28 Easy Baked Chicken Recipes

Delicious Chicken Recipes That Will Make Your Day Simpler

Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

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.

  • 01 of 28

    Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

    Iron Skillet Roast Chicken

    The Spruce

    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.

  • 02 of 28

    Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

    Roasted Chicken Thighs With Brussels Sprouts and Pears

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    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.

  • 03 of 28

    5-Ingredient Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

    Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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. 

  • 04 of 28

    Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs or Legs

    Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

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  • 05 of 28

    Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs With Panko and Parmesan Coating

    Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs With Panko and Parmesan Coating

    The Spruce

    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.

  • 06 of 28

    Garlic Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters

    Garlic roasted chicken leg recipe

    ​The Spruce / Ali Redmond

    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.

  • 07 of 28

    Slow-Cooked Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken

    Slow-Cooked Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    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.

  • 08 of 28

    Paprika Chicken Breasts With Sour Cream Gravy

    Paprika Chicken Breasts

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

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  • 09 of 28

    Coconut Curry Braised Chicken

    Coconut Curry Chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 10 of 28

    Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

    Honey Baked Chicken Legs

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

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    Hot and Spicy Baked Chicken Drumettes

    Hot and Spicy Baked Chicken Drumettes or Wings

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    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.

  • 12 of 28

    Blackened Chicken

    Blackened Seasoning

    The Spruce

    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.

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  • 13 of 28

    Oven-Fried Pesto Chicken

    Oven Fried Pesto Chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 14 of 28

    Peach Glazed Chicken Breasts

    Peach-Glazed Chicken Breasts

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 15 of 28

    Potato Chip Chicken

    Potato Chip Chicken

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    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.

  • 16 of 28

    Honey Dijon Baked Chicken

    Honey Dijon Baked Chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

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  • 17 of 28

    Baked Pineapple Chicken Breasts

    Pineapple Baked Chicken

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 18 of 28

    Roasted Chicken Dinner With Potatoes

    Roasted Chicken Dinner

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 19 of 28

    Chicken Breasts With Mozzarella Cheese

    Easy Chicken With Mozzarella Cheese

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 20 of 28

    Copycat Alice Springs Chicken

    Alice Springs Chicken

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    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.

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  • 21 of 28

    Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Baked Glazed Chicken Pieces

    svariophoto / E+ / Getty Images

    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.

  • 22 of 28

    Chicken Thighs With Orange Sauce

    Sweet and Savory Chicken Thighs With Orange Sauce

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    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.

  • 23 of 28

    Roasted Lime and Cilantro Chicken Breasts

    Roasted Lime and Cilantro Chicken Breasts

    Adam Frank / Getty Images

    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.

  • 24 of 28

    Simple Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts With Garlic

    Simple Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts With Garlic

    The Spruce

    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.

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  • 25 of 28

    Oven Barbecued Chicken

    Slow cooked oven baked bbq chicken recipe

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

    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.

  • 26 of 28

    Chicken Parmesan

    Easy Chicken Parmesan

    The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii

    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.

  • 27 of 28

    Baked Chicken and Potatoes

    Homemade Baked Chicken and Potatoes

     The Spruce

    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.

  • 28 of 28

    Broiled Chicken Wings With Barbecue Sauce

    Broiled BBQ Chicken Wings

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    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.