Most meat eaters have this versatile protein in their freezer, but you can run out of ideas on how to prep your poultry. Create something new and fantastic by busting out some different tools—like your crockpot, air fryer, or Instant Pot—or looking at other cultures for inspo. Our contributor Brittany Baxter says her recipe for Filipino Chicken Adobo may be one of the best chicken dishes you’ll ever taste. Read on for 15 of our readers’ favorite chicken recipes.
Crispy Crockpot Orange Chicken
Orange marmalade, freshly squeezed orange juice, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce come together in perfect harmony in our Crispy Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe. Fresh citrus brightens it up, but if you don’t have oranges on hand, store bought OJ is fine (as Ina would say). The best part about this easy Chinese entree is that it only requires five minutes of actually doing anything. The other three and a half are just set it and forget it.
Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
An air fryer gives you delicious crispy, crunchy chicken tenders without the grease. If you don’t have one yet, the Cosori Air Fryer is a particularly good deal at under $100. It would also make a great Mother’s Day gift. Toss your homemade tenders on top of a salad with some honey mustard dressing. Or, create a dipping sauce extravaganza using our suggestions, like half barbecue sauce/half ranch.
Perfectly Poached Chicken
Poaching is an oil-free, hands-off approach to preparing chicken for sandwiches, salads, soups, or curries, instead of roasting a whole bird. Perhaps you’ve tried poaching before and were unimpressed with the results. That could be because you were doing it wrong. Our guide on How to Perfectly Poach Chicken imparts some serious flavor with broth or stock and dry white wine, plus bay leaves, garlic, fresh herbs, and red onion.
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Our sweet and sour chicken is healthier than takeout because it’s baked. Dredging the chicken in a mixture of cornstarch and eggs and browning it before you put it in the oven gives it the crunch you’re accustomed to from the Chinese buffet. The sauce doesn’t call for any special ingredients, just ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and garlic salt. Pair it with steamed rice and veggies, or choose from some of the other side dishes we recommend.
Easy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken
What makes our Easy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken so juicy and tender? It may sound weird, but the secret is….mayo. No kidding. Combined with Parmesan, garlic, S&P, and paprika, this easy chicken bake will be hit with the fam.
Creamy White Chicken Chili
This Creamy White Chicken Chili recipe uses the slow cooker, but we also included instructions for preparing it in your Instant Pot. Great Northern beans, sweet corn, and yellow onions make it “white”; enchilada sauce makes it spicy; and the creaminess comes from a combo of velvety cream cheese and and heavy cream. Top this Tex-Mex treat with your fave shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, crunchy tortilla strips, and/or fresh avocado.
Best Chicken Marinade Recipe
Why is our chicken marinade recipe so popular? Because its the best, of course. For real though, it’s probably the mustard and brown sugar, which is also a fantastic duo on a baked ham, FYI.
Homemade Chicken Broth
Extra bonus points if your homemade chicken noodle soup is made with homemade chicken broth! Both broth and stock are a used as a base for sauces, gravies, soups and stews, but they are different. Broth is seasoned, while stock is not. Broth uses meat, whereas stock uses the bones. And stock takes longer to make, simmering for four to six hours, while broth only needs to simmer for one hour.
Granny’s Chicken and Dumplings
When you’re craving Granny’s Chicken and Dumplings, no other comfort food will do. To create this popular Southern specialty, start by boiling a whole roasting chicken in a stockpot. For those who have not channeled their inner granny before, the dumplings are easier to do than you may think. It’s just chicken broth, eggs, and flour. You can devour these dumplings on their own, serve with a side salad and a roll, or double down on the Southern-ness with sides like old-fashioned green beans or bacon collard greens.
Baked Chicken Breast
Keep it simple with our quick and easy Baked Chicken Breast. Its perfect for beginners, or those who can’t seem to figure out the ideal time and temperature to achieve the perfect balance of juicy and tender. Hint: it’s 400 degrees at 25 minutes, but we’re going to make you click for when to flip it.
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Filipino chicken adobo is one of the most popular dishes in the Philippines, so its sure to be a hit on your dinner table. Adobo is not just what your chipotles come in—it actually comes from the Spanish word for marinade. This traditional Filipino marinade incorporates oyster sauce and Filipino soy sauce (like Silver Swan) to help hit all the right salty, sweet, sour, and spicy notes.
Fresh Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
Our Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad tastes like chicken salad and Waldorf salad had a tasty baby. Dijon mustard and white vinegar give this baby a little kick. Have it straight up, in a lettuce cup, on a cracker, on a sandwich, or go crazy and put it on a buttery, flaky croissant.
3 Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
I’ve got BBQ chicken on permanent shuffle, but I usually just marinate and grill it. Snore! Our recipe for 3 Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches makes it seem like you actually tried, when in reality, you just threw chicken breast and BBQ sauce into a crockpot with some chicken broth. Also, if you don’t know about Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce, now you know. You’re welcome.
Easy to Follow Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
With our Easy to Follow Chicken Enchiladas Recipe, anyone can make this Mexican meal! Make them roja or verde, it’s up to you. If you really have a lot of time on your hands, you could even make the enchilada sauce yourself. Serve with a side of rice and beans, tangy Mexican coleslaw, or Mexican street corn.
Delicious and Tangy Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings
These honey barbecue wings are to die for. The secret is in the spice rub—a delectable amalgamation of garlic, onion, and chili powders. Then you’ve got the sauce. Honey + BBQ + butter = Yes please!
