Your New Favorite Chicken Dinners

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Some chicken dinners are basic. These are not. From Cap’n Crunch Chicken Fingers that’ll make you rethink snack time to Chicken Francaise you’ll want to brag about, this list takes weeknight poultry and gives it a glow-up. Dish out creamy Chicken Cutlets in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce, get cozy with Dutch Oven Chicken Cacciatore, or serve up Barbecued Chicken Drumsticks that might just upstage the grill. Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens? She’s French, she’s fabulous, and she knows it. Whether you’re craving comfort, crunch, or carbs, these recipes don’t mess around.

Satay Chicken

chicken satay.
Photo credit: The Big Man’s World

Grilled to juicy perfection, these marinated Thai chicken skewers shine with a rich, nutty satay sauce that just happens to be gluten-free and wildly addictive.
Get the Recipe: Satay Chicken

Creamy Cajun Chicken

Cajun chicken with mashed potatoes
Photo credit: Downshiftology

Tender chicken, Cajun spice, and a rich, veggie-loaded cream sauce—this one-pan wonder brings the heat and the comfort, all in under an hour.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cajun Chicken

Skillet Chicken with Beans and Greens

A cast iron skillet with a mustard chicken and beans.
Image Credit: Tara Noland for Noshing With The Nolands

A French-style one-pot meal where kale, white beans, and chicken simmer together in a winey, mustardy sauce worth sopping up.

GET THE RECIPE: Skillet Chicken

Crispy Chicken with Herbed Carolina Gold Rice & Scratch Pan Gravy

A dinner plate filled with fried chicken breast over rice with brown chicken gravy.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Crispy chicken, rich pan gravy, and Carolina Gold rice scented with fresh herbs—this Southern-inspired dish delivers big flavor and even bigger comfort in every bite.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken and Rice

French Onion Chicken

Closeup of french onion chicken in a skillet on a white background. Next to it there are ingredients like shredded cheese, and toasted baguette slices
Photo credit: Grandbaby Cakes

Juicy chicken thighs bake in a bubbling French onion sauce with Gruyere, sweet Vidalias, and beefy richness—basically comfort food dressed in cheese.
Get the Recipe: French Onion Chicken

‘Chicken on The Ritz’ Casserole

Creamy leftover rotisserie chicken casserole with crushed Ritz crackers on top.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Velvety, creamy chicken baked under a buttery Ritz cracker topping—this one earns its “Million Dollar” nickname.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers

Chicken Grilled Under a Brick with Harissa

Chicken Grilled Under a Brick with Harissa Marinade on foodiecrush.com
Photo credit: Foodie Crush

Butterflied chicken, crispy skin, and a bold harissa-citrus kick—this grilled beauty cooks fast and delivers smoky, spicy summer vibes in every bite.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Grilled Under a Brick with Harissa

Chicken Enchiladas with Three Cheese Chipotle Sauce

Mexican style cheese and chicken enchiladas in a casserole dish.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Creamy, cheesy, and just the right amount of smoky heat—these enchiladas are anything but boring.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Korma

A big bowl of chicken korma.
Image Credit: Erren Hart for Erren’s Kitchen

This creamy, spiced Indian classic brings major flavor in every bite—and it’s easier than you think to pull off.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Korma

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake

A chicken cordon bleu and pasta casserole bake.
Image Credit: Lyuba Brooke for Will Cook for Smiles

Diced chicken, ham, creamy sauce, and pasta—this casserole is basically comfort food with a Swiss accent.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

Chicken Cutlets with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

The image shows a creamy chicken dish in a skillet, featuring sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and pepper. It is presented on a marble surface.
Photo credit: Not Entirely Average

Crispy chicken meets a rich, savory tomato cream sauce in this weeknight winner that tastes straight out of a bistro.

GET THE RECIPE: Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

White Chicken Chili

A big bowl of white chicken chili with jalapeno pepper slices on the top.
Image Credit: Lyuba Brooke for Will Cook for Smiles

Creamy, hearty, and mildly spiced, this chili is perfect for cooler nights—or just when you need a warm hug in a bowl.

GET THE RECIPE: White Chicken Chili

Perfectly Perfect Barbecued Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken legs on a hot gas grill with barbecue sauce.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Sticky, smoky, and fall-off-the-bone good, these drumsticks steal the spotlight at dinner or your next cookout.

GET THE RECIPE: Grilled Chicken Drumsticks

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

A platter of Chinese chicken and broccoli stir fry.
Image Credit: Erren Hart for Erren’s Kitchen

Fast, flavorful, and full of umami—this classic stir-fry proves you can beat takeout.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken and Broccoli

Easy to Make Chicken Francaise

Sauteed chicken breasts with lemon and lemon sauce in a pan.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Cutlets in a lemony white wine butter sauce—this one-skillet stunner makes any weeknight feel fancy.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Francese

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast

A bacon-wrapped chicken breast in sauce.
Image Credit: Ajoke for The Dinner Bite

Smoky, salty, juicy, and crisp—this bacon-wrapped number knows how to work a sheet pan.

GET THE RECIPE: Bacon Wrapped Chicken

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Radishes

Crispy skin chicken thighs on a sheet pan baked with radishes and herbs and shallots.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Roasted radishes are having their moment—and spring is the perfect excuse to enjoy their sweet, mellow bite and pop of color alongside juicy chicken thighs.

GET THE RECIPE: Sheet Pan Chicken

Chicken Marsala

A skillet filled with Chicken Marsala.
Image Credit: Erren Hart for Erren’s Kitchen

Mushrooms, Marsala wine, and golden pan-fried chicken come together for a dinner that’s pure elegance.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Marsala

Dutch Oven Chicken Cacciatore

A Dutch Oven filled with hot Chicken Cacciatore with briny olives.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Simmered with tomatoes, herbs, and wine, this chicken cacciatore is as rustic and satisfying as Italian food gets.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan on a cutting board with herbs.
Image Credit: Lyuba Brooke for Will Cook for Smiles

Crispy oven-fried chicken, melty mozzarella, and tangy marinara—this Italian classic is always a good idea.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Parmesan

One-Pot Chicken and Rice Pilaf

Chicken and rice with aromatics and garlic in a Dutch oven.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

This Uzbek-inspired chicken and rice dish is laced with spices, dried fruit, and all the cozy you could want in a single pot.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken and Rice Pilaf

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

A board displaying crispy air fried chicken thighs and fresh herbs.
Image Credit: Tara Noland for Noshing With The Nolands

Crispy skin, juicy meat, and zero stove babysitting—air fryer chicken thighs are weeknight magic.

GET THE RECIPE: Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

One Pan Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes

A cast iron roasting pan with chicken drumsticks and potatoes.
Image Credit: Jenny DeRemer for Not Entirely Average

Let the oven do the work with this one-pan meal that layers drumsticks, potatoes, and lemony roasted veggies.

GET THE RECIPE: Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Cap’n Crunch Chicken Fingers

A big platter of chicken fingers with a dipping sauce.
Image Credit: Tara Noland for Noshing With The Nolands

Crunchy, quirky, and kid-approved (but made for adults too), these golden chicken fingers come with a dunkable mustard sauce that seals the deal.

GET THE RECIPE: Chicken Fingers

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About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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