39 Chicken Dinners Even the Pickiest Eaters Will Love

Tired of boring poultry? Us too. It’s easy to reach for the same old chicken breast recipe week after week when you don’t know what to cook—which is why we’ve rounded up these family-pleasing ideas. You’ll find options for chicken tenders, budget-friendly (and oh-so-delicious) chicken thighs and even some fresh takes on the classics like Chicken Parmesan or chicken and rice. With these recipes you’ll easily use all parts of the bird and have everyone running to the table for dinner. Sounds too good to be true? These 5-star chicken strips will convince you; They’re coated in potato chips for an incredible crunch. Served with homemade honey mustard they’re the kid-friendly dinner that everyone will gobble up.

"Riggies” is short for rigatonithe base for this creamytomatoey and spicy pasta dish studded with chunks of chicken breast and sliced cherry peppers. There are many variations on this dishwhich hails from the Utica-Rome region of Central New York. Our version focuses on the spicy peppers and rich saucewhile other recipes might include sliced black olives and mushrooms.

Ree Drummond’s chicken and dumplings is a cozyfamily-friendly classic with tender chickenfluffy dumplings and richcomforting broth—perfect for gathering around the dinner table.

Inspired by Costco’s famous chicken bakewe came up with a hand-held version that’s easy to make at home. The cheesy bacon-filled pockets taste great hot from the ovenbut can also be made in advance and reheated wrapped in foil in a 400 degrees F-oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Ellie Krieger’s oven-fried chicken delivers all the crispygolden goodness of the classic favorite with a lighterfamily-friendly twist that’s perfect for weeknight dinners.

This shortcut version of chicken shawarma skips the long marinating and roasting time and relies instead on quick cooking sliced thighs and a shower of the spices that go into the classic version--think cumincardamom and turmeric. Served with a warm pitagreenstomato and a tangy yogurt sauceit makes a substantial meal. We left out fries to keep the recipe on one sheet panbut they are always a welcome addition!

Some extra planning and prep is necessary for this chicken dinnerbut the results are well worth it. A dry brine combined with low and slow roastingproduces some seriously succulent and juicy meat. A quick flash under the broiler at the end turns the skin crisp and golden.

Sunny uses quick-cooking chicken tenders and cuts them into bite-size chunks for her easysatisfying pot pie.

This casserole is perfect when you’re craving the flavors of chicken Parmesan but want a shortcut version. Simply toss cooked fettucine with shredded rotisserie chickenmozzarella and your favorite jarred marinara saucethen top it with buttery Parmesan and garlic breadcrumbs. Pop it in the oven until it’s hot and beautifully browned and crisped on top. Every bite contains the comfort of classic chicken parm with about half the prep.

A true Southern comfort foodlegend has it that chicken fried chicken was created by German immigrants in Texas during the 19th century when they adapted the wiener schnitzel by using beef instead of veal that was then twice-breaded and fried like fried chicken. In realitychicken fried chicken and its cousinchicken fried steakare more closely related to Southern fried chickenalready popular throughout the American South by the 19th century. Over the yearsthe chicken fried steak technique was also used on chicken breastspounded thin and soaked in buttermilkresulting in crispytender chicken. Like its steak counterpartchicken fried chicken should be served with a peppery white gravy.

Ree tops panko-crusted chicken breasts with melted slices of mozzarella to give this chicken dinner the perfect balance of crispy and gooey.

Could classic chicken and rice be one of the most beloved comfort dinners to ever hit the plate? We think so. And to blow your mind even morethis version is made in just one skillet. Here we use bone-inskin on chicken thighs which cook up in exactly the same time as the rice to guarantee juicy chicken. A quick broil at the end creates the perfect crispy skin and gives a little crunch to the rice and vegetables.

Using ground chickenmake Giada's zesty meatballs to serve in a hearty pasta dish with orecchiette and fresh mozzarella.

