These are the best, top-rated chicken breast recipes that are tried and true, and your family will love them. Chicken breast is more versatile than most people realize. Here are more than 40 of our favorite ways to prepare chicken breast.
The number one thing that I recommend for ensuring that chicken is juicy and tender and perfectly cooked is an instant-read meat thermometer. If you’re roasting a whole chicken in the oven, you can use an in-oven thermometer (also great for frying), but for everyday use, a great instant-read thermometer is a staple in my kitchen. I use it constantly. According to the USDA Food Safety, the chicken breast should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚F.
Chicken Breast Recipes your Family will Love
The top searched term on our blog is… you guessed it – chicken! Chicken Recipes is one of our largest categories. We love chicken in our house and it’s one of the few proteins that the kids and I don’t have to pick at when we’re eating because it’s not necessary (does that qualify us as picky eaters?).
As the cook, I also love that chicken breast meat has so little prep required. There’s usually no trimming needed. It’s also the leanest cut of poultry which makes it a healthier protein. When prepared correctly, it can be incredibly juicy and satisfying.
Types of Chicken Breast Recipes
I think we’ve covered just about every kind of chicken breast recipe and we are always adding new ones so if I’ve missed something, please let me know in the comments. I’m excited for you because I know you’ll find tons of new favorites.
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Skillet, Grilled or Baked Chicken Breast
Chicken Salad Recipes
Chicken Soup Recipes
Chicken Pasta Recipes
Chicken Casseroles
Asian Chicken Recipes
Leftover Chicken Recipes (genius ideas!)
Stuffed Chicken Recipes
Stuffed chicken is the best way to ensure a juicy chicken center and amazing flavor with every bite. Stuffing a chicken breast is easy (click through to watch our video tutorials), and super impressive for serving to company.
Cream Cheese Spinach Stuffed Chicken is so juicy and tasty. Searing on the stove first gives it a beautiful color, then finishing it off in the oven ensures it’s cooked without drying out. This recipe makes 3 large stuffed chicken breasts to serve 6 people.
This Stuffed Chicken Parmesan is crisp on the outside and so juicy inside. This is an easy, one-pan, 30 min parmesan chicken dinner you’ll make over and over!
With this simplified method, it's easier than ever to make Chicken Kiev. Slice through the crisp exterior of this juicy Chicken Kiev, and you'll get a stream of hot lemon-herb and garlic butter that makes the chicken incredibly moist and flavorful.
These chicken pesto roll ups are stuffed with cheese, juicy tomatoes and pesto sauce! These taste like fine dining with Tuscan flavors but they are so easy to make.
This cheesy Bacon Mushroom Stuffed Chicken recipe smothered in a homemade honey mustard sauce is going to become an instant hit with kids and adults alike! An easy one-pan dish for busy evenings!
I love skillet or stovetop chicken breast recipes because you can sear the outsides of the chicken to seal in the juicy center. It’s also a generally quick way to cook up chicken and I love that I can keep an eye (and a thermometer) on it for perfect doneness.
Juicy chicken and mushrooms in creamy sauce under melty cheese… This creamy Chicken Madeira is a copycat recipe of the most popular dish at the Cheesecake Factory.
Easy restaurant-style Chicken Marsala made from the comfort of your own kitchen. This recipe features pan-fried juicy chicken topped with a creamy marsala wine sauce.
Chicken Piccata is an easy and delicious one-pan chicken dinner with a light lemon and caper sauce that makes you feel like you’re eating in a restaurant.
Classic Chicken Parmesan recipe with parmesan-crusted tender chicken, topped with marinara and cheese. Chicken Parm is an easy, excellent chicken dinner.
In summer, we love firing up our grill to cook chicken breast. It’s similar to skillet cooking but you also get that beautiful and flavorful charring on the outside that is so tasty.
