Chicken Recipes & Ideas

Looking for an easy meal to whip up on a busy weeknight? This spicy Thai chicken stir-fry — with peanut sauce, grilled pineapple, and fresh basil — is just what you need for the cold nights ahead. This stir-fry has a lot going for it — tender chicken breast, crunchy veggies, spicy chili sauce, sweet pineapple — but what I love most is how quickly it comes together. Because of the fast-cooking nature of stir-fries, you can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

I gave the usual noodles the boot in this sesame ginger chicken salad. Instead I tossed shredded celery root (also known as celeriac) with a simple sesame seed ginger vinaigrette made with toasted sesame oil, maple, and tamari. A handful of chopped fresh basil is added for even more flavor. Calling celery root the chimera of vegetables would be a bit of a culinary exaggeration, but I am not going to deny that it is a bit of a changeling.

Chicken tamales drenched in mole are a staple of the Christmas season. They are a little time-consuming (but not hard), and best when made with friends and family. In fact, the making of the tamales is almost as important as the eating of the tamales. Gathering together to create this beloved food has become one of my favorite traditions of the holiday season. I like to break the process up over a couple of days.

Sometimes I look at a package of chicken breast and just sigh. I mean, I get it — it’s easy, convenient, and a wonderful blank slate for pairing with vegetables and sides. You don’t even have to think about it. And believe me, there are many times when I don’t want to think about dinner.

In my chat with beloved chef Jacques Pépin about home cooking, he mentioned this braise full of juicy dark-meat chicken and vegetables that his mother used to make. I loved the name, which really reflects the essence of this dish that pairs chicken with a full range of vegetables from the garden. Jacques says, “Jardinière means ‘gardener’ in French, and the vegetables change according to what is in season or in my garden.

Our piece aboutJamie Oliver’s chicken in milk got me thinking about other possibilities for cooking a whole chicken in milk — what could be easier than filling a pot with liquid and spices, turning on the heat, and walking away until what’s left is the most succulent fall-off-the-bone bird? So I decided to try the sweet and pungent flavors of coconut milk, lemongrass, and star anise.

When you don’t know what to make for dinner and you’re considering calling your favorite Thai takeout spot, give this one-pan chicken and potato recipe a try. It’s easy enough to make any day of the week — yes, even on a Monday. Grab a large, deep-sided roasting pan and fill it with a large chicken (cut into eight pieces) and some new potatoes.

I love a simple stir-fry that combines one protein and one vegetable; not only is it easy to prepare, but it’s also an entire meal when served with a bowl of rice. No need to prepare a side dish! Because let’s face it — sometimes we just don’t have time for that. The great thing about this dish is that it can be made from start to finish in just 20 minutes.

While I love pumpkin in all its sweet applications — pie, ice cream, cookies, cake — I always forget it has a savory side, too. Maybe that’s because I’ve been missing out on one very crucial way to use pumpkin in a savory capacity: baked pumpkin fries. Seriously, pumpkin fries — where have you been all my life?

This is one of those dishes that makes you feel quite pleased with yourself. Fast, easy, healthy, and more delicious than Chinese takeout – a series of winning propositions. You can prep pretty much all the ingredients ahead of time, making this a fantastic last-minute weeknight dinner. The sweetness in the sauce makes this a dish that normally picky eaters will lean into. There’s plenty of sauce, too, which you’ll be happy about as you spoon it over hot rice or quinoa.

Do you have a cast iron skillet and an hour to spare? Then you should make this cilantro lime chicken. Serve it with some corn on the cob and an icy-cold drink, and you’ve got the perfect summer dinner. This chicken is loaded with flavor. You first season the thighs with a spice mix, then throw them in the hot skillet until they turn a deep golden-brown. Then you remove the chicken from the skillet and make a pan sauce with wine, chicken broth, lime juice, and garlic.

Want some juicy, tasty chicken for a salad or a dish of pasta? Let me show you the easiest, most foolproof way to get yourself some chicken breasts that are actually juicy (not dry) and easy to make. The only catch? It takes some trust. Let me explain. I discovered this super simple stovetop method in my mother’s old edition of Joy of Cooking, and it has been my go-to method for years. It essentially poaches the chicken in its own juices.

Lettuce is so much more than salad, you know. This week we’re bringing you five very different recipes that show off lettuce in different ways, and today’s may just be my favorite: Nigel Slater’s cross between a salad and a stir-fry, with chicken cooked in a flash with ginger and garlic, and folded together with barely-wilted lettuce and pea shoots. It’s a super fast meal bursting with garlicky, spicy flavor, and packed with greens.

