Growing Homes for Growing Kids

23 Weeknight Chicken Skillet Recipes for Easy Family Dinners

Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor

published Mar 6, 2023

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four pieces of chicken over curried cabbage and chickpeas — Credit: Photo: Jason Rampe; Food Styling: Amelia Rampe
One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Curried Cabbage and Chickpeas

I am not sure which is more tried-and-true when it comes to weeknight cooking: a trusty skillet dinner or crowd-pleasing chicken. It really doesn’t matter, though, because if you bring the two together you have easy eating at its very best.

Take your pick between bone-in or boneless thighs or lean, mild-mannered chicken breasts because they’re all fair game in these chicken skillet recipes. These 23 recipes come together quickly in a single skillet and many of them are complete meals, cooked with a bed of tender rice, vegetables, or an irresistible sauce. From crispy, garlickly chicken thighs with green beans to sticky-sweet firecracker chicken to a creamy chicken skillet kissed with turmeric, here are the recipes to know.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Chicken Fajitas

Sizzle sizzle.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

One-Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Crispy chicken thighs and tender potatoes join forces in this lemony, oregano-rich skillet dinner.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: James Park

Creamy Spinach Chicken

This extra cozy one-pan chicken has major creamed spinach vibes.

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Credit: Yossy Arefi

Life-Changing Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

To label a recipe as "life-changing" is a really bold statement. But trust me when I tell you that this easy weeknight chicken and veggie dinner will rock your world.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Janette Zepeda

French Onion Chicken and Rice

This one-pan dinner is inspired by the iconic French onion soup, complete with caramelized onions, juicy chicken, tender rice, and gooey Gruyère cheese.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot

Creamy Pepperoncini Chicken

Tangy pepperoncini peppers add bright flavor to this creamy skillet chicken dinner.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Green Chile Chicken Skillet

Wrap it all up in a warm tortilla.

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Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Brett Regot

French Onion Dip Chicken Thighs

Rub skin-on chicken thighs in a combination of mayonnaise and onion soup mix for a simple chicken dinner full of crunch and tangy flavor.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

5-Ingredient Skillet Chicken Parmesan

You'll get both the saucy pasta and cheesy chicken out of this easy one-pan recipe. Pair with a simple green salad for a complete meal.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Simple One-Skillet Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Everything is done in the same skillet in this recipe — easy cooking and easy cleanup.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Anna Stockwell

One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Pearl Couscous and Eggplant

This one-skillet dish features crispy chicken thighs, pearl couscous, and eggplant simmered in a flavorful tomato base. A complete dinner with minimal dishes to wash? Yes, please!

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Skillet

A creamy bed of gnocchi and wilted spinach doubles as a side in this easy chicken skillet.

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Credit: Photo: Vicky Wasik; Food Styling: Kelli Foster

One-Pan Italian Chicken and Rice

This one-pan dinner has it all: juicy chicken, garlic and herb tomato rice, and a 10-minute prep time.

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Credit: Photo: Chris SImpson; Food Styling; Jessie YuChen

Pomegranate Molasses-Roasted Skillet Chicken

Thick, tart pomegranate molasses makes an excellent foil for succulent chicken legs and crispy potatoes in this oven-roasted skillet dinner.

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Credit: Kelli Foster

One-Pan Creamy Orzo Chicken and Zucchini

Cooked in a mixture of whole milk and chicken broth, the orzo in this one-pan dish becomes incredibly creamy and comforting, without feeling rich or heavy. And, thanks to a full pound of zucchini and a squeeze of lemon juice for a pop of acidity, the finished dish feels light and bright.

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Credit: Photo: Jason Rampe; Food Styling: Amelia Rampe

One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Curried Cabbage and Chickpeas

This powerhouse meal is comprised of golden brown chicken thighs, leeks, cabbage, and chickpeas are simmered with curry powder and coconut milk all in one skillet.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Pearl Jones

One-Pan Chicken and Rice with Olives and Lemon

With plenty of briny olives and zippy lemon, this chicken and rice skillet is anything but basic.

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Credit: Olive & Mango

One-Skillet French Onion Chicken

You'll never regret giving mild-mannered chicken breast the French onion soup treatment, with lots of velvety caramelized onions and melty Gruyère.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Skillet Creamy French Mustard Chicken

Using both classic Dijon and whole-grain mustard means you get all the creamy goodness of the former with just the right bit of crunch and texture from the latter.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Creamy Turmeric Chicken Skillet

You'll definitely want to serve this turmeric chicken skillet with a generous pile of fluffy rice to mop every last drop of creamy sauce.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Lemon Garlic Chicken

In less than 30 minutes, you'll be dragging pieces of tender chicken through a puddle of creamy lemon sauce. It's a good idea to round out dinner with some rice, couscous, or bread so you can soak up every last drop of this sauce.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Lemon Thyme Chicken Thighs

A quick and easy recipe for crispy, skillet-cooked chicken thighs seasoned simply with fresh lemon and thyme.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

Think of this as grown-up cream of mushroom chicken. It ditches the can for a quick homemade sauce that's seasoned with lots of garlic and Parmesan.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Easy Apricot-Glazed Chicken

This glossy chicken hits all the flavor notes — sweet, spicy, and extra savory. It's wise to serve it over rice since there's lots of good sauce to be had.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Jerk Chicken Skillet Dinner

What makes this complete meal extra special is that the rice is simmered in coconut milk, so it gets sweet and fragrant and becomes a nice contrast to the spiced meat.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Broccolini, Chicken Sausage, and Orzo Skillet

This orzo skillet is almost risotto-like since the pasta releases some of its starches into the pan while it cooks to create a creamy sauce.

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Credit: Maria Siriano

Easy Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

While chicken pot pie is usually reserved for leisurely weekends, this streamlined version is a weeknight dream, thanks to a bag of frozen mixed veggies and store-bought pie crust.

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Credit: Olive and Mango

30-Minute Chicken Francese

Chicken Francese is an Italian-American favorite for good reason: It's crispy yet juicy and full of lemony flavor. This easy version may have you forgoing your neighborhood restaurant.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Hot Honey Garlic Skillet Chicken

Crispy chicken thighs meet tender Brussels sprouts in this sweet and spicy skillet dinner.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Brett Regot

Green Goddess Skillet Chicken and Veggies

A bottle of herby green goddess dressing from Trader Joe's plays both that marinade and the sauce in this colorful chicken and radish skillet.

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Credit: Photo: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk

Sesame Ginger Skillet Chicken

Broccolini and chicken are a perfect pair in this Asian-inspired skillet dinner.

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Credit: Joe Lingeman

Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Apples and Cabbage

This fall-inspired recipes result is tender apples, savory chicken with crisp skin, and browned cabbage deeply flavored with all the juices from the chicken.

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Credit: Photo: Andrew Bui; Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Thighs

The key to burnished, golden chicken thighs? Strawberry jam.

This post was originally published on Kitchn. Read it there: 23 Chicken Skillet Recipes for All Your Weeknight Dinner Needs

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