The 15 Easiest Chicken Dinners Ever

Minimal prep, just a few ingredients, no special equipment.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated April 24, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
no-peek chicken in a casserole dish at a table setting with a serving on a plate, a glass of water, glasses, and a table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

You may already have a few go-to chicken dinners you know and love, but I'd highly recommend adding one or more of the recipes below to your list. They require minimal prep, call for just a few ingredients, and use only the most basic kitchen equipment. This means they can be pulled together by just about anyone, anywhere (including a not-very-well-stocked AirBnb kitchen) with just a quick run to the grocery store.

  • One-Pot Chicken and Rice

    Overhead shot of a cast iron pot with a chicken and rice dish

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    "Feel free to make this dish with any boneless, skinless chicken you have on hand, but the convenience of frozen, bagged tenders means they can go straight from the freezer to the boiling pot." —Simply Recipes Contributor Stephanie Burt

  • Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets

    Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets in a stainless steel skillet

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "Look for chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken breasts next to the chicken breasts and tenders at the grocery store. If you have trouble finding them, you can also make your own." —Simply Recipes Contributor Coco Morante

  • 4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts

    Ranch chicken on a plte with a bowl of ranch mayo sauce

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "In my house, we serve this chicken 'ranch style.' This means pairing the chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli, then drizzling the sauce over everything." —Simply Recipes Contributor Sara Haas

  • No-Peek Chicken

    no-peek chicken in a casserole dish at a table setting with a serving on a plate, a glass of water, glasses, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "Make sure you’re using quick-cooking rice, such as Minute Rice. This ensures the rice will cook through without drying out the chicken breasts." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Jasmine Smith

    Continue to 5 of 15 below

  • Easy Chicken Lo Mein

    Easy Chicken Lo Mein

    Simply Recipes / Nick Evans

    "When I make this, I rarely buy vegetables for it. Whatever I have in my produce drawers goes in. Typically, however, when you order it, it is served with cabbage, shredded carrots, and sometimes peas. So, feel free to experiment and add the vegetables that you have." —Simply Recipes Contributor Nick Evans

  • Ground Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

    5-ingredient taco dinner

    Simply Recipes / Kris Osborne

    "To make things even easier, I sometimes make the chicken and bean mixture a day ahead and freeze it. Then I can pull the filling from the freezer at any time use for these tacos, on salads, in burrito bowls, stuffed into bell peppers, loaded onto nachos, tucked inside quesadillas, and even on taco pizza." —Simply Recipes Contributor Kris Osborne

  • Easy Chicken Cobbler

    Overhead view of a green baking dish of chicken cobbler and serving spoon on a speckled countertop

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "Rather than cooking chicken from scratch, you can use whatever leftover cooked chicken you have on hand (white or dark meat or a mix is all fine!), or grab a rotisserie chicken and shred it up." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Julia Levy

  • Salsa Verde Chicken

    salsa verde chicken in a dutch oven at a table setting with a stack of plates with utensils and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "Tweak this recipe by swapping the salsa verde for a thick tomato-based salsa." —Julia

    Continue to 9 of 15 below

  • 4-Ingredient Chicken Parmesan

    Bowl of chicke parmesan served over pasta with tomato sauce

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "While the chicken is baking, boil a pot of water and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. To time this with the chicken being done, I usually start this about 10 minutes after I’ve started the chicken." —Simply Recipes Contributor Claudia Cash

  • Skillet Chicken Divan

    Skillet chicken divan in a cast iron skillet (with some already served) at a table setting with a bowl of salad, a bowl of parmesan, a small bowl of chopped parsley, and a utensils

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Swap the panko breadcrumbs for crushed buttery crackers if desired." —Simply Recipes Recipe Developer Melissa Gray

  • Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla

    5-ingredient buffalo chicken quesadillas cut into slices and served on a plate with a bowl of sour cream

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

    "I see absolutely nothing wrong with cheesy chicken for dinner, but if you’re craving some veggies or simply want to bulk up the quesadillas, add some drained and rinsed canned black or pinto beans, thawed frozen corn, or any mix of cooked zucchini, onions, or bell peppers." —Simply Recipes Recipe Tester Liv Dansky

  • 3-Ingredient Baked BBQ Chicken

    Overhead view of a baking sheet of four bbq baked chicken breasts topped with cheese and green onions on parchment paper

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "The good thing about this recipe is that it’s easy to double it and feed a crowd. Use two baking sheets and rotate them from the top to the middle rack (and vice versa) halfway through cooking time." —Simply Recipes Contributor Sara Haas

    Continue to 13 of 15 below

  • Garlic Knot Chicken Breasts

    Garlic Knot Chicken Breasts on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "For a touch of heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper when adding the garlic." —Simply Recipes Contributor Theodora Kaloudis

  • Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

    casserole

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    "If you're pressed for time, replace the homemade enchilada sauce with canned enchilada sauce. You'll need 24 ounces of canned red enchilada sauce." —Simply Recipes Contributor Marta Rivera

  • 3-Ingredient Lemon Chicken

    Overhead closeup view of a white serving platter of lemon chicken thighs and lemon slices

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

    "For a bit of sweetness, mix a drizzle of honey or a pinch of sugar into the lemons before roasting." —Simply Recipes Contributor Devan Grimsrud

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