17 Quick and Easy Chicken Skillet Dinners

By Julie Tremaine

February 21, 2020

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Credit: fabeverydayblog

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.

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Romantic Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms

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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.

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Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

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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.

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Famous Chicken Francaise

Credit: Holiday Baker

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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.

Related: 22 Best Savory Lemon Recipes for Dinner

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Jamaican-Style Curry Chicken

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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.

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Chicken and Red Wine Sauce

Credit: Brian Botello

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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.

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Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

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This lighter version of a beloved Tex-Mex dish loads up on low-cal 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.

Related: Chicken Taco Recipes

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Chicken Scarpariello

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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.

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Easy Skillet Chicken Primavera

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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.

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Jenny's Jambalaya

Credit: Laurie Watson McKay

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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!'

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Easy One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Carrots

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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."

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Chicken Breasts with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

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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.

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Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce

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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.

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Chicken Sausage Gnocchi Skillet

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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.

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Buffalo Chicken Skillet

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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.

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Italian Chicken Skillet

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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.

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Skillet Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

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"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."

17 of 17

Champagne Chicken

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

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By Julie Tremaine