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Chicken is the perfect pick for any meal! Spice up your romantic dinner for two or a family get-together. This collection of recipes is sure to please. There’s something for everyone, from hearty soups to delightful desserts. Vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians won’t be left out either.
So don’t delay – get cooking! Put on your apron and let’s go!
Benefits of Eating Chicken
Chicken packs a punch of health benefits! It’s good for your heart, helps with muscle growth and weight management. Plus, it’s budget-friendly. You can find it in most places, and there’s lots of ways to cook it. From Indian curries to sandwiches and salads, chicken is a great source of flavor and nutrients.
It’s low in calories, fat, and carbs, and usually contains no cholesterol or saturated fat. Perfect for any healthy meal plan!
Easy Chicken Recipes
Chicken‘s a yummy and diverse cooking ingredient. For weeknight meals or celebratory dishes, there’s a range of simple chicken recipes. If you’re seeking a hassle-free recipe or a scrumptious meal to wow guests, this section’s got ’em all!
Grilled Chicken
Grilling is the fastest way to make chicken scrumptious! Here are some easy recipes for all sorts of grilled chicken:
- Marinated Chicken Breasts: A basic marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and spices. Let it marinate for an hour then grill for 4 minutes per side.
- Grilled Pesto Chicken: Try something fancy yet quick! Marinate in store-bought or homemade pesto sauce. Cover and let it chill overnight, then grill on medium heat until cooked.
- Stuffed Spatchcocked Chicken: For a special meal, stuff a butterflied bird with herbs, veggies, and olive oil. Grill over medium heat. Skewer veggies alongside, brush with olive oil to prevent drying.
Baked Chicken
Baked chicken is a go-to dinner recipe. It’s tasty, healthy, and easy to make. Plus, you can dress it up for any occasion. Get creative with global flavors like Spanish-style, Thai-style, or Southeast Asian-style.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken, cut up or 4 split breasts
- Salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons of butter (or margarine)
- Optional seasonings such as garlic powder, cayenne pepper, etc.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place chicken in baking pan and season with salt & pepper. Dot with butter.
- Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Baste occasionally with pan drippings.
- For more flavor, sprinkle on seasonings during last 10 minutes.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is a beloved dish around the world. It’s made with simple ingredients. Mashed potatoes and corn on the cob usually accompany it. Fried chicken can be cooked in several ways- deep-fried, pan-fried and more.
Herbs, spices, vinegars and hot sauces can flavor fried chicken. Season it with salt, pepper and other seasonings before frying. This adds extra flavor to the batter or breading.
Classic flour and spices for a crispy outer layer when fried in oil or butter is popular. Cornmeal is another breading option for an earthy texture and additional crunch. Panko crumbs create an even crispier crust when shallow or deep-frying.
For an extra flavor layer, add egg to the breading mix or use yogurt for a thicker coating before frying. Cook until golden brown and fully cooked. Serve this delicious classic favorite with mashed potatoes and greens for a yummy meal!
Healthy Chicken Recipes
Eating healthy? A challenge? Yup. But have no fear! Chicken can be a great culinary and nutritional treat. There are tons of healthy chicken recipes that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Let’s explore some of the best ones! Perfect for any occasion.
Slow-Cooker Chicken
Slow-cooker chicken is perfect for easy, home-cooked meals. Prep ingredients in advance to save time and energy. Use the cooked chicken in salads, wraps, and with veggies for a tasty dinner. Make sure your slow cooker is the right size – between 2 and 6 quarts. Add sauces or liquids throughout cooking to keep it moist.
Here are some delicious recipes:
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Crispy BBQ Chicken Wings
- Spicy Cajun Pulled Chicken (with buns)
- Zesty Italian Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Tomato Basil Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Herb Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
Sheet-Pan Chicken
Sheet-pan chicken is a great way to make a yummy, healthy dinner with minimal effort. You can mix and match different proteins and veggies like potatoes, bell peppers, squash, cauliflower, mushrooms or zucchini. Add some salt, pepper and herbs or spices like garlic powder, paprika or oregano for flavor. Roast everything on the same sheet-pan at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.
There are tons of recipes online for all dietary restrictions, so be sure to check the recommended cooking time! You can have a scrumptious, balanced meal every night of the week with sheet-pan chickens. No fuss, no muss!
Air-Fried Chicken
Air-frying is gaining popularity as a healthier way to cook chicken. It’s easy, delicious, and nutritious! It uses less oil than other recipes, for succulent and flavorful meals with less fat.
To air-fry chicken, heat your air fryer to 375F/190C. Toss the pieces with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and your favorite spices or a pre-made blend. Put the pieces in the fryer basket or on the grill plate. Close the basket and let it cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. If the end pieces need more time, let them cook a few extra minutes. Taste the finished product – succulent perfection!
