35 Healthy Chicken Recipes: Quick and Easy Meals for Your Family’s Busy Weeknights

Last Updated on January 14, 2020

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Is chicken the go-to dinner staple at your home?

Well, if it is, then join the club. Chicken dinners are a boon in a busy household. However, it would also be very likely that you get bored with your usual recipes.

Chicken is the most common protein source for dinners. It is generally affordable and so versatile. You can prepare chicken in a myriad of ways. It is especially good as a major ingredient in healthy, ​high-protein dishes.

You can have chicken grilled, baked, fried, roasted, poached, or breaded. Chicken parts vary in their fat content, so you can choose the cut that’s best for your dietary needs.

In today’s post, we are featuring 35 healthy chicken recipes that you can easily prepare, which are loaded with flavors and health-giving benefits. Several countries’ chicken recipes are featured as well, making this article a true cultural melting pot.

You may discover a new favorite dish from the recipes listed here today. Before I introduce the recipes, here are a few important reminders when preparing chicken dishes.

A Few Tips To Remember When Preparing Chicken Dishes

1. When storing chicken, as in a make-ahead recipe, make sure to place in some sauce to lock in moisture that prevents the meat from becoming dry.

2. When baking chicken, make sure to watch the cooking time carefully. Overcooking gives you very dry meat. Consult a cooking chart to make sure you are using the right duration for the weight of the chicken meat you’re cooking.

3. When it is a baked chicken dish, bake the chicken first before cutting. This retains moisture for a more succulent and juicy meat. Remember to let your baked chicken sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing to make sure that the juices do not run out.

4. When slicing chicken breasts, cut against the grain of the meat to prevent getting a stringy, rubbery piece. The reminder is good for both when slicing raw and after cooking.

And now, here are the recipes.

Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes

1. Honey Dijon Garlic Chicken Breasts

via Rock Recipes

Enjoy a flavorful weeknight dinner with this dish. Using chicken breasts ensures that there are no unnecessary fats added.

2. Chicken Sotanghon Soup

via Foxy Folksy

This hearty chicken-based soup is ideal in cold weather and perfect for warding off the sniffles. It is comforting and contains ingredients that are guaranteed to boost your immune system.

3. Grilled Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

via Gimme Some Grilling

The whole family will love this recipe. It is a delicious protein source that even kids can't get enough of.

4. Clean Eating Buffalo Wings

via The Gracious Pantry

Here's a recipe for buffalo wings, which is healthier than store-bought ones. They're great for when you have company and you prefer to serve a sweet-spicy-savory fare.

5. Crispy Herb Crusted Chicken Wings

via Healthy Little Peach

This dish will probably be an instant favorite at the family dinner table. The herbs give the outer layer of the chicken an awesome flavor, great texture, and crispness.

6. Avocado Stuffed Chicken

via Bell’alimento

This has got to be the ultimate keto fare. It has healthy fats from the avocado, and it's high in tissue-repairing protein.

7. One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

via Little Spice Jar

Savor this tender and flavorful dish that's so easy to prepare. Its creamy sauce makes it so satisfying.

8. Avocado Chicken Salad

via Gimme Delicious

Many recipe developers have discovered and loved the perfect pairing of chicken and avocado. This clean-eating salad will make you love it too.

9. Japanese Chicken Curry

via Erren’s Kitchen

This fragrant and filling recipe is sure to be a hit with your whole family. It is a healthier version of restaurant take-out. It's pretty easy to prepare as well.

10. Healthy Chicken Burrito Wraps

via Skinny Ms.

This chicken wrap is an ideal healthy meal on the go. It's also a more nutritionally dense meal than fast-food options.

11. Turmeric Chicken and Rice

via Salu Salo Recipes

This dish will remind probably remind you of chicken biryani. It is full of flavors from the different spices used and is a hearty meal in itself.

12. Thai Basil Chicken

via Spice The Plate

This tasty recipe for chicken breasts is a popular take on a popular Thai dish. It features the aromatic basil leaves that lend their flavor to your meal.

13. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

via 365 Days Of Slow Cooking

The best thing about slow-cooker recipes is that it's practically a hands-free way of cooking. And with this recipe, you get to prepare an easy PLUS healthy weeknight dinner.

14. Homemade Chicken Nuggets

via Savory Nothings

Let your kids have their favorite food with this healthy recipe for chicken nuggets. These nuggets are also freezer-friendly.

Have a batch on hand for when the kids' craving hits.

15. Greek Marinated Chicken

via Budget Bytes

You can cook this on the grill or in the oven. Either way, the result will be a delicious dinner.

16. Japanese Farm Style Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

via Feasting At Home

This dish uses chicken thighs and is very simple to prepare. It calls for only 4 basic ingredients, and there's no added sugar at all.

17. Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken

via Gonna Want Seconds

Because grilled recipes allow you to consume a lesser amount of fat, it's one of the healthiest way to prepare meals. Add an herb-infused chicken recipe and you're good to go.

