32 Chicken Breast Recipes to Make for Dinner Any Night

Glaze, grill, marinate, and roast tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken for delicious dinners.

By

Updated on June 22, 2024

Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad with Basil Oil — Photo:
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Chicken breasts are convenient, but they can also be your worst enemy in the kitchen. They have the potential to be tender, juicy, and flavorful, but if you're not careful they can turn out dry, rubbery, and tough. Have no fear! We have dozens of recipes that will reignite your love for chicken breast. Reimagine chicken with these flavor-packed, well-spiced, tender, and juicy cutlets.

01 of 32

Quick Chicken Kiev

Two plates of chicken Kiev served with a green salad — Diana Chistruga

To make a classic chicken Kiev, Ukrainian cooks pound cutlets flat, roll them around a log of herb butter, then bread and fry them. Here, former F&W senior test kitchen editor Grace Parisi simplifies the dish by cutting a pocket into the breast to hold the butter.

02 of 32

Grilled Chicken Salad With Herby Tahini Dressing

Grilled Chicken Salad With Herby Tahini Dressing — Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Recipe developer Marianne Williams uses za’atar seasoning and Dijon mustard to infuse both the marinade and tahini dressing with herby, tangy flavor, while honey and lemon juice balance everything out. Crunchy lettuce, sweet snap peas, peppery radishes, and cooling cucumber bring in lots of texture and flavor to this main course salad with make-ahead components.

03 of 32

Chicken Diane

Chicken Diane — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

For this one-skillet classic, the delicious browned bits from seared chicken thighs and mushrooms get transformed into a velvety pan sauce. Fresh lemon juice helps to balance the rich sauce.

04 of 32

Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad with Basil Oil

Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad with Basil Oil — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Typically made with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil, classic caprese is super easy to prepare. Adding one more component — juicy grilled chicken — is not much more difficult and turns the salad into an exceptional main course.

05 of 32

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta — Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco

This easy, hearty weeknight dinner combines chicken breasts, linguine, and a variety of fresh veggies with a custom blend of eight herbs and spices for a delightfully smoky, savory, and slightly spicy dish.

06 of 32

Quick Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Spring Vegetables

Quick Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Spring Vegetables — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Tender vegetables simmer in a mixture of chicken drippings and butter in this simple, speedy dish — it comes together in less than an hour. The attached drumette makes these airline chicken breasts extra flavorful.

07 of 32

Proposal Chicken Parmesan

Proposal Chicken Parm — Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Nicole Hopper / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

We combined two beloved chicken dishes to create this decadent, crowd-pleasing take on Chicken Parmesan. Juicy panko and Parmesan-breaded chicken cutlets are fried, then blanketed with mozzarella slices, broiled until golden, and served over a delectable sun-dried tomato cream sauce inspired by Marry Me Chicken.

08 of 32

Chicken Scallopini

Chicken Scallopini — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

This 30-minute dish features golden, herb-encrusted chicken breasts in a buttery, garlicky wine sauce and showered in capers fried with parsley, crushed red pepper, and lemon zest.

09 of 32

Smoky Stuffed Chicken with Serrano Ham and Olives

Smoky Stuffed Chicken with Serrano Ham and Olives — Photo by Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox

To ensure that the stuffed breasts stay juicy, pull them out of the oven when an instant-read thermometer reaches 155°F; it will carry over to 160°F as the chicken rests. Serve the chicken breasts when they're fresh from the oven with golden, crispy skin, with a generous spoonful of the garlicky pan juices.

10 of 32

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Garlic butter chicken bites — Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Fast-cooking pieces of chicken breast get a quick sear before they're coated with a luscious lemon pepper and garlic butter sauce in this easy dinner recipe. Serve the garlic butter chicken bites over rice, orzo, or angel hair pasta, or spear them with toothpicks for a stress-free appetizer.

11 of 32

Grilled Chicken with Banana Pepper Dip and Fattoush

Grilled Chicken Breast w/ Banana Pepper Dip Recipe — Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

In this single-serving recipe from 2001 F&W Best New Chef Anita Lo, the three-ingredient banana pepper dip is the star of the dish. She first browns the peppers, then purees them with feta and lemon juice. Happily, there's leftover dip that can be scooped up with pita or veggies.

