When you don't feel like putting together a big meal, you can't go wrong with one of these easy baked chicken recipes. The dishes range from simple entrées with just a few ingredients to budget-friendly crispy chicken recipes that take just a few minutes of prep time.
Whatever recipe you choose, make sure you cook the chicken thoroughly. The FDA recommends that all poultry be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F. While the recipes recommend a baking time, different thicknesses of chicken could need a little more or less time. An accurate instant-read thermometer is worth its weight in gold. It's the best way to ensure the chicken is done.
Iron Skillet Roast Chicken
Of course, you can use a baking dish to roast this chicken, but a cast-iron skillet seems to make it taste better. The whole roasted chicken is perfectly seasoned with olive oil and a variety of herbs and spices and it's ready within an hour.
Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears
This one-pan dinner combo includes inexpensive bone-in chicken thighs, Brussels sprouts, and pears. The pan-seared thighs are coated with a honey mustard sauce for extra flavor, and the entire dish is finished in the oven. Serve it with potatoes or mashed cauliflower.
5-Ingredient Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs
Crispy chicken with less than 10 minutes prep time? Yes, it's true. For this baked ranch chicken thigh recipe, all you have to do is mix the seasonings with olive oil, brush the chicken, and put it in the oven.
Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs or Legs
You won't believe this crispy chicken came from the oven. After shaking the thighs in a mix of buttermilk and hot sauce, they're marinated. The chicken starts in the skillet in a small amount of oil to crisp the skin, then is placed on a roasting pan to bake in the oven.
Continue to 5 of 28 belowOven-Fried Chicken Thighs With Panko and Parmesan Coating
Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese make up the crispy coating for these oven-fried chicken thighs. For an interesting twist, they're dipped in a garlicky mix of melted butter, maple syrup, and mustard before the breading. You can even spice it up with cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning.
Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
Chicken leg quarters are an economical choice for dinner. In this roasted recipe, they're flavored with lots of garlic and a few simple seasonings and come out of the oven tender and juicy. Switch out the seasonings or add potatoes and carrots to the baking dish for a nearly effortless and well-balanced meal.
Slow-Cooked Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
Slow cooking is the key to this delicious barbecued chicken drumsticks recipe. The low oven temperature ensures the meat doesn't dry out and caramelizes the homemade barbecue sauce wonderfully.
Paprika Chicken Breasts With Sour Cream Gravy
A savory sour cream gravy completes this paprika-flavored chicken perfectly. The chicken bakes to perfection with a few simple seasonings, and the sour cream gravy takes only 5 to 10 minutes of prep time.
Continue to 9 of 28 belowCoconut Curry Braised Chicken
Use whole chicken legs or chicken thighs and drumsticks in this delicious coconut curry braised chicken dish. The flavorful curry and coconut milk flavors will have everyone asking for seconds.
Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Honey-baked drumsticks are irresistible. A simple coating of butter and a sweet and slightly tart honey-lemon sauce give them a fascinating flavor. Serve them for a family dinner or double it up for a game day party.
Hot and Spicy Baked Chicken Drumettes
These hot and spicy drumettes will quickly become your go-to recipe. Bake the drumettes (or wings, if you prefer) with the simple hot sauce and flour coating and bake. When they're ready, just toss them with a homemade hot sauce.
Blackened Chicken
Blackened chicken looks tricky, but it's surprisingly simple. Coat chicken breasts with a spice rub that includes black onion seed, cayenne, and paprika, give them a quick sear, then finish them in the oven. When served over spicy rice, it's a fantastic dinner.
Continue to 13 of 28 belowOven-Fried Pesto Chicken
This oven-fried pesto chicken recipe is proof that boneless chicken breasts can, indeed, be tender and flavorful. The chicken is rubbed with prepared pesto, then coated in a spiced breadcrumb blend. In about 20 minutes, they're ready for dinner.