18. Chicken in Tomatillo Sauce

via A Sloppy Chef

You're going to love this dish. Spiciness and tartness blend perfectly in every forkful. It's a nice alternative to the same old beef-and-veggie stew.

19. Chicken Bacon Rice Soup

via The Recipe Rebel

As the weather gets colder, the more you'd appreciate a hot bowl of this hearty soup. It is high in fiber and comes with the goodness that only a bacon-chicken combo can offer.

20. Easy Larb Chicken Recipe

via Posh Journal

Unofficially, larb is the national dish of Laos. Enjoy this refreshing and flavorful “meat salad” featuring fresh mint leaves, lime juice, cilantro, and (of course) chicken.

21. Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken

via Amy + Jacky

Allow yourself to be seduced (yes, you've read that right!) by this enticing dish. Not only low in fat, but it also features an amazing blend of textures and flavors from the chicken, the spices, and the veggies.

22. Perfect Poached Chicken

via A Family Feast

This will be one of the juiciest chicken dishes you will ever have. Enjoy a refreshingly light, low-fat meal with this recipe.

23. Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce

via Baking Mischief

Boneless chicken — thighs if you can get them — feature in this flavorful dish. You get your veggies, protein, and carb all in one, plus an amazing sauce to make a complete, healthy dinner.

24. Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs

via Cafe Delites

You would probably be surprised to know that this chicken that is full of flavor wasn't marinated at all. The addition of vegetables in this dish makes for a healthy and delicious meal.

25. Chicken Guisantes

via Panlasang Pinoy

Get a satisfying meal out of this recipe. Any chicken part will do well for this dish. It's another heartwarming meal to try during the cold months.

26. Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

via Dinner At The Zoo

Get this healthy chicken dish on the table in 30 minutes. It's so easy to prepare and also loaded with the health-giving benefits of broccoli and mushroom.

Even kids love this classic recipe.

27. Filipino Chicken Tinola

via Speedy Recipe

This dish is packed with nutrients courtesy of an ingredient considered as a superfood. “Malunggay” or moringa is loaded with antioxidants, is an anti-inflammatory.

Moringa is also considered to be a wonderful source of essential vitamins and minerals we all need. This is probably the healthiest chicken soup you'll ever have.

28. Moroccan Saffron Chicken Tagine

via Analida’s Ethnic Spoon

Enjoy the medley of flavors courtesy of several aromatic spices in this Moroccan-inspired dish. Although the recipe calls for the ingredients to be cooked in a tagine, it can also be made in a Dutch oven or a crockpot.

29. African Chicken and Peanut Stew

via Kitchen Sanctuary

If you enjoy spicy and nutty flavors, then this dish blends both quite perfectly. Steamed or boiled rice, kale, and toasted peanuts for a hearty and healthy meal.

30. Tasty Senegalese Yassa Chicken

via Immaculate Bites

This chicken recipe has a French influence and is very flavorful. It makes for a memorable dish. If you are fond of the sweet taste of caramelized onions, then this should be in your dinner repertoire.

31. Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

via That Girl Cooks Healthy

In this dish, the secret to its flavorful goodness is the sauce made from brown sugar – or in this case, coconut sugar. It is low carb and baked, so there are no added fats.

32. Trinidad Chicken Pelau

via Home Made Zagat

This one-pot chicken dish is unofficially Trinidad's national food. It's made by combining browned chicken, pigeon peas, and rice. It's then simmered in coconut milk and other vegetables are added. It's healthy and downright wholesome.

33. Honey BBQ Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos

via Kristine’s Kitchen

Serve this tender and creamy chicken dinner that does not require so much effort to prepare. It's ideal for busy nights so you're assured of a healthy, delicious fare for the whole family.

Also, check out this post for more low-cost and healthy slow cooker meal ideas.

34. Mustard Baked Chicken Tenders

via Diabetes Strong

This high-protein fare is a tasty option for those who want to eat healthy, lose weight, or avoid high-carb meals. The recipe calls for filleted chicken breasts sliced into thin tenderloins.

Once cooked, it's best served over a bed brown rice and steamed spinach.

35. Greek Chicken Roasted Cauliflower Meal Prep Bowls

via Food Faith Fitness

This recipe works whether you have weight-loss goals, are avoiding too many carbs in your diet, or want to enjoy a healthy flavorful meal. The best part is that it's a make-ahead recipe that helps you save time when things get crazy-busy during the day.

What is your favorite healthy chicken recipe?

Preparing meals can be a rewarding experience with these healthy chicken recipes. We hope you’ve found a favorite among those featured here.

Eating healthy is just one of the positive, healthy habits you can begin practicing in your life right now. If you’re interested to embark on a life that’s less than ordinary, good habits can lead you there.

Check out this post to discover nearly 200 healthy habits you can practice in different aspects of your life.