12 of 32

Cider-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Apple-Kohlrabi Slaw

Cider-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Apple-Kohlrabi Slaw — Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Bathed in a schmaltzy pan sauce made from chicken jus and apple cider, this simple chicken dinner is perfect for a weeknight at home. The accompanying slaw, made with mildly sweet and slightly peppery kohlrabi, white turnips, and a mix of sweet-tart raw apples, offers a crunchy contrast to the rich, tender chicken.

13 of 32

Chicken Chasseur

Chicken Chasseur — Cara Cormack

A French classic that never seems to go out of style, this dish combines mushrooms and chicken in a tomato and white wine sauce. It comes together in one pot in less than an hour, complete with an aromatic sauce. Feel free to use your favorite mushrooms here.

14 of 32

Grown-Up Chicken Nuggets with Herb and Radish Salad

Grown-Up Chicken Tenders with Herb and Radish Salad — Photo by Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox

Dredged in panko and fried in olive oil and butter, these crispy grown-up chicken nuggets are wonderful served alongside a bright, punchy herb and radish salad dressed in a lemon vinaigrette. If you like, you can also skip making nuggets and fry the cutlets whole.

15 of 32

Chicken Breasts with White Wine Pan Sauce, Crème Fraîche, and Spring Herbs

Chicken Breasts with White Wine Pan Sauce with Crème Fraîche and Spring Herbs — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

This simple white wine pan sauce enriched with créme fraîche and a generous handful of tender fresh herbs like tarragon, dill, and chives makes smart use of the pan drippings from pan-roasted chicken breasts. The sauce comes together in about 10 minutes and delivers an elegant, silky texture.

16 of 32

Hawaij-Spiced Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Hawaii-Spiced Fried Chicken Sandwich — Alex Lau

Here, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are infused with golden color and warming flavors from a buttermilk brine seasoned with hawaij, a Yemeni spice mixture usually consisting of cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, and coriander.

17 of 32

Chicken Piccata with Radishes

Chicken Piccata with Radishes — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee

Chefs Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook created an easy version of this Italian-American staple perfect for the home cook. The chicken is important, but it's the buttery, tangy sauce that makes this dish so special.

18 of 32

Florentine Butter Chicken

Greg DuPree

This recipe is inspired by F&W editor in chief Hunter Lewis' trip to 150-year-old Trattoria Sostanza in Florence. Cultured butter has a slightly higher smoke point and, when combined with olive oil, provides enough cooking time to finish the chicken and the sauce simultaneously.

19 of 32

Chicken Saltimbocca

Chicken Saltimbocca — Diana Chistruga

For this easy version of the Roman classic adapted from chef Lidia Bastianich, pounded chicken cutlets topped with prosciutto and sage leaves are pan-seared, then served in a simple white wine-butter sauce.

20 of 32

Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Chicken

Yogurt Marinated Grilled Chicken — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox

Yogurt tenderizes slowly and gently, so you can marinate the chicken overnight without it becoming tough. The resulting meat is full of flavor from the garlic, cumin, and cayenne, and juicy — even if it's a little overcooked. This recipe calls for a whole chicken, but the marinade works equally well with skin-on boneless breasts.

21 of 32

Air Fryer Chicken

Air-Fryer Chicken — Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser

Air-frying chicken gives you the ease of cooking something in the oven with the speed of sautéing. Incredibly versatile, this chicken is excellent on its own or as the base for a more elaborate meal.

22 of 32

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel — Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry uses panko breadcrumbs to give chicken a crunchy crust. To give it a bright pop of fresh flavor, he makes a quick brown butter sauce to spoon over the top.

23 of 32

Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes and Onions

Individual plate of grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes and onions — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Heirloom tomatoes and slivers of red onion are transformed into a savory sauce that brings bright, summery flavor to simple grilled chicken cutlets in just 50 minutes.

24 of 32

Chicken Fricassee Stir-Fry with Asparagus

Chicken Fricassee Stir Fry — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Missie Neville Crawford

In this quick-cooking recipe from cookbook author Grace Young, tender asparagus joins carrots and chicken in a speedy stir-fry seasoned with white wine instead of rice wine; cream enriches the sauce.