It really is hyperbole to call any recipe the best — and yet we still quest after that singular experience, that recipe that will make us go yes! that was amazing! Contenders come across my radar rarely; when it comes to chicken, just one other recipe exploded off the page into hyperbolic category (remember that Jamie Oliver chicken in milk?). But here comes another chicken recipe, swaggering into the ring and asking for serious respect. The catch, here? It only has two ingredients.

I can’t stop staring at the photos for this recipe. Maybe it’s the gorgeous seared chicken, maybe it’s the perfect basil chiffonade, or maybe it’s that warm, beautiful cream sauce that’s pulling me in. Whatever the reason, this recipe is going on my dinner list. This recipe reminds me of my favorite chicken tikka masala recipe. All the main ingredients are there: chicken thighs, tomatoes, and cream.

This recipe is a riff on Chinese bai qie ji, or poached chicken. The chicken is marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and hoisin for at least thirty minutes or overnight before being cooked on the stovetop. Throw in a scallion ginger sauce for good measure. I love the colors of the recipe – the bright red color with the scallion ginger sauce is dramatic enough for a dinner party, but also makes a great healthy weeknight meal. Just add some noodles or roasted veggies.

Winter weather brings out what I call my Braising Instinct. I drift towards meals that call on the basic formula of all braised dishes: hot sear, slow simmer, a final dish that’s lusciously saucy. I’ve braised pork, lamb, short ribs, cabbage, eggplant, and so many others — but, in this recipe, chicken finally gets the star treatment. Chicken thighs make a quicker braise than most. Just an hour will give you a saucy dish of shredded chicken in a smoky bacon sauce.

Just as the holidays disappear behind us and it gets even colder outside, citrus comes into season and brightens all of our meals. This recipe makes full use of the oven, caramelizing the thinly sliced oranges and lemons so they become soft and wonderful. Add some roasted chicken into the mix and you have dinner.

Slow cooked meals, side dishes, and cookies – oh my! What are you making in the kitchen this weekend? Try busting out your slow cooker and make chicken tikka masala for dinner. You won’t regret it. If you’re looking for some excellent side dishes, go for the saffron rice pilaf or baked potato casserole. Want a cookie? Try the pumpkin snickerdoodle if you’re a sweets person, or a savory oatmeal cookie if you’d rather go savory.

Indian food, particularly regional cuisine, is heavily influenced by its various rulers and foreign inspirations — one of the most enduring influences is our neighbor to the north: China. While at first glance, Indian and Chinese food appear to have almost nothing in common, but you will find an array of Chinese dishes that have been “Indian-ized” in the South, especially with the use of soy sauce, coconut milk, and spices, like five spice and star anise.

There comes a point in summer when I start getting tired of all the goopy, mayonnaise-thick side salads that are standard fare at every cook-out and picnic. I wanted something a little different to bring to the table on a recent summer excursion, so I thought we’d perk up a bowl of traditional macaroni salad with barbecue sauce. Oh. My. Yes. Why haven’t I tried this before? I first tried making this salad with just barbecue sauce by itself, but that was a bit overwhelming.

While it’s no one’s idea of a fun time, there are just days when eating lunch at one’s desk is inevitable. For those moments, there are pita pockets. Easy to transport, easy to eat one-handed, easy to stuff with just about anything. These particular pockets took form on just such a busy weekday. There was some leftover chicken in the fridge from the night before, as well as some leftover salad with beets, crunchy romaine lettuce, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette.

Ever notice how you go through phases with certain dishes — practically living off of them for months and then one day you just…stop? Back when my husband and I first moved in together, polenta featured big in our weekly meal routine. It was easy, it was cheap, and it was darn good, especially with a handful of shredded cheese stirred into the pot. But time flies and tastes change, and I recently realized that it had been years since I last made polenta for a simple weeknight meal.

I have a cookbook problem. No, I don’t have too many (well, maybe that too). While the bookstores are glutted with cookbooks, and a new crop inundates us every season, I cannot find the one definitive cookbook I crave — a South Indian cookbook to guide me through learning how to cook recipes from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa. I crave South Indian food like nothing else, and today’s recipe is another effort to reproduce the lighter, fresher, coconut-driven curries I love.

I have a confession: Until recently, I found the idea of grilling meat slightly terrifying. Maybe it’s because I’ve never owned a grill of my own. Or because I usually skip over the articles about grilling in magazines. Or maybe it was due to some ingrained sexism on my part, pushing “grilling” into the “things men cook” category.

When I started planning my All-American Beer Bottling Party, I knew I wanted a main dish that would come together easily and quickly, that would feed a crowd of hungry beer bottlers, and that would go with — or be made with! — beer. These chicken thighs have it all. They’re tossed with honey, chili powder, and a splash of amber ale and then quickly roasted in the oven, where the honey and beer bake down to a sticky glaze.

