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These chicken dinner ideas answer that age old question, what’s for dinner? Try all our best chicken recipes: pan dinners, soups, salads, enchiladas, and more—including delicious ideas for both chicken breast and thighs! There’s something for everyone in this list.

Chicken dinner ideas
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What’s for dinner? Even though we’re two-time cookbook authors and food bloggers, we’re also busy parents who are often stumped by this question. Chicken to the rescue!

There are so many fun, creative chicken dinner ideas that are easy to whip up. As two cookbook authors and recipe developers, we’ve made it our goal to uncover all of them! Here’s a list of our top chicken recipes that our readers and family love, including:

Top chicken dinner ideas (breast and thighs)

Sides to serve with chicken dinners

How to make your chicken dinner into a meal? We’ve compiled all our ideas into this list of 50 Side Dishes for Chicken. Here are some highlights:

More chicken techniques

Learn more about these essential chicken techniques!

Frequently asked questions

What are some easy chicken dinner ideas for busy weeknights?

For busy weeknights, opt for quick and simple recipes like Lemon Garlic Chicken or Pan Seared Chicken, stir-fries, or pasta dishes with chicken. You can also try using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save even more time in dishes like enchiladas and soups.

What are some healthy chicken dinner ideas?

There are plenty of healthy chicken dinner options! Grilled chicken or Greek chicken with vegetables, chicken salads with light dressings like grilled chicken salad, and chicken soups are all great choices. Focus on lean protein, whole grains, and plenty of vegetable recipes for a balanced meal.

What can I do with leftover cooked chicken?

Leftover cooked chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in numerous dishes. Add it to salads, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, pasta dishes, or stir-fries. You can also shred it and use it in casseroles, chicken enchiladas, or quesadillas.

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30 Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas

Chicken and rice recipe
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This one-pot chicken and rice is the perfect easy dinner idea that’s bursting with flavor! Tender chicken thighs and fluffy rice simmer in a cozy broth, with a burst of freshness from the zesty parsley and lemon gremolata topping.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Chicken
  • Cuisine: Chicken Dinner
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

For the chicken

  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the rice

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, minced
  • 1 ½ cups white rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill

For the gremolata

  • ⅓ cup finely chopped Italian parsley, (about 1/2 bunch)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (1 large lemon)
  • 1/2 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 grind black pepper

Instructions

  1. Dry the chicken thighs and season with the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder and lots of fresh ground pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the juices in the pan.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are very tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth, rice, dill and kosher salt, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up all of the seasoning from the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and top with the browned chicken thighs. Cover with a lid and cook at a low simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until rice is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix together the ingredients for the gremolata.
  4. Remove the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork, then top with the gremolata and serve warm.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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