25 of 32

Chicken and Shrimp Laksa

Chicken and Shrimp Laksa — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling byClaire Spollen

Top Chef winner Buddha Lo's homemade laksa paste — made with fresh lemongrass, pungent shrimp paste, and nutty peanuts — forms the base of this fragrant noodle dish, while coconut cream adds a velvety mouthfeel to the aromatic broth. Top it with poached shrimp and chicken, fresh herbs, and fried shallots, then slurp with joy.

26 of 32

Chicken Pozole Verde

Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Culinary writer Anya von Bremzen's green pozole broth derives much of its flavor from tangy ingredients like tomatillos, cilantro, and green chiles, permeating bits of shredded chicken breast and chewy hominy. Don't skip the array of fresh accompaniments: Lettuce, radish, onion, avocado, and sour cream add crunch and extra creaminess to every bite.

27 of 32

Maple-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Mustard Jus

Maple-Glazed Chicken Breasts with Mustard Jus — © QUENTIN BACON

For this simplified version of chef David Slater's standout dish, chicken breasts glazed with a sweet-tangy blend of maple syrup and sherry vinegar are served on a bed of braised kale with crisp bacon.

28 of 32

Hot-and-Crunchy Chicken Cones

Hot-and-Crunchy Chicken Cones — © QUENTIN BACON

Chef Jeff Blank is responsible for putting Hot-and-Crunchy Cones on the map. Here, fried chicken is coated in an ingenious mix of cornflakes, slivered almonds, and sesame seeds, then wrapped in a tortilla with a mango-jalapeño slaw.

29 of 32

Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce

Cheese Stuffed Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce — © Lucy Schaeffer

For this delightful riff on classic chicken cordon bleu, the heavy ham and Swiss filling is replaced with creamy havarti and thyme. Instead of weighing down the cutlets with thick breading, they're sautéed in a light flour and egg coating.

30 of 32

Chinese Poached Chicken Breasts with Star Anise

Chinese Poached Chicken Breasts with Star Anise — © Sabra Krock

Chicken breasts poached in a broth flavored with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce is a Chinese classic. Traditionally you would save, not serve, the broth — it improves each time you use it — but we can never resist serving it with the chicken as a light sauce.

31 of 32

Pickle-Brined Chicken

Pickle-Brined Chicken — © Simon Watson

Chef Frank Falcinelli brines chicken breast in leftover dill pickle juice for flavor and moisture, then serves it on top of super-tender leg meat he's shredded and mixed with sautéed chard.

32 of 32

Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts

Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts — © Peter Frank Edwards

"I admit that nothing can stand in for good fried chicken," says chef John Currence. "But this is a hell of an impostor." He adds sweet tea to his marinade; the tannins help tenderize the poultry while the sugar gives it a light cure. The accompanying gravy gets a ton of flavor from strips of caramelized onion.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!

Related Articles

Chicken and Green Bean Salad

Grilled Chicken Breast Recipes

Grilled Chicken Breast w/ Banana Pepper Dip Recipe

This Creamy Dip Is Grilled Chicken's Perfect Partner

Garlic butter chicken bites

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Air-Fryer Chicken

Air-Fried Chicken Is the Fastest, Easiest Dinner You’ll Cook All Week

Chicken breasts with fresh herbs, whole and sliced on a white plate

Never Overcook Another Chicken Breast

Fried Chicken Sandwich with Anchovy Garlic Dressing

4 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Chicken Breast Repertoire

Perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts

Perfect Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts

Curried Chicken on Pita

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Pitas

Individual plate of grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes and onions

Grilled Chicken with Marinated Tomatoes and Onions

Chicken Salad with Zucchini, Lemon and Pine Nuts

Chicken Salad with Zucchini, Lemon and Pine Nuts

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grapefruit Glaze

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Grapefruit Glaze

Moroccan Couscous-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Moroccan Couscous-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Chicken Piccata with Radishes

Chicken Piccata with Radishes

Herby Chicken Burger

Chicken Burgers

Green Chile–Chicken Enchiladas

Green Chile–Chicken Enchiladas

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan