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50 Unexpected Chicken Dinners to Make Immediately

marinated kale and chicken quinoa bowl recipe slide
Pinch of Yum

Chicken nuggets? Made ‘em yesterday. Baked chicken? Snoozefest. So we’ve rounded up 50 unexpected recipes (from chicken stuffed spaghetti squash boats to Filipino soup) to get your creative juices flowing.

mexican hot pot avocado crema recipe
Half Baked Harvest

1.

Mexican Hot Pot with Avocado Crema

Traditionally, this is a Chinese soup, but this version has a Southwestern twist.

slow cooker whole chicken recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

2.

Slow-Cooker Whole Chicken with Potatoes

Set that bird right in the Crock-Pot.

spaghetti squash chicken parmesan recipe
Damn Delicious

3.

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan

A healthier, low-carb version of the fam’s favorite dinner.

thai lettuce wraps recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

4.

Thai Lettuce Wraps

Taco’s bright and spicy sister.

chicken under a brick sage olives
Camille Styles

5.

Chicken Under a Brick with Sage and Olives

Here’s how to make the crispiest bird in the universe.

chicken pot pie soup recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

6.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Potpie Soup

Your kids will be hooked.

copycat trader joes curried chicken salad
The Roasted Root

7.

Copycat Trader Joe’s Curried Chicken Salad

Even more glorious than the O.G. version.

keto baked chicken recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8.

Keto Sheet-Pan Chicken and Rainbow Veggies

Stick to your diet and don’t do any dishes. Win-win.

chicken confit recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

9.

Cheater’s Confit

Chicken confit is a thing, guys.

chicken spinach artichoke spaghetti squash recipe
The Girl On Bloor

10.

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Boats

Ditch your bowls.

whole30 chicken meatballs cauliflower rice cococonut herb sauce recipe
Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

11.

Whole30 Chicken Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice with Coconut-Herb Sauce

You’ll want to pour this creamy sauce on everything.

slow cooker creamy chicken wild rice soup recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

12.

Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

We’ll take ours with extra cheese, please.

strawberry avocado chicken salad poppyseed dressing recipe
Chew Out Loud

13.

Strawberry Avocado Chicken Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Ready in 20 minutes.

pan roasted chicken shallots dates recipe
Cook Beautiful

14.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Shallots and Dates

Caramelized Medjool dates + green olives = heaven.

buffalo chicken sliders recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

15.

15-Minute Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Shh, it’s made with store-bought rotisserie.

lemon rosemary chicken santa barbara recipe
Glamorous Bite

16.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken Santa Barbara

Like listening to your favorite Lana Del Ray song.

cheaters coq au vin recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

17.

Cheater’s White Wine Coq au Vin

It’s ready in under an hour. You heard us.

lemon greek chicken skewers recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

18.

Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki Sauce

Almost as good as a trip to Santorini.

chicken and asparagus sotanghon glass noodle soup recipe
Kitchen Confidante

19.

Chicken and Asparagus Sotanghon

This Filipino glass noodle soup will warm you from within.

balsamic cranberry roast chicken recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

20.

Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken

The only skillet recipe that’s completely hands-off.

lime chicken corn poblano salad recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

21.

Lime Chicken with Corn and Poblano Salad

Juicy, dark meat ups the ante.

chicken empanadas recipe
Apt. 2B Baking Co.

22.

Eva’s Chicken Empanadas

The perfect Sunday afternoon project.

chicken gnocchi soup recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

23.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Hellooo, match made in heaven.

baked chicken mushroom risotto recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

24.

Baked Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

Who has time to stand over a hot stove for hours? (Not you.)

rotisserie chicken ramen recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25.

Rotisserie Chicken Ramen

Flavorful, filling and inexpensive.

air fryer chicken nuggets recipe
Skinny Taste

26.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

We’re calling it: This is the trendiest gadget of 2018.

spicy yogurt chicken legs recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

27.

Spicy Yogurt Marinated Chicken Legs

Simple but flavorful.

skillet roast chicken peaches tomatoes red onion recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

28.

Skillet Roast Chicken with Peaches, Tomatoes and Red Onion

You’ll love the sweet and savory combo.

slow cooker chicken piccata recipe1
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Piccata

An easier twist on the classic dish.

honey glazed pomegranate chicken rice recipe
Yammie's Noshery

30.

Persian Honey Glazed Chicken and Jeweled Rice

Add a burst of color to your life.

cheesy ranch chicken thighs recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

31.

Parmesan-Ranch Chicken Thighs

Try a cut that’s seasoned perfectly.

spring roll bowls recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

32.

Spring Roll Bowls

Zero wrapper wrangling.

chicken fingers recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

33.

Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders

Because nobody has time for a deep fryer.

avocado chicken salad recipe1
Erin McDowell

34.

Avocado Chicken Salad

It’s anything but a Waldorf.

garlic ginger braised chicken recipe new
Spoon Fork Bacon

35.

Garlic and Ginger Braised Chicken

It’ll literally drip off the bone.

slow cooker pulled chicken recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

36.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Chicken

Here to satisfy all of your cravings.

chicken waffle sandwiches recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

37.

Chicken and Waffle Sandwiches

Greatest meal ever? You decide.

slow cooker chicken teriyaki recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

38.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

So much better than takeout.

chicken curry recipe
I Will Not Eat Oysters

39.

Dad’s Chicken Curry

We’ll take ours extra spicy.

slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

40.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s surprisingly low-maintenance.

roasted balsamic chicken and brussels sprouts recipe
Downshiftology

41.

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts

Everything is cooked in one pan for minimal cleanup.

dijonnaise chicken recipe
The Crepes of Wrath

42.

Dijonnaise Chicken

Presenting the easiest and most flavorful marinade in the world.

slow cooker chicken tikka masala recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

43.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

So comforting.

pretzel chicken tenders recipe
Le Crème de la Crumb

44.

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Here’s how to win dinner.

chicken satay skewers recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

45.

Chicken Satay with Coconut-Peanut Sauce

Food on a stick > anything else.

chicken parmesan gnocchi bake
What’s Gabby Cooking

46.

Chicken Parmesan Gnocchi Bake

We’re gonna be blunt: This is our dream dinner.

one pan moroccan lemon olive chicken
A Communcal Table

47.

One-Pan Moroccan Lemon Olive Chicken

Saucy and savory.

grilled peach chicken ricotta pizza
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

48.

Grilled Peach, Chicken and Ricotta Pizza

Store-bought dough makes this the easiest.

slow cooker chicken recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

49.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Save this for nights you feel like doing zero thinking.

marinated kale and chicken quinoa bowl recipe slide
Pinch of Yum

50.

Marinated Kale and Chicken Bowls with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

We feel healthier already.


heathgoldmanheadshot 1

Food Editor

From 2017 to 2019 Heath Goldman held the role of Food Editor covering food, booze and some recipe development, too. Tough job, eh?