Chicken dinners are the backbone of my meal planning. I typically have around 45 minutes to make dinner on a Tuesday, have two teenagers who are incredibly picky, and a husband who will eat the same 3 meals over and over without hesitation. Chicken works for every scenario. It’s economical, and can go in the oven, the crockpot, the Instant Pot, and even a sheet pan.
I have been preparing simple chicken dinners for ages, and these are the recipes that the entire family enjoys eating, not just me. Some of them are “everyone fights over the last piece” type dinners, other are “Gigi is camped under the table hoping someone drops something.” Regardless, all of these are realistic for a weeknight dinner. Let’s get started!
Baked and Casserole Chicken Dinners
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
This casserole is always requested for good reason! It contains chicken, bacon, ranch seasoning, and cheese that is perfectly baked. It is super cheesy and hits every flavor that kids want. It is the type of dinner there will be no leftovers and no one complains.
I made this on a Friday night when I had zero energy left after a long week, yet it still seemed like I made an effort. That sets the bar I’m competing with, and this one clears it every time. Get the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe.
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini
Chicken Tetrazzini is a dish that may sound fancy, but is actually just pasta, chicken, a cream based sauce, and cheese, all baked together. It is an excellent option for busy weeknight dinner since it reheats well. You can even serve it for lunch the next day to save even more time during the week!
If you picked up a rotisserie chicken on your way home, dip into another great use for it! That trick makes this take just half the time to prep. Grab the Easy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe.
Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole
Fettuccine alfredo is already a huge hit. When you add chicken and bacon, and bake it casserole style, you’ve got something that disappears from the pan before it even cools down. This one works for a regular weeknight, or when you have people coming over, and want to feed a crowd without standing at the stove.
My teens would eat this every week without question. I can’t do that; I need variety or I start to lose it, but this is solidly in the dinner rotation. Get the Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole recipe.
Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing
My chicken is layered with stuffing, baked to a perfect golden-brown top, and is crispy, cozy, and dinner munchingly delicious. The taste brings Thanksgiving to random Wednesdays and deserves to be savored.
I, for one, will never apologize for using boxed stuffing mix. We are definitely not making homemade stuffing on a school night. Grab the Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing recipe.
Easy Italian Pasta & Chicken Dish
Using olive oil, pasta, chicken, and Italian seasoning, this dish is super easy to make and is ready in no time at all. You didn’t have to plan a big dinner. Just throw this together and it’ll look like you planned it.
With a serving suggestion of garlic bread and a salad, you can have the full dinner on the table in under thirty minutes. My husband has no clue how quick this meal is and I plan to keep it that way. Get the Easy Italian Pasta & Chicken Dish recipe.
Crack Chicken Instant Pot Recipe
Do you have an Instant Pot? Then today is the day to make crack chicken! The pressure cooker will have the cream cheese, bacon, ranch seasoning, and chicken ready to shred in just 15 minutes, and it’s super tasty! It’s perfect over rice or on a bun or in a wrap, really anywhere you want!
I feel like I end up cheating when I make this because of how good it is and how little effort goes into it. Get the Crack Chicken Instant Pot recipe.
Crescent Roll Crack Chicken Recipe
We all love crack chicken – the combination of cream cheese, ranch, and bacon, so now it is in a new form! Taking the center of crescent roll dough, wrap it with crack chicken and bake until golden. Now you have a handheld dinner that even your teenagers would eat without having to be told to eat it! These are great to bring to game nights or just for a quick and easy meal.
Every time I make these, Gigi has positioned herself right under the cooling rack for the crescent rolls. She’s pretty obvious about it. Get the Crescent Roll Crack Chicken recipe.
Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken
Huli Huli chicken is a Hawaiian-style dish featuring a delicious ginger soy glaze. This recipe will fill your kitchen with the most amazing smells! The pressure cooker always ensures it comes out tender. It goes perfectly with white rice and a side of pineapple.
For the past two weeks, we had the same meals over and over again, and this meal really saved us! Especially because this was on a Wednesday, it’s great to have something different! Check out the Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken recipe.
The Best Marinade for Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks are one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy. With the right marinade, they can go from basic to really delicious, and this one is the perfect mix of savory and slightly sweet. It works great for grilling outdoors or even for cooking the drumsticks in the oven when the Iowa weather doesn’t cooperate.
I find it flattering and a bit chaotic to see my teenagers fight over the last drumstick. Check out the Best Marinade for Chicken Drumsticks recipe.
Chili’s Chicken Crispers Copycat Recipe
Chili’s Chicken Crispers is popular among many families. Making a copycat version gets really close to the real thing. You can make this battered chicken strips recipe for a lot cheaper than buying it from the restaurant. You can even serve a dipping sauce, fries, and a salad as sides for a full restaurant at home meal.
My 18-year-old said these are better than the ones from the restaurant. I am choosing to believe that and not think about it too hard. Get the Chili’s Chicken Crispers Copycat recipe.