This Cilantro Lime Chicken is the easiest recipe for chicken, and it can be grilled, cooked in a skillet, or baked in the oven. The marinade is bursting with flavor and results in juicy and tender chicken every time! This Mexican-inspired recipe will become a favorite.
Moroccan chicken is tender, succulent, and full of exotic flavor. It's an easy recipe that can be prepped in advance, making it the perfect dish for company. Tzatziki sauce brings this chicken to a whole new level, so go ahead and make the tzatziki recipe P.S. Keep in mind, you must marinate at least 4 hours or overnight before grilling your chicken.
This is my sister's famous juicy BBQ chicken breast recipe. The marinade is so simple with just 3 ingredients. You know what's awesome? You can do all of the prep in advance so all you have to do is toss it on the grill before your party starts!
You'll love this method for Baked Chicken Breast—it delivers tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned chicken every time! Baked chicken breast keeps well and is great for meal prep. Whether you serve it as a main dish, over a salad, in casseroles, wraps, or sandwiches, this recipe is incredibly versatile.
This sweet and spicy pulled baked chicken (that's a mouthful I know but this chicken is just that; a delicious mouthful) is so easy, juicy, light and tasty! My friend Jennifer shared the recipe with me. Her friend Melinda L. shared it with her. I love when a recipe has some history behind it. You know it's amazing if a recipe has been "around the block." That means it's delicious enough to share and now I'm sharing it with you.
These chicken strips are much healthier and tastier than anything you’ll find in the freezer aisle. They’re baked at just the right temperature which gives them that crisp golden crust. The breading seals in all the amazing flavors and makes these chicken tenders just right. Serve them warm with ranch, honey mustard sauce or your favorite dip.
These chicken salads are a meal in themselves. Adding chicken breast to salads makes them protein-packed and filling. I’ll eat this for lunch or dinner any day!
Easy Chicken Cobb Salad with the Best Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing! This protein-packed salad is a meal in itself loaded with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, creamy avocado and crumbled blue cheese.
This Autumn Chopped Chicken Salad is loaded with crisp pears, tangy craisins, pecans, feta and juicy chicken! It's the perfect Fall Salad and this simple balsamic vinaigrette will win you over.
This Avocado Chicken Salad recipe is a keeper! It's beyond easy, since we use rotisserie chicken. The simple lemon dressing perfectly complements the creamy avocado, and the irresistible bites of bacon and corn add the crunchy crew we all love. The boiled egg is optional but adds extra protein! Each serving of this salad is about 1 cup (perfect for a side dish).
Olivye (sometimes spelled olivier) is a potato salad that is ridiculously popular in Russia and many Eastern European countries. We’re changing it up and using chicken instead of kielbasa.
What’s great about these chicken soup recipes is you can either cook your chicken from scratch or repurpose some already cooked roast chicken you might have in your refrigerator. Chicken soups are the ultimate comfort food.
Chicken pot pie soup is creamy, comforting and hearty. It has all the comforts of Chicken Pot Pie without the effort of making the crust. We love this with freshly-baked Biscuits.
Chicken Tortilla Soup with tender chicken and homemade crispy tortilla strips is the perfect, cold-weather weeknight dinner. What’s even better? It comes together in one pot.
The ultimate recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup that will get you going for refills again and again. It's the true comfort food, loaded with rich and creamy flavor, veggies and protein.
Adding a lean protein like chicken breast to your pasta will make it satisfying, filling, and a meal in itself. I’m a sucker for creamy and saucy chicken pasta recipes.
My Chicken Tetrazzini recipe will quickly become one of your favorite casseroles! It's creamy and cheesy, and so easy to make. I made it even easier by using rotisserie chicken, but you'll find directions on how to swap baked and chopped chicken in the notes below. This recipe is freezer-friendly and can be made ahead by storing it in the fridge before baking.
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta is an easy 30-minute dinner loaded with juicy chicken and tender asparagus. Add either a homemade pesto or your favorite store-bought pesto sauce to brighten and lighten up the flavors of the Alfredo sauce.
