7 Super Easy Chicken Recipes

“Mom, we’re having chicken…again?”, I hear my kids complain all the time.  Well, they’re right.  Chicken, chicken, chicken - that seems to be all we eat most  nights!  We certainly seem to eat more than our fair share of chicken!  That’s because we try to limit the amount of red meat we eat, the kids don’t like fish, my husband doesn’t like too much pasta, and it’s the quickest way most nights to get out of the kitchen while putting a healthy meal on the table.

The main problem is that chicken starts to get boring after awhile.  So I’ve developed a repertoire of the fastest and easiest chicken recipes I can make in just a few minutes, because cooking long, complicated meals is not something I love to do! 

Each meal uses just one type of prepared sauce on the chicken, along with a healthy carb side and a vege.  Instant meal without any fuss (and they’re all low-fat)!  The whole meal takes about 5 minutes of prep work and then about a half hour in the oven (so we can work on homework or read while waiting for it to be done).  The recipes don’t require the use of many kitchen appliances or utensils in order to prepare the meal (which means less clean up!).  If you have butcher block countertops, all you need is a kitchen knife and you’re all set to go, otherwise you’ll just need the addition of a cutting board as well.  Works for me and I feel good knowing I didn’t go to the drive-thru on the way home from sports practice!

For all of the recipes I use skinless, boneless chicken breasts because they’re so easy to use.  I love that Perdue now makes family-size packs of chicken and wraps each two pieces up ready to be put in the freezer.  That saves me even more time, because that way I can buy a large quantity at once, just throw it in the freezer without having to do any separating or wrapping (which I absolutely hate to do!), and just defrost what I need when I need it.  I’ve even been known to decide just minutes before I needed to start preparing dinner what I’m going to make, so I can just quickly throw the frozen chicken in the microwave to defrost and be on my way to cooking in no time.

For all recipes, spread the sauce over defrosted chicken breasts in a long, shallow pan and cook for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  If you decide to cut the chicken in half horizontally to thin it out, reduce cooking time by a few minutes.

Here are seven of the easiest chicken recipes ever.  You can even make one each night of the week, without  your family getting totally bored with dinner!

7 Super Easy Chicken Recipes:

Salsa Chicken – Spread a jar of prepared salsa over chicken.  Serve over brown rice with steamed broccoli.

Bruschetta Chicken -  Prepared bruschetta is great over chicken!  I serve with whole wheat spaghetti and steamed green beans.  You can even add a little cheese on top in the last few minutes of cooking.

Italian Chicken – Marinate chicken breasts in bottled Italian dressing (I use the light kind) and either cook as directed above, or grill.  Serve with couscous and zucchini.

Barbeque Chicken – Pour bottled barbeque sauce over chicken and bake or grill.  Serve with baked sweet potato wedges and a salad.

Honey-Dijon Chicken – Mix honey and Dijon mustard (okay, that’s two ingredients – sorry!), and spread over chicken.   Serve with baked potatoes and asparagus.

Breaded Chicken – Coat chicken with seasoned bread crumbs (I don’t even dip them.   After rinsing them clean, they’re a little wet and hold the bread crumbs nicely with no added fat).  Spray with olive oil spray and bake.  Serve with oven baked fries and any steamed vege.

Chicken with Peppers & Onions – Cut up some peppers and onions and lay over chicken breasts.  Pour a large can of diced tomatoes (undrained) over top.  Bake and serve with whole wheat penne.

These chicken recipes are quick, easy, healthy, and delicious!  Enjoy!