Crockpot and Slow Cooker Chicken
Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe
With this Hawaiian chicken, you can put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and by the time it’s dinner, it’ll smell like a paradise in your house. The base with pineapple juice and soy sauce makes a perfectly sweet and tangy sauce to cover the chicken and when you serve it over rice, you have a meal with close to zero active effort.
When I know I’m going to be completely wiped out by 5pm, this is my number one recipe. I toss it in before the school drop-off and dinner is basically sorted. Check out the Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
Our family loves taco night. It’s so easy with the chicken in the crockpot. Just season the chicken, throw in some salsa, let it do its thing and then shred it. Set up a taco bar and let everyone build their own. No complaints about what goes on their taco!
I really love the taco bar idea to feed 2 teens who have completely different topping opinions. Also recommend the “you do it yourself” dinner system. Grab the Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe.
Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches (Crack Chicken)
Crack chicken has been made into an easy, slow cooked meal. With cream cheese and ranch, cheddar and bacon all mixed into shredded chicken and piled onto your bun. Great for an easy weeknight dinner or even a crowded weekend event.
If you want to stretch the batch further, these work great as sliders too! I have hosted get-togethers and served them these and they always ask for the recipe! Get the Crockpot Crack Chicken Sandwiches recipe.
Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta
Adding ranch, cream cheese, and bacon that everyone enjoys with crack chicken, we’ve got a slow cooker recipe that’s super simple and only takes a few minutes to prep. This recipe is rich, creamy, and extremely filling. It’s a real winner on a weeknight, as you won’t have to stand over the stove to finish it off.
One of my kids, who’s 15, asked if we could have this “every Thursday.” I said maybe not every Thursday, but I didn’t completely rule it out. Get the Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches
Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and slow-cooked pulled chicken stacked on hoagie rolls. This is a low-fuss dinner and practically screams game day food. Easy to adjust heat level depending on who you are feeding, so perfect for the mild and the heat seekers in your family.
As my husband enjoys everything buffalo flavored, this one gets extra points for not having to do any work. Check out the Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches recipe.
Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
You can get all the flavor and none of the stress with these chicken fajitas! Just toss some chicken, bell peppers, and onions into the slow cooker with your favorite spices. Let it cook for a few hours, and everything will be super tender and ready to scoop into tortillas. Put out some toppings like sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and salsa, and let everyone dig in!
This is one of those meals that make the whole house smell like a Mexican restaurant. I love it after a long day. Here’s the Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe.
Chicken Soups and Chilis
White Chicken Chili
Every year, I can tell fall has begun and the weather has turned cooler when I make White Chicken Chili for the first time. Made with great northern beans, shredded chicken, and green chilis, the best part is the creamy broth and it is done in under an hour. Just add some sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips and you have a full dinner.
I appreciate that it reheats well for lunch the next day. Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but this copycat recipe of Panera’s wild rice soup is spot on and I can no longer justify spending $12 for a soup bowl. The thick, creamy broth with chicken, wild rice, and vegetables is basically a full meal and the smell while it’s cooking is amazing.
Every Sunday I make a big batch, and it covers most of my lunch for the week. That is a win I will take every single time. Get the Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe.
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Everyone should have a good homemade chicken noodle soup recipe. This one takes about 45 minutes and uses easy, everyday ingredients like chicken, carrots, celery, onions, egg noodles, and broth. It tastes like the real thing, not like the canned stuff.
Anytime someone at home isn’t feeling well, or if it’s grey and rainy outside, I need some Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s warm and comforting and takes little thought to make. Get the Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.
Chicken Salads and Sandwiches
Best Ever Chicken Salad
Nailing a good chicken salad is tougher than it may sound, but this one gets it right. It’s got the right balance of creaminess and not too heavy mayo, plus the flavor is distinct enough to not taste like every other chicken salad out there. Serve it on croissants, on crackers, or even just dig into the bowl! It works any way you want!
When I need a lunch that looks nice without a ton of kitchen clean up, this is my go to. It travels well too, which is a plus. Get the Best Ever Chicken Salad recipe.
Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas
In my opinion, making individual quesadillas using a skillet and having to wait for everyone is not a fun dinner experience. With the sheet pan oven method, there’s a better alternative. You load the pan up with uncooked quesadillas, bake until crispy, cut, and serve. Everyone gets their quesadilla at the same time — perfectly melted, evenly cooked, and crispy.
No more tedious quesadilla nights where I have to stand there and flip quesadillas while people ask if theirs is done every few seconds. This method has completely changed quesadilla nights in our house. Check out the Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas recipe.
There are 21 effortless recipes for chicken dinners that have all earned a place in my go-to’s — I’ll admit that more than I can count on a hand, I’ve served a few of them this year. From crockpots before school runs to casseroles that you can whip up in 30 minutes, you’ll find something in this list for the kind of week you are actually having.
Save this for the next time you’re looking at a package of chicken and wondering what to do with it. We all have those moments, now you have ideas.