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is such a simple and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken breast tossed with tender pasta in a creamy cajun garlic sauce, ready in 30 minutes.
Mom’s creamy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo has been a family favorite for years! Classic Chicken Alfredo is a feel good comfort food – so creamy but light!
Chicken breast casseroles can often go from the stove or oven to the table. Chicken breast meat has this wonderful way of absorbing sauces while baking away in the oven.
This chicken and rice dish is so satisfying – a must try! It has all of the heartiness of plov and creamy deliciousness of a risotto. The chicken turns out tender and so flavorful.
Recipe for homemade Chicken Enchiladas. Tortillas filled with chicken in a creamy and cheesy enchilada. This Mexican-inspired dish is perfect for make-ahead meals.
The chicken in this chicken casserole is incredibly tender – you will savor every morsel! This chicken bake re-heats really well (if you are lucky enough to have leftovers).
Chicken chow mein is so much better than takeout! It is filled with chicken, veggies, classic chow mein noodles and the best homemade chow mein sauce. You will love this one pan dinner!
You will love this 30-Minute Stir-Fry Recipe with Chicken and Rice Noodles. Delicious dinner made in no time! Thank you to Love from MunchkinTime.com for sharing this delicious recipe!
This Chicken Stir Fry Recipe is so much better than takeout! The chicken thighs and vegetables are smothered in a perfectly savory sweet garlic and ginger soy sauce with honey. This 30-minute meal is so simple to modify to fit whatever veggies you have on hand, so you'll love this as your go-to weeknight meal. Serve over rice for a completely satisfying meal.
These are the recipes that don’t particularly fit a category but they are too good not to include them. Enjoy these top-rated, family-favorite chicken breast recipes:
These Chicken Sandwiches are crispy on the outside with a juicy center. We're sharing all of our best tips for making flavorful fried chicken breast with a thick and shaggy crust that crunches when you bite into it.
This White Chicken Chili is done in less than an hour start to finish in the Instant Pot with melt-in your mouth tender chicken. Stir everything together in the instant pot, top with cream cheese and set for 20 minutes.
This Instant Pot Chicken and Rice 30-minute version of classic Chicken and Rice, a fan-favorite recipe! It's creamy and cheesy, similar to risotto, but without stirring for 30 minutes. This recipe keeps well in the fridge and freezer, so you can meal prep! Try this quick and filling recipe for your family to enjoy.
When my husband worked at Chilis Restaurant, he learned how to make these Mushroom Jack Fajitas. This recipe is less salty which we prefer. They’re so satisfying and pretty simple to make.
This slow cooker chicken is so easy to make – everything just goes into the crock pot without any special prep. It’s fall-apart tender, juicy and delicious. Serve as is or in buns with the best coconut coleslaw (find the recipe on natashaskitchen.com) and dill pickle chips.
If you love cooking chicken, you’ll appreciate these leftover chicken breast recipes. These are genius ways to re-purpose chicken without it tasting like leftovers.
Everyone loves these Chicken Patties, even the pickiest eaters! They are crisp on the outside with a juicy, cheesy center and it’s a genius way to use leftover Rotisserie Chicken.
This creamy chicken salad recipe has tender chicken, juicy grapes, crisp celery, red onion, toasted pecans, and a fresh lemon-dill dressing. It’s easy to make with cooked chicken breast, roast chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Serve it in sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, over greens, or with crackers. This makes 6 to 7 cups of chicken salad total.
Chicken Fried Rice is one of our go-to EASY 30-minute meals. Fried Rice is perfect for meal prep and a genius way to use leftovers. It’s actually even better with leftover rice.
This homemade Chicken Pot Pie is homey, cozy and will warm you up. It has a homemade flaky pie crust and is loaded with juicy chicken in gravy and vegetables. If you've never tried a homemade savory pot pie, this will impress everyone.
