30 Chicken Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes

There are so many quick, easy, and delicious ways to cook poultry.

I never order chicken at restaurants. Of all the things a trained chef could whip up and that I would pay for, chicken doesn't feel special enough. I cook it at least twice a week. After all, it has a rap for being practical and reliable even for the worst cooks. No wonder it's the most consumed meat in the United States—an average American eats almost 100 pounds of chicken each year!

It's also the most popular topic on Simply Recipes, with over 2,000 recipes and stories about chicken. There are so many quick, easy, and delicious ways to cook it.

Here you'll find 30 chicken dinner recipes that take 30 minutes or less to make, including handy tips from Simply Recipes readers, contributors, and editors.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

Get Recipe: Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

"There is only one big problem with this recipe and that is if you like leftovers you won't get any! There was nothing left but the dishes. I will need to double it next time." —Eric Peters, Simply Recipes Reader

Greek Chicken Skewers

Get Recipe: Greek Chicken Skewers with Yogurt Sauce (Chicken Souvlaki)

"Look for Maras, or Marash, pepper at Middle Eastern groceries and specialty markets. If you can't find it, substitute paprika with a few good pinches of cayenne pepper for some heat." —Sally Vargas, Contributor

Creamy Chicken Florentine

Get Recipe: Creamy Chicken Florentine

"Dry white wines I recommend for this recipe: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry Riesling." —Laurel Randolph, Senior Recipe Editor

Ginger Chicken with Almonds

Get Recipe: Ginger Chicken with Almonds

"This is one of my all-time favorite dishes! I make this at least once a week. So easy, so delicious! I skip julienning the ginger and just grate extra—it really bumps up the flavor." —Kim, Simply Recipes Reader

Bourbon Chicken

Get Recipe: Bourbon Chicken

"The trick to making a good bourbon chicken dish is to lightly dust your chicken pieces with cornstarch before cooking. Coating the chicken in cornstarch and then sautéing it allows the chicken bites to form a crust on the outside. Once combined with the sauce, it thickens the sauce and helps the sauce adhere to the chicken." —Nick Evans, Contributor

Classic Chicken Salad

Get Recipe: Classic Chicken Salad

"The "secret sauce," so to speak, of this chicken salad, is the tablespoon of plum preserves my mom adds to the mayo-based dressing." —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Get Recipe: How To Grill Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

"I'm 45 years old and have been cooking for 25+ years, and this is the FIRST time my grilled chicken has come out tender and juicy! I'm going to brine EVERYTHING from now on!" —Heidi S, Simply Recipes Reader

Grilled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Get Recipe: Grilled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

"You absolutely don’t have to use chicken breasts for this recipe. Boneless chicken thighs are a great option as well and work well. For eight sandwiches, you will need six to eight chicken thighs OR three to four chicken breasts." —Nick

Restaurant-Style Poached Chicken

Get Recipe: Restaurant-Style Poached Chicken

"Good quality plastic wrap is imperative for this recipe. Off-brand plastic wrap is fine for most food storage but for exposure to heat, you want to go with the good stuff. The easiest way to know plastic wrap is good quality and can withstand heat is to use plastic wrap that's clearly marked 'microwave safe.'" —Simply Recipes Editors

Baked Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

Get Recipe: Baked Parmesan Chicken Nuggets

"The color of your roasting pan may make a difference in your results. A dark roasting pan may impart more heat and may brown the bottom of the chicken more." —Elise

Million Dollar Chicken

Get Recipe: Million Dollar Chicken

"Adding the baking sheet to the oven while it heats up expedites the cooking process. Your chicken will start cooking as soon as it hits the hot surface and this, along with pounding the chicken, helps shorten the cooking time." —Sara Haas, Contributor

4-Ingredient Ranch Chicken Breasts

Get Recipe: The 4-Ingredient Chicken Recipe I Make Every Single Week

"To save time, you can swap the chicken breasts for 4 store-bought chicken cutlets." —Sara

Chicken Marsala

Get Recipe: Chicken Marsala

"Make sure you get a good bottle of Marsala. You don't have to break the bank, just do an upgrade." —bastisraul, Simply Recipes Reader

Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets

Get Recipe: Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets

"Made this last night. We all really enjoyed it. I upped the garlic and seasoning as we like really flavourful stuff. It was delicious and cheesy. We served over pasta and it was a hit. My husband said it's a definite make again." —Cassandra Lipnicki, Simply Recipes Reader