Inspired by classic Steak Dianewe swap the beef for a crispy chicken thigh for a new take on the retro dish. Steak Diane rose to popularity in the mid-20th century when its signature pan sauce was made with a base of Worcestershiremustardshallots and cognac. In Manhattan restaurantsthe cognac was often flambéedmaking it a dramatic dish to cook tableside. Over the years more ingredients were addedincluding mushroomstomato paste and cream. We’ve included all of the above in our chicken version of the dish and the result is luxurious and decadent enough for special occasions yet perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Chicken fingers meet pizza with a pepperoni-peppered crust and marinara dipping sauce.

Chicken Parmesan just got a Tex-Mex twist. Slice two chicken breasts in half to get four and swap out the classic Italian ingredients for tortilla chipsspicy cheese and salsa. If you truly miss the Parmesan in your Parmesanadd a sprinkle or two to the finished dish.

A Florentine sauce is typically made with creamwhite winebutter and spinach. Not only does Ree incorporate these flavors into her pastashe adds three different types of cheese for over-the-top decadence.

Bev cooks chicken cutlets in marinaratops them with mozzarellaand puts the delicious result on toasted French bread for an open-faced chicken parm sandwich with a crazy cheese pull.

Store-bought tortellini are the star of this quick and creamy weeknight meal. Chicken and tortellini both simmer in their own saucemaking this a one-skillet meal with easy cleanup.

Kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy the crust of tater tots in this chicken pot pie-hotdish mash-up. Tip: Line the tater tot rows as straight as you can "for maximum crispiness," Molly says.

Cozy up to a big bowl of comforting chicken and dumplingswhich is made thanks to a rotisserie chicken.

Cook a full meal on a sheet pan with bone-in chicken thighsveggies and ciabatta bread.

Skip the side salad! Insteadpair chicken breasts with fun zucchini noodles. A lemon-basil pan sauce helps bring it all together.

Cilantrochili-lime tortilla chips and a tangy lime yogurt sauce help transform a typical weeknight chicken and salad into a fun meal for the whole family.

Put your Instant Pot to work in turning chicken breasts into flavor-packed pulled chickentable-ready in 45 minutes.

Bring the family together for a whole chicken dinner. Tyler's recipe is simple and classic: He stuffs the cavity with lemongarlic and herbs and roasts it over new potatoes that absorb the bird's flavorful juices.

Jeff’s delicious casserole is filled with feel-good ingredients like lemoncranberry and hearty mushrooms. It does take a while for the wild rice to braisebut you can use that time to prep the other ingredients and clean up the kitchen.

Add some Asian fusion to chicken fingers with a fun ramen noodle crumb crust and teriyaki-pineapple dipping sauce.

Ree is the queen of family-friendly dinnersand this cozy chicken spaghetti is no exception. She incorporates onionspeppers and peaswhich is a great way to sneak veggies into picky eaters’ plates.

Ree builds a simpleyet favorful skillet dinner with just three ingredients: chicken thighswhite rice and jarred mango salsa.

Ellie proves that white meat isn't the only "good-for-you" part of the chicken. She uses bone-in chicken thighs and removes the skinbrushing the meat with a tangy glaze.

Ditch the forks and go hands in at the dinner table with these Asian-inspired sesame chicken lettuce cups.

Pineapple lends a pop of sweetness to Ree’s easy chicken stir fry.

Yeshasselback potatoes are amazing — but why should veggies get all the fun? Add some Cajun seasoning and flair to hasselbacked chicken breasts with slices of andouille sausagegreen bell pepper and onion.

What can’t a sheet pan do? Ree uses her to make enough chicken quesadillas for the whole family at once — no flipping required.

Fry up Asian-inspired frittata fun with cooked ramen noodlesground chickencoleslaw mix and eggs (of course).

More than 20 five-star reviews don’t lie: Kardea’s recipe is a keeper. Fry chicken thighs in a cast iron skilletthen use the juices to make a flavorful and creamy mustard sauce.

Leave it to Guy to come up with a recipe for bonelessskinless chicken breasts that's anything but boring. He stuffs them with a Mediterranean couscous studded with fetaolives and tomatoes.