Quick Easy Chicken Recipes for Dinner

Use these quick and easy chicken recipe ideas to help you figure out what to make for dinner tonight. Some days all we need is some inspiration -- especially at mealtime. These are interchangeable with turkey, depending upon your preference.

Updated after each weekday recipe blog post, this current listing below contains seasonal meal ideas based upon the U.S. Eastern time zone -- that means we're looking at winter-based food inspiration until the spring equinox in March.

 

• Balsamic-Glazed Chicken with Carrots & Greenbeans

• chicken fajitas with sautéed slices on onions and bell peppers; served with salsa and sour cream

• lightly breaded tenders (on the stovetop with this Shake & Sauté recipe), or baked in oven

• tacos: start with boneless breasts, sliced thinly and sautéed over medium-heat, season with soy sauce and minced onion; serve on hard or soft tortillas with lettuce, sour cream, salsa and easy guacamole

•  Chicken Parm served with rice or pasta

• salsa bake: arrange boneless cuts or tenders in baking pan and bake until partially done (15 minutes), then cover with salsa and bake until done. Add cheese if desired

 

Boneless Chicken Cutlet & Turkey Tender Recipe Ideas

On the Stove-top (may be baked if preferred):

Crispy cutlets: coat lightly with light cornmeal or breadcrumbs, season with salt & pepper. Pan-fry in small amount of oil. Serve with grain or veggies.

Crispy Italian cutlets: sprinkle with granulated onion, garlic and Italian herbs and then pan-fry in small amount of oil (light breading coating optional). Serve with rice, pasta and/or gravy. Or try this Balsamic-Glazed Chicken.

Italian tomato: brown chicken on both sides, then add minced garlic, a can of stewed tomatoes and several tablespoons of Italian dressing. Simmer until done. Serve over rice.

Sandwich: sprinkle with favorite herbs (we like Adobo, oregano and basil), coat lightly with flour, salt & pepper. Pan-fry in small amount of oil. Serve on crusty roll or bread with tomato/lettuce.

Fajitas or Wraps: slice thinly and sauté over medium-high heat. Season with granulated onion or soy sauce. Sauté sliced onions and bell peppers in second pan. Serve in soft tortilla with sour cream and salsa (or a variety of salad greens and veggies). Or try this Chicken Fajita or Cherry Chicken Wrap recipe.

Open-face with gravy: slice thinly, season with salt & pepper and cook over medium-high heat. Add gravy and simmer until done. Serve over toast.

Biscuits and gravy: prepare as above while biscuits bake in oven. Or try these Chicken-fried Steaks with Gravy.

Salad topper: cut into small chunks and sprinkle with favorite herbs (we like Adobo, oregano and basil). Pan-fry in small amount of oil. Top a spinach salad.

Soup: Sauté chunks of chicken until starting to brown. Add onion, celery and potato (or your favorite veggies), water or broth and simmer until done. Add thyme, Adobo or salt and pepper.

Stew: sauté chunks with favorite veggie combo (onions, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn). Add stewed tomatoes and water or broth. Add seasonings: thyme, fennel, bay leaf, saffron, Adobo or salt and pepper.

Mexican-style: sauté with tomatoes, onions, green chiles, chili powder or taco seasoning. Serve with soft or hard tacos or rice.

Greek-style: sauté slices over medium-high heat. Add granulated garlic and onion, sliced onions and peppers. Cook until done, top with feta cheese. Serve with pita bread, tzatziki and hummus. Or try this Chicken Greek-style recipe.

Middle Eastern-style: simmer with onion, garlic, cumin, raisins/currants. Top with mint, parsley and lemon. Serve with couscous, rice or bulgur. Or try this recipe for Five-Spice Indian Stirfry or Chicken Marsala.

Tangy Citrus: sear cutlets in olive oil until golden brown, add white wine (optional), lemon/lime/orange juice and zest. Thicken with corn starch, if necessary. Serve over rice.

Japanese-style: sauté chunks in sesame oil and season with soy sauce and garlic. Top with scallions, parsley and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.

Vegetable lovers: sauté slices in olive oil and season with Adobo or garlic salt. When partially cooked add fave vegetables: onions, mushrooms, peas, green beans, carrots, corn ... your choice. Serve with roll or toast.

Parm: sear cutlets with garlic, onion and/or mushrooms. Season with oregano/basil and top with tomato sauce and cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with rice or noodles. Or try this recipe for Chicken Parm.

Nuggets: cut into bite-size pieces and toss with breadcrumbs and seasonings (Adobo, chili powder, granulated garlic, paprika, black pepper) in plastic bag until well coated. Pan-fry in small amount of oil (or bake, if preferred). Or try this easy Shake & Sauté Chicken.

More Easy Turkey Recipes:

Grilled Turkey Burgers  Lower in fat than beef, ground turkey has received accolades as a healthier, leaner meat, but that can prove to be more challenging when grilling since turkey tends to dry out faster too. Here’s a recipe that stays moist and flavorful—it is adaptable depending on what veggies you’ve got on hand (use just one *optional add-in* at a time).

 

What's your favorite quick way to make chicken or turkey? Please share on Facebook or twitter.


Need more quick easy chicken and turkey recipe ideas? Here are the Top 10 Quick Ways to Make Chicken. Search the entire site with the Recipe by Ingredient feature or browse all the recipes alphabetically here.

 


 

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