There is plenty of variety when it comes to chicken recipes for dinner, but there are some exciting recipes with the same ingredients or fewer ingredients that can be used to make tasty dinners.
The key to making any meal with chicken is to use ingredients that complement its natural flavors without overpowering them.
Here are eight simple chicken dinners that only require five ingredients or less.
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1. Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki chicken is a family favorite in many homes. It’s easy to make and has the perfect balance of sweet and savory. This version uses only five ingredients, including a secret ingredient that will make your chicken come out extra juicy.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
- Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, and oil in a medium bowl.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat—marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat until smoking hot.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess, and place it on a grill pan.
- Cook until charred on both sides and cooked through, or about 5 minutes total.
- Serve with rice or noodles.
2. Tangy Orange Chicken
When it comes to weeknight dinners, the goal is to get something on the table fast. This tangy orange chicken dish gets its delicious flavor from two ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. It comes together quickly, and even picky eaters will love it.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces or a bag of frozen popcorn chicken bites
- 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
- 1 cup orange marmalade
Directions:
- If using chicken breasts:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, until it’s mostly cooked through but not yet browned on the outside.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- If using popcorn chicken:
- Bake them in the oven at 325 degrees for the designated time or until cooked through and crispy.
- Combine the marmalade and BBQ sauce in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 90 seconds.
- Add the cooked chicken and stir to coat evenly.
- Serve with a side of rice and some steamed broccoli.
3. Chicken and Mushroom Pasta Bake
This one-pan chicken and mushroom pasta bake is easy to make and fast to get dinner on the table. It’s also great for making ahead and freezing, so you can pull it out of the freezer when you need a quick meal.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms or 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and drained.
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- Pasta (rotini, penne, rigatoni, etc)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season the chicken with your favorite spice blend, then add to the pan and sauté until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, about 5 – 7 minutes per side.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Stir in cream and add chicken, then turn down the heat to low so it can keep warm.
- Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta for 12-15 minutes, until tender. Drain the noodles and add to the chicken mixture when done. Mix well.
- Place in a buttered casserole dish and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
- Serve with a side salad or crusty bread.
4. Creamy Chicken and Dumplings
It’s the ultimate comfort food, made even better when it’s easy to make. This creamy chicken and dumplings recipe will make you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and watch Netflix all day.
Ingredients:
- 1 (10-ounce) package of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
- 2 cups cooked chicken cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup water or milk (or 2 cups milk for extra creaminess)
- 1 package of refrigerated biscuits, cut into quarters
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Over medium heat, cook the carrots and celery in a large skillet until tender.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables; sauté until heated through.
- Stir in chicken and water/milk until well combined.
- Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Pour mixture into an 8×8 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray or lined with foil & sprayed with cooking spray; top with biscuit pieces.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until biscuits begin to brown on top and bottom edges are golden brown (do not overbake).
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving warm.
5. Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
This is an excellent recipe for those nights when you want to get dinner on the table fast. Assemble all the ingredients on a sheet pan, throw them in the oven, and in 30 minutes, you’ll have a homemade meal.
Ingredients:
- 3 large russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning blend (or your favorite herb blend)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Spread potatoes evenly on the prepared sheet.
- Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until coated.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and crisp around the edges.
- Toss chicken with the remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until coated.
- Remove potatoes from the oven and place them in a large bowl.
- Add chicken and Italian seasoning and toss until combined.
- Return to oven for 10 minutes more until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F).
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.
6. Savory Chicken and Rice
This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover chicken. It’s easy and flavorful and can be prepared in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (or brown rice)
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 package mushroom soup mix (Lipton, Knorr)
Directions:
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until browned on both sides but not fully cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Remove from skillet; keep warm.
- Add rice to skillet; cook over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan; add soup mix and chicken broth.
- Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 15 minutes longer (do not stir).
7. Grilled Chicken Breast with Pineapple Salsa
This simple dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It’s also great for entertaining because you can make it and cook it on the grill when ready to serve. Canned pineapple shortens the prep time.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup pineapple chunks; reserve the juice
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp olive oil
Directions:
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add oil to the pan and cook until done, about 6 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with foil; let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the chicken cooks, combine pineapple, 2 tbsp pineapple juice, cilantro, and salt in a bowl; set aside until ready to serve.
- Serve chicken with rice, refried beans, and avocado slices.
8. Honey Lime Chicken Tacos
Tacos are a great way to use leftover chicken, and these honey lime tacos are especially delicious. They’re made with equal parts sweet, salty, and tangy marinade—the perfect combination for adding zing to your tacos!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store (about 1/2 of a breast per taco)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Juice from 1 lime (about 2-3 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Directions:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Cook them until golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Remove them from the pan and let them rest while you make your taco shells.
- Combine the honey, lime, chili powder, and cumin and mix well with the hot chicken.
To make your taco shells:
- Place 2 corn tortillas on each baking sheet with parchment paper between them so they don’t stick together.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until crispy!
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly before assembling tacos.
- Top your crispy corn tortilla shells with cooked chicken (about 3 ounces per person) and any toppings you have on hand.
In Summary
Chicken is a versatile white meat that can be used in various dishes. It’s also easy to cook, which makes it great for busy weeknights.
Chicken breasts are the most common cut of chicken used when cooking at home because they’re relatively inexpensive and quick-cooking.
There are many other ways to prepare this protein. For example, chicken thighs take longer than breasts but are more flavorful and economical.
Thighs are more forgiving than breast meat, so they’ll stay juicy even if you slightly overcook them. Rotisserie chicken can be a time-saver since it is already cooked and easy to reheat before adding to recipes.
As you can see from this list, it’s easy to make tasty dinners with few ingredients.