Peach Glazed Chicken Breasts
You only need four ingredients for the peach glaze that makes this chicken recipe fabulous. Though the combination of peach preserves, spicy brown mustard, and balsamic vinegar is unusual, it's utterly delicious.
Potato Chip Chicken
Change up your oven-fried chicken routine by using crushed potato chips instead of breadcrumbs. Seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, barbecue kettle-cooked chips are best, adding a nice hint of flavor and a great crunch.
Honey Dijon Baked Chicken
The tangy honey, mustard, and curry glaze flavors these baked chicken breasts beautifully. For best results, marinate the chicken for an hour or two. The recipe also works on the grill and is especially delicious with kale and baked potatoes.
Continue to 17 of 28 belowBaked Pineapple Chicken Breasts
Treat the family to the unique flavor of these pineapple chicken breasts. The chicken is dredged in a seasoned flour mix of celery salt, garlic, onion, and nutmeg, browned in a skillet, then baked in a delicious pineapple sauce. It makes a fabulous meal with hot cooked rice, sliced pineapple, and a salad.
Roasted Chicken Dinner With Potatoes
A one-dish roasted chicken dinner, this one will satisfy the pickiest eaters in your family. Rubbed with butter and garlic, the quartered chicken roasts to perfection with potatoes, carrots, and celery. It's an easy and inexpensive meal that can even work on a weeknight.
Chicken Breasts With Mozzarella Cheese
With just five ingredients, plus salt and pepper, these boneless chicken breasts are a snap to prepare and bake. The mushroom and mozzarella cheese topping makes them first-class. It's easy enough for an everyday meal and special enough for a dinner party.
Copycat Alice Springs Chicken
Alice Springs chicken is a delicious copycat recipe inspired by the dish from Outback Steakhouse. Chicken breasts are topped with mushrooms, bacon, and cheese, then baked. It's a quick recipe, but best when the chicken marinates in honey mustard for at least 2 hours.
Continue to 21 of 28 belowBaked Sweet and Sour Chicken
You might recognize this family favorite recipe that requires just four ingredients. The sweet and sour chicken is baked with a combination of Russian dressing, onion soup mix, and apricot preserves. It's sure to please the entire family.
Chicken Thighs With Orange Sauce
A sweet orange sauce flavors these boneless chicken thighs. The recipe takes about five minutes of prep time, leaving you to go about other tasks while they bake. Serve them with hot cooked rice or roasted potatoes.
Roasted Lime and Cilantro Chicken Breasts
Lime, garlic, and cilantro are the complementary ingredients used to baste this chicken. It's a super simple dish with a delicious, bright flavor and works just as well with a combination of lemon and parsley.
Simple Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts With Garlic
These oven-fried chicken breasts might seem plain and simple, but the garlic powder and basic seasonings flavor them nicely. Serve them as a main dish or in sandwiches, or slice the breasts and transform them into a chicken salad.
Continue to 25 of 28 belowOven Barbecued Chicken
Make this tender, juicy baked barbecued chicken with whole chicken legs or chicken thighs. The chicken is basted with a homemade barbecue sauce of brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. A little liquid smoke gives it a delicious grilled taste.
Chicken Parmesan
A classic dish, in about an hour you can have chicken Parmesan on the dinner table. The breaded chicken breasts are quickly sautéed then topped with spaghetti sauce (jarred is perfectly fine) and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake it until the cheese is nice and bubbly, and you're done.
Baked Chicken and Potatoes
Baked chicken and potatoes is a simple and wholesome meal that's incredibly easy. Seasoned simply with salt and pepper, the chicken breasts are baked on a bed of diced potatoes then topped with Parmesan cheese. Cook up another veggie for a side or toss up a quick salad for a complete meal.
Broiled Chicken Wings With Barbecue Sauce
Perfect for a family snack, tailgating, and parties, these tasty chicken wings are a guaranteed hit. They're broiled for a short time, then coated in the zesty homemade barbecue sauce before returning to the broiler to get a yummy glaze. Keep them warm in a slow cooker.