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight for better results.

How to season already cooked chicken? ›

You can enhance the flavor of already cooked chicken by adding fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or basil, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. These additions can elevate the taste of the chicken and make it more flavorful.

How can I increase the flavor of my chicken? ›

Mix softened butter with ginger and garlic to rub all over the chicken. Add onion, garlic cloves, sliced ginger, sliced serrano chiles, and quartered lime to the pan along with some water to create flavorful pan juices. Add some fish sauce to the gravy just before serving.

Why is my chicken breast not tasty? ›

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be relatively low in flavor compared to other cuts of chicken because they are lean and have less fat, which is a major contributor to flavor. Skinless chicken breasts also lack the crisp, savory quality that comes from the skin being fried or roasted.

How to fix bland chicken? ›

There are several simple and delicious ways to enhance the flavor and moisture of bland and dry chicken: Marinade: Marinating chicken before cooking can infuse it with flavor and moisture. You can use a mixture of olive oil, herbs, spices, and acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) to create a flavorful marinade.

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