20 Quick and Easy Chicken Skillet Dinners

top-down view of chicken primavera on angel hair pasta
Easy Skillet Chicken Primavera. Photo: fabeveryday

It's a fact: food that's easy to prepare just tastes better. Dinner that you can make in one skillet might just be the best-tasting of all. This collection of chicken skillet dinners highlights the versatility of the bird and the ease of its preparation. Keep it simple with classics like buffalo chicken, or expand your palate and your cooking skills with internationally-inspired flavors. The recipes here range from Mexican to Italian to Indian to Jamaican. Travel the world from your table, and get it all done with minimal cleanup. It's a win-win.

01 of 21

Romantic Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms

Romantic Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms
naples34102

This dish, with artichoke hearts and capers, is the best of both worlds: it's fancy enough to serve for a special occasion, and easy enough to whip up on a weeknight if the craving strikes.

02 of 21

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
Allrecipes Magazine

Fresh ginger makes all the difference in this Asian-inspired stir-fry. While you don't need to peel the ginger, if you want to, use the back of a spoon to gently coax the outer layer from the flavorful root.

03 of 21

Famous Chicken Francaise

top-down view of chicken breasts topped with lemon slices and chopped parsley

This lemony chicken dinner is deceptively simple. While it sounds (and tastes) complex, it's really just a chicken cutlet in an egg batter with a lemon-butter sauce.

04 of 21

Jamaican-Style Curry Chicken

Jamaican-Style Curry Chicken
MrsGardenFly

This island-inspired curry can be customized to your palate. Load it up on habaneros if you love spice, or go with mild bell peppers if you'd rather keep it cool. Serve with coconut rice and peas, or fried plantains.

05 of 21

Chicken and Red Wine Sauce

Chicken and Red Wine Sauce

Red wine reduction sounds complicated, but it couldn't be easier. Add wine, garlic, and a few spices to a skillet with chicken breasts, and simmer until tender and irresistibly flavorful.

06 of 21

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos
CookinBug

This lighter version of a beloved Tex-Mex dish loads up on low-calorie flavors like herbs and citrus, and leaves out a lot of what makes tacos less healthy choices. Skip the tortillas and serve over rice and lettuce for even healthier burrito bowls.

07 of 21

Chicken Scarpariello

top-down view of Chicken Scarpariello on a bed of spaghetti, served on a colorful plate

SZYQ1

Don't be deceived by the fancy name. This chicken dinner has a rosemary-shallot-white wine sauce that comes together quickly and has a flavor that makes a big impression, even with just a few ingredients.

08 of 21

Easy Skillet Chicken Primavera

top-down view of chicken primavera on angel hair pasta
Easy Skillet Chicken Primavera. fabeveryday

Primavera, which means "spring" in Italian, is a dish that highlights the bright flavors of fresh vegetables. Use your favorite combination of veggies (flash-frozen work just as well as fresh) to make a dish that's uniquely yours.

09 of 21

Mexican-Inspired Chicken Thigh and Rice Skillet

With chicken, rice, and vegetables in the same skillet, this recipe is a complete dinner and comes together in less than an hour. "This colorful and nutritious one-pan dinner can be on your table quickly on a busy weeknight," says Bibi. "Bonus: This is a stovetop recipe, so you don't have to turn on the oven! You can prepare a salad during the cooking time and heat up some bread, or tortillas, if you wish!"

10 of 21

Jenny's Jambalaya

Jenny's Jambalaya

This easy take on New Orleans jambalaya combines all the classic flavors of this Cajun favorite — chicken, sausage and shrimp — and simplifies them into a one-pot preparation. As they say at Mardi Gras, "laissez les bons temps rouler!"

11 of 21

Easy One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Carrots

Chicken thighs, garlic, onions, and carrots cook in one skillet on the stovetop. "A hearty dish for any time of year, especially if you prefer not to heat up the oven," says Bibi. "Serve with fresh broccoli, green peas, or a salad, along with some good bread to get every last drop of the tasty sauce."

chicken thighs, carrots, and onions garnished with chopped parsley on a serving plate
12 of 21

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic
chibi chef

This savory dish balances the zing of balsamic vinegar with earthy mushrooms and herbs. The best part? It goes from refrigerator to plate in under half an hour. Serve with pasta or roasted potatoes.

13 of 21

Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce

Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce
sleepybot

This is Indian comfort food at its finest. Tikka Masala is a rich, tomato cream sauce loaded with spices that goes with any protein from chicken to shrimp to tofu. Make a big batch once and freeze it for weeks of quick dinners.

14 of 21

Chicken Sausage Gnocchi Skillet

Chicken Sausage Gnocchi Skillet
Kim's Cooking Now

Dress up store-bought gnocchi with broccoli, onion, and garlic, and toss in chicken sausage for a savory and healthy flavor boost. If you'd rather not use the pillowy potato pasta, just sub regular pasta or rice for an equally as-tasty dish.

15 of 21

Buffalo Chicken Skillet

Buffalo Chicken Skillet
fabeverydayblog

Take one beloved flavor. Add one pan. The result? This buffalo chicken skillet, which takes your favorite game-day snack and turns it into a saucy, cheesy, not-too-spicy complete dinner.

16 of 21

Italian Chicken Skillet

a serving of small shell pasta with chicken, spinach, and tomatoes on a white plate

Pasta, spinach, tomatoes, cheese. It doesn't get any easier than this Italian-inspired skillet, which gets a flavor boost from cooking wine. Don't be shy about substituting the real thing — and enjoying a glass while you cook, too.

17 of 21

Easy One-Pan Chicken Fried Rice

close up on dish of Easy One-Pan Chicken Fried Rice with peas and carrots
Allrecipes

This is a real life saver on busy weeknights. "When you need a meal to feed the entire family and are short on time and groceries, try this easy, one-pan fried rice dish made with with leftover chicken and rice," says NicoleMcmom. "A handful of veggies add color and texture while a few pantry staple spices and condiments add flavor to this simple stir-fry dish."

18 of 21

Skillet Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

looking down at a skillet of chicken thighs with carrots and potaotes
Jaime Nolan

"These chicken thighs are cooked in one skillet for easy cleanup," says Yoly. "Carrots, potatoes, and onions are added for a complete meal. Serve with a side salad and some crusty bread."

19 of 21

Paprika Chicken Thighs and Rice Skillet

Full of smoky paprika flavor, this chicken thigh and rice skillet supper cooks in one pot for an easy, relatively hands-off, all-in-one dinner.

20 of 21

Champagne Chicken

Champagne Chicken
RBUR4

This simple recipe feels luxurious, but with just a few simple ingredients: champagne, complemented with mushrooms and cream. Serve over rice with some simple sautéed asparagus, and then sit back and let the praise roll in.

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