Quick and Easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Get Recipe: Quick and Easy Buffalo Chicken Tacos

"Franks RedHot is the classic choice for Buffalo chicken and will lend the most signature flavor, but I actually prefer the tangy, spicier flavor of Cholula. Use whichever you like best." —Sheela Prakash, Contributor

Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich

Get Recipe: Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich

"If you don’t have a grill, you can make this sandwich using a grill pan. Preheat the pan on the stove over medium-high heat, then grill the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side." —Hannah Zimmerman, Contributor

Pesto Chicken Meatballs

Get Recipe: Pesto Chicken Meatballs

"The meatball mixture can easily stick to your hands when you’re rolling it. Lightly wetting your hands before you start helps prevent this from happening so you form smooth balls." —Sheela

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Get Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

"While florets get all the attention, broccoli stems are just as delicious—and sometimes more versatile, since they soften more slowly and don’t absorb liquid." —Georgia Freedman, Contributor

Chicken Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

Get Recipe: Chicken Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

"Because angel hair pasta is so thin, it sticks together easily and is not the most ideal pasta if you know you'll be reheating this dish. We suggest using a thicker pasta such as spaghetti or even a shaped pasta such as rotini if you know you'll have a significant amount of leftovers that you'll want to reheat." —Simply Recipes Editors

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Get Recipe: Tarragon Chicken Salad

"This is my FAVORITE chicken salad recipe. I've been making it for 3 years now and finally decided to comment. Just made it with cubed and roasted sweet potato which expanded it and made it taste even better!" —Libbie, Simply Recipes Reader

Apple Chicken Quesadilla

Get Recipe: Apple Chicken Quesadilla

"My son is gobbling up his quesadilla as I am writing! Thanks for this kid-friendly recipe and idea. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch today, too! And I'm not struggling with my 3-year-old to get him to eat...next on the schedule, nap time!" —Rebecca, Simply Recipes Reader

Chicken Pad Thai

Get Recipe: Chicken Pad Thai

"If you buy tamarind pulp instead of concentrate, take it out of the package, soak in a bowl with warm to hot water (enough to cover, maybe three to four cups) and let it soak for 30 minutes. Then, using your hands, break up the pulp to separate the large seeds and fibrous parts. Run the remainder of the pulp through a fine mesh sieve, into a bowl, scraping the underside of the sieve to remove any pulp that may have gotten stuck." —Carrie Havranek, Contributor

Chicken Mango Lettuce Wraps

Get Recipe: Chicken Mango Lettuce Wraps

"Why the cornstarch? It's a cooking trick that you often find in Chinese recipes. The cornstarch helps the chicken hold in its moisture and keep it from drying out in the high heat of the stir-frying." —Elise

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Get Recipe: Chicken Curry in a Hurry

"The cutlets should be about 1/2-inch thick. If you are starting with full chicken breasts, cut them in half horizontally, or pound them to 1/2-inch thickness with a meat hammer between two layers of wax paper." —Elise

Crispy Curried Chicken Thighs With Wilted Greens

Get Recipe: Crispy Curried Chicken Thighs With Wilted Greens

"Don't have cast iron, oven-safe skillet. I transferred to oven safe roasting pan. Great recipe!" —Mary Jo, Simply Recipes Reader

Microwave Oyakodon

Get Recipe: Microwave Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

"Skip the salt if using regular soy sauce or chicken stock instead of low-sodium versions." —Myo Quinn, Associate Editorial Director

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Get Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken

"If you can’t find chicken cutlets, buy 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total). Lay the chicken breast flat on your cutting board and use a sharp chef’s knife to cut it in half horizontally. Each chicken breast will give you 2 cutlets." —Sheela

Copycat Chipotle Chicken

Get Recipe: Copycat Chipotle Chicken

"This recipe calls for the same ingredients Chipotle lists on their site and is based on a recipe revealed by a former Chipotle employee, but easier." —Melissa Gray, Contributor

Kung Pao Chicken

Get Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

"The USDA no longer requires Sichuan peppercorns to be heat treated. It is worth seeking out some that have not been treated as the flavor is far superior. I have found them online." —Donna, Simply Recipes Reader

Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Bowls

Get Recipe: Zesty Chicken and Black Bean Burrito Bowls

"If you're looking to sneak in a few more veggies, some shredded red cabbage or chopped romaine would add color and crunch!" —Dotdash Meredith Creative

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