Grilling can seem like a lot of hard work if you are not in-the-know. Growing up in the South, I spent most of my youth presuming it was a man’s activity — all of those ‘secrets’ and ‘rituals’ seemed best left alone by the ladies. And while, yes, when it comes to charcoal grills, smokers, and Big Green Eggs, there can be a certain amount of finesse involved, the actual act of cooking over fire doesn’t have to be engulfed in a shroud of mystery.

There are perhaps two universal truths that all of us (non-vegetarian) writers at The Kitchnshare: a mutual love for flavorful, inexpensive chicken thighs and for rich, hearty braises. When the first is paired with the second, their powers know no bounds. And a braise might sound like more of a cold-weather meal, I really love the savory combination all year round — plus it’s an easy one-pot dinner for weeknights.

I’ve been doing a lot of cooking this week, and it’s been really nice. When my marriage ended a year ago, I was suddenly thrown back into cooking by myself again, and at first I was lost at sea. I had forgotten everything I’d known — the touch and the feel of cooking — that I’d had ten years earlier when I was single.

My friend Aura is a very good cook. She lives in Florida with her husband, Leo, and two adorable (I do not use that word glibly) children. When I think of Aura’s cooking, I think of fruit salads, smoothies, and the freshest dishes from her native Guatemala — light, healthy, and driven by Florida’s tropical fruits and vegetables. So I was surprised, one winter evening a few years ago, to sit down at her table and find a big, bubbling casserole of chicken wrapped in bacon.

When I was a kid, my mother took a cooking class with Giuliano Bugialli and learned how to make this dish. It tastes so rich and divine that you’d never suspect it’s so economical and quick to make! She’d let me request a special meal for my birthday, and I often requested this dish. Tester’s Notes: Kathryn published this recipe way back in 2009, and I’ve had it on my to-make list since then. I finally got around to it and wow was that overdue.

Once upon a time long ago, a friend of mine told me she was doing a crazy thing called the Master Cleanse; for something like thirty days she consumed only a tonic made from water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. This, of course, went down in California. Since then I’ve tried the Master Cleanse once, for three miserable days, and bombed.

By now it’s probably safe to assume that you’ve heard of the famous Zuni Roast Chicken. Considering the viral nature of the food blogging world, who hasn’t?! I’ve tried it and it’s fabulous, but I’m not going to lie: I just don’t always have the time to put that much effort into dinner. (Please tell me I’m not the only one.) And while their chicken truly is a show-stopper, it’s the bread salad that really leaves me hankering for more.

Winter has finally dipped its pinky toe down South, y’all, and we’ve been celebrating with nightly fire pits and lots of extra calories. To heck with New Year’s resolutions when its cold outside, right! That’s not saying this Tarragon Chicken Fricassee is downright sinful, but it sure does warm the bones. And the “splash” of heavy cream at the end doesn’t exactly hurt. But what is a fricassee exactly?

While blessed with many attributes, a roasted chicken has its drawbacks. One biggie is that it usually limits your guest list to about four people tops. But chickens are adaptable creatures and open to being flexible. One way to stretch a chicken, quite literally, is to spatchcock it (a fun way of saying butterfly), stuff its gills and other tender parts, literally expanding the bird to feed more people.

Every week we round up our favorite posts from our friends at Serious Eats. This week: What beer to drink with fried chicken? Serious Eats guides the way. Plus, sandwich cookies with lingonberry jam, a new way to brew coffee, and more!• Beer Pairings: What to Drink with Fried Chicken – Which beers stand up best to the glorious greasiness of fried chicken? Serious Eats points the way.• Pie of the Week: Butternut Squash – A subtle, creamy pie for fall.

Despite the numerous and proven ways to cook perfectly moist and tender chicken breasts, I still manage to bungle it up with disturbing frequency.What do you think of this sort-of sous vide method from Hank Shaw and Simply Recipes? I’m thinking it’s worth a shot.

Like most Southerners, my earliest food memories come straight from my grandmother’s kitchen. It was in that Georgia kitchen I learned to make her famous chicken and dumplings. I vividly remember her digging a well in the flour and slowly mixing in the milk with her hand, then quickly rolling out the dough with the ease of a pro. Under her watchful eye, I was allowed to cut the dumplings into rectangles and plop them into the boiling water.

This easy dish reminds me very much of my Chicken and Artichokes in Wine Sauce recipe, except it has mushrooms and Marsala wine. This makes a wonderful main dish that is hearty and filling, but is also elegant enough to impress dinner guests. I like to serve this with some polenta and a green salad.Easy Chicken MarsalaIngredients:1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. ground black pepper4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch chunks4 tbsp. butter4 tbsp.