Air-fried chicken can be served as an entree or used in other recipes like salads, sandwiches, or soups. You can also use an air fryer to bake cakes and roast vegetables – tasty options for any meal!
Comfort Food Chicken Recipes
Chicken – the classic of comforts! For family dinners, weeknight meals, or date nights, this list of comfort-food chicken recipes has it all. Fried, casseroled, or soup-ed up – no craving will go unsatisfied!
- Fried chicken
- Chicken casserole
- Chicken soup
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie has been an iconic comfort food dish for centuries! It’s made up of chicken, vegetables, and gravy, all wrapped up in a delicious crust. People from the United States, the UK, and Canada love it.
If you want to try making this classic dish yourself, there are plenty of recipes to choose from! You can make your pot pie topped with buttery biscuits, filled with seasonal veggies, or even creamy and cheesy.
Nowadays, you can find recipes with all sorts of meat fillings, like beef. Remember to pre-cook all your ingredients before adding them to the crust for best results. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Chicken Stew Pot Pie
- 30 Minute Chicken Pot Pie
- No-Crust Chicken Pot Pie
- Cheat’s Chicken Pot Pie
- Reuben’s Mushroom & Bacon Pot Pie
- Thai Coconut Curry Pot Pie
- Simple Cheddar Chive Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings is a famous comfort food. It is popular in the American South. It has chicken, onions, celery, carrots and herbs. Plus a biscuit or dumpling-like dough. You can serve it with gravy or sauce.
It is a tasty one-dish meal. The doughy dumplings and juicy chicken pieces have a hearty veggie taste. The ingredients may differ, but usually have cooked chicken and veggies like celery, onion and carrots. They are simmered in broth until soft. Then self-raising flour biscuits or patted pastry get added. This makes for a delicious stew. It smells great and tastes fabulous. People often add hot sauce when serving.
Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is a classic. It’s perfect for cold nights or when feeling sick. Making it is easy and you can customize it with veggies, herbs, and spices. It’s also great for using leftovers or bulk cooking.
- Use affordable cuts of chicken like legs and thighs for the best flavor without overspending.
- Vegetables? Use whatever you have or prefer – celery, carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes, mushrooms.
- Spices? Adjust to your taste – try thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Make sure the chicken is cooked through, then add raw ingredients like cooked noodles or gnocchi. Bulk up with leftovers like diced chicken or tomatoes. Garnish with herbs like parsley or green onion if desired. Enjoy!
Special Occasion Chicken Recipes
Got a special occasion? Chicken’s ideal! Here’re some awesome recipes for ya. Impress your guests with these tasty ones! Let’s get cookin’:
Yummy chicken recipes for your next event:
Roast Chicken
Roast chicken is a must for special occasions. Whether it’s a big family gathering or a cozy dinner, it needs patience and care. Traditionally, it was roasted over an open fire. Nowadays, oven roasting is the way to go!
When selecting a chicken, pick a whole one with no fat. Organic or free-range is ideal. The size depends on the guest list – from 1.5lbs to 4lbs or more. Spatchcocking is also an option for quicker cooking – it’s best done over a gas or charcoal grill.
For flavour, use herbs and spices like parsley, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme. Juniper berries and basil are great for added depth. For oven roasting, keep the heat low – 375F (191C). For well done poultry, go up to 400F (200C). Cooking time varies from 1 to 3 hours. When ready, check that the internal temperature has reached 165F (74C) on the thigh joint, before serving.
Stuffed Chicken
Stuffing chicken dishes can bring excitement to mealtime! Perfect for any special event, it’s sure to be a showstopper. From traditional Spanakopita Stuffed Chicken Breast to the daring Smoked Gouda & Bacon Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Apples, there’s something for everyone.
You can choose store-bought ingredients like pre-prepared stuffing or make your own homemade pesto, spinach-artichoke dip, or smoked gouda and bacon. Slice or butterfly your chicken breasts, wrap in bacon, or use slow cooker methods. Even vegetarians will be delighted with Quinoa-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms topped with cheese sauce.
Serve stuffed chicken for your next dinner party and everyone will be delighted!
Chicken Fricassee
Chicken Fricassee: an ideal meal for a special occasion. A classic French delicacy, it involves cooking chicken in a stew with white wine, butter, and more. Yields moist, flavourful poultry served with homemade gravy – making your dinner an event!
Making Fricassee requires effort, but it is worth it. Start by seasoning a mix of chicken pieces – legs, breasts, etc. Heat butter in an ovenproof pot and sauté the chicken until golden. Remove and set aside.
Simmer mushrooms in the same pot for five minutes. Then, add onions, carrots, and garlic. Butter or oil can be added for taste. Pour in white wine to deglaze before returning the chicken. Cover and simmer on low heat, rotating ingredients. If you want more richness, stir in some extra butter. Lastly, thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry or cream for a luxurious finish. Enjoy your masterpiece with family and friends!
