8 Recipes For Making Your Chicken Less Boring
Since we’ve all spent a lot more time at home since March 2020, we’ve all had to do a lot more cooking at home. Altering my chicken recipes and trying new chicken recipes has been my go-to during quarantine because chicken can be made in so many different ways. Over the course of quarantine, I’ve tried a variety of new chicken recipes to keep dinner interesting and to force myself to try new ingredients and flavors. These chicken recipes will make your chicken less boring and might even add some exciting new flavors to your palette. This list provides chicken recipes for altering and enhancing the trusty chicken breast. Whether it’s baked, grilled, or put into a soup, these chicken recipes are a must-try and super easy to make!
1. Chicken and Beans Stir-Fry with Miso Curry
This chicken recipe takes stir-fry chicken up a notch with the added component of a miso curry. A little heat mixed with a little sweet gives this chicken recipe a boost. It’s great by itself or served over brown or white rice. Adding additional vegetables to this chicken recipe is also a go if you’d rather not add a side.
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 12 ounces string beans, sugar snap peas, and/or snow peas
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen baby peas, thawed
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Mix garlic, soy sauce, miso, curry powder, ginger, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Slice chicken into thick strips. Season with salt and sprinkle with sugar. Cook chicken in a single layer, undisturbed, until well browned, 2-3 minutes. Turn and continue to cook about 30 seconds longer. Transfer to a plate. Cook beans and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until beans are bright green and lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to chicken plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste darkens and garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add peas and 1/2 cup water. Return chicken and beans to skillet and cook. tossing occasionally until sauce is reduced by more than half and thickens, 2-3 minutes. Top with scallions, serve, and enjoy this vamped up chicken recipe.
2. Chicken Cordon Bleu
A classic chicken recipe, chicken cordon bleu is a favorite for those of us who love cheese and anything wrapped in ham. The breadcrumb crust gives this version of this chicken recipe a nice crunch and can be served with a side salad, rice, or potatoes.
- 4 chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 4 thin slices ham or prosciutto
- 4 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
- 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons oil
Preheat oven to 375. Working one at a time, place chicken between sheets of parchment paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about 1/4″ thick. Season chicken. Cover one half of each breast with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese. Fold breasts in half over ham and cheese and press together to set. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk eggs and 1 tablespoon water in another shallow bowl. Press both sides of chicken in flour, shaking off any excess, then dip both sides into egg mixture. Coat all over with breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Bake chicken the thickest part is 165 degrees, about 5 minutes. Enjoy this chicken recipe straight from the oven.
3. Caprese Chicken
This chicken recipe is light and refreshing. It’s the perfect chicken recipe to eat outside on a warm summer evening. The tomato and and mozzarella are reminiscent of a nice Caprese salad and they give this chicken recipe a yummy lift.
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 Roma tomato, sliced
- 1/2 tub mozzarella, drained
- 5 basil leaves, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/3 cup brown rice
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken on a greased pan or foil. Place garlic on top. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken starts to brown. While the chicken is in the oven, cook your rice by following the instructions on the box. Once the chicken starts to brown, take it out and remove the garlic. Then top with the basil, tomato, and mozzarella. Put back in the oven another 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the cheese has melted. Place on top of your rice then enjoy this chicken recipe while it’s still warm.
4. Grilled Cheesy Buffalo Chicken
Nothing goes better with chicken than buffalo sauce. This chicken recipe is a different take on the chicken wings that we would normally see paired with buffalo sauce. This chicken recipe is perfect served with a side salad or celery, carrots, and ranch just like wings.
- 1 pound chicken breast
- Pepper
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
Preheat grill to medium-low heat. Butterfly your chicken; do not cut all the way through. Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with pepper. Evenly top the chicken with the cheese and fold over the chicken to close it. In a microwave safe bowl melt butter for 8 seconds. Stir in hot sauce and celery salt. Brush one side of the chicken with the hot sauce mixture and place the hot sauce side down on the grill. Brush more hot sauce over the top of the chicken. Cook for about 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and brush on remaining hot sauce and cook until no longer pink; about 5 minutes more. Serve this chicken recipe up warm and enjoy!
5. Green Goddess Chicken Sandwich
This chicken recipe takes the chicken sandwich to a next level. The green goddess sauce is light, refreshing, and brings the entire chicken recipe together. Different than any other chicken sandwich I’ve ever had, this chicken recipe goes nicely with a side salad or even some sweet potato fries.
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded to 1/2″ thickness
- Cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chives, cilantro, parsley
- 1 avocado
- 7 ounces Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 cup baby spinach
Prepare grill at medium heat. Spray the chicken with nonstick spray and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill and cook 8-10 minutes, or until chicken loses its pink color throughout. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes. For the sauce: in a food processor, pulse garlic until finely chopped. Add herbs and pulse again. Add avocado, yogurt, honey, lemon juice, vinegar, white pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process until mixture is well combined. Build sandwich using buns, spinach, chicken and green goddess sauce. Serve this chicken recipe up warm and enjoy!
6. Alabama-Style Chicken Kebabs
This chicken recipe is perfect for anyone who like a little bit of heat; you can adjust the amount of chili paste in this chicken recipe to your preferred heat level. These skewers are yummy served up on a bed of rice or with a nice medley of grilled vegetables. A nice summer dish, this chicken recipe is perfect for a barbeque with your quarantine bubble.
Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove garlic, mashed or put through a press
Kebabs:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 12-inch skewers
- salt, pepper, and olive oil
Whisk all the sauce ingredients together. For the kebabs, cut the breasts into 1 1/2 inch cubes and thread them on the skewers. Season the kebabs with a little salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Light your grill to medium heat and oil the grates well. Reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cups of the sauce for dipping. Place your kebabs on the grill and start lightly basting and turning until chicken is done. Serve them up with the reserved sauce on the side and enjoy this tasty chicken recipe.
7. Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
I never considered combining artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, but after trying this chicken recipe I’m sold on it. The combination is really good and brings a twist to chicken skewers. This chicken recipe goes really well over a bed of rice because the sauce compliments the chicken as well as the rice. This chicken recipe has a vegetable twist that everyone will enjoy!
- 4 chicken breast halves
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in a skillet; cook, turning once to brown each side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Pour tomatoes into pan; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and incorporating the brown bits from bottom of pan. Stir in pesto and