Last week I went to a press lunch showcasing a collection of snazzy Staub cookware that Williams-Sonoma will start carrying this summer. The chefs prepared the meal almost exclusively in giant Staub slow-cookers (or cocottes, as they call them) and grill pans. That was cool, but what really caught my eye was this phallic vertical roaster awkwardly perched in the corner of the kitchen, and naturally I started thinking about chickens.

I think that boneless, skinless chicken thighs may just be the perfect meat. They’re inexpensive; even responsibly-raised meat is only a few dollars a pound. They cook quickly, and they have a melting, tender texture no matter what you do to them. I’ve roasted, grilled, and pan-fried chicken thighs, and they are always quick, easy, and delicious.

Every week we bring you our favorite posts from our friends over at Serious Eats. This week they wax eloquent about crackers and peanut butter, tell you how to find a cheese CSA, and make two unusual yet delicious-looking cakes. Plus there was roast chicken with nutmeg! (Yes, nutmeg.)• Why Peanut Butter and Crackers Are a Beautiful Thing – Is this your kind of heaven?• Serious Cheese: How to Find Cheese CSAs Online – Sources of info about cheese shares.

A little later today, we are giving you a tutorial for preserved lemons. So, to whet your appetite for that, here is a recipe that uses preserved lemons to full effect: A flavorful Moroccan tagine with chicken, garlic, ginger, olives, saffron and other spices — as well as the tangy, delicious flavor of lemons preserved in salt.This recipe is like a party-fied version of our own Lemon Garlic Chicken. It is a simple recipe, with some exotic ingredients to give it a huge burst of flavor.

I thought Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe for roast chicken with potatoes from her website GOOP looked interesting, so I decided to test it in my own kitchen. The verdict? It’s quite good, actually. Just the kind of recipe to have on hand for when you want a casual but delicious meal in less than an hour. Read on for more details.The recipe calls for the chicken to be partially deboned and roasted with lemon, fresh herbs, garlic, and a tumble of peeled and blanched potatoes.

When Emma write her post on Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken a few years ago, I started drooling immediately. Unfortunately, I don’t have a slow cooker, but I took a look at the ingredient list and hacked my own recipe together using a baking dish and the oven!

Since falling in love with Jamie Oliver’s Chicken in Milk recipe, I’ve wanted to try another take on the concept and simmer a whole chicken in coconut milk. How decadent! Yesterday afternoon I had my chance when the weather in New York turned chilly and a friend with a two-week-old baby called hungry.It was fantastic. Imagine a succulent chicken bathed in a thick, sweet sauce with herbal citrus notes, alongside gorgeous little pink potatoes.

We recently experienced our first, glorious encounter with curry ketchup. Served with fries at a restaurant, it initially seemed like a gimmick, but with each subsequent bite, we became increasingly addicted to the bittersweet sauce. By the next day, it was all we could think of and we set out to learn more about this condiment.

This photo, and everything about the accompanying recipe, too, makes our mouths water. Eating light doesn’t mean avoiding meat entirely; protein is still essential, and chicken thighs are a frugal, tasty way to put it in your diet. But you do still want to avoid heavy sauces and lots of fat, which is where we come back to this recipe.The recipe is simple. Brown a pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Then create a base sauce with some shallots, garlic, dry mustard, and wine.

We came across this strange yet sensible tip over at the blog Domestigeek, and we’re curious if anyone has tried it! Since you get the best and crispiest chicken skin when the chicken has been thoroughly dried, this does make sense…When we roast a chicken we usually pat it dry and then salt it and put it in the fridge, a la the Zuni method.

Our favorite April Fools Day food tricks are more nice than naughty – the classic idea of serving foods that look like other foods. You’ve probably seen the meatloaf “iced” with mashed potatoes to look like a cake. Maybe you’ve even seen mashed potatoes and gravy in a parfait glass, mounded up to look like a butterscotch sundae.This year, we were looking for a new trick to truly fool our favorite people. Did we fool you?

The somewhat fancy name for this ballotine of chicken is deceiving. This is a straightforward way to stuff thin chicken breasts and cook them while leaving the meat still moist – often a problem in oven-roasted recipes. Here the breasts don’t go in the oven. They’re pounded thin, stuffed with fennel confit, and lightly braised in white wine. This leaves them moist and tender – it also leaves your oven off, in this hot weather.

Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Vinegarserves two1 pound skinless chicken thighsSalt and pepperGreek or Italian dressing (for marinade, optional) White wine1/2 teaspoon ground gingerBalsamic vinegarFresh grated Parmesan cheesePat the thighs dry and rub in some salt and pepper. If you have time, marinate the thighs overnight in some Greek or Italian dressing, or in a little balsamic vinegar mixed with olive oil.Preheat the oven to 425º. Place the thighs in a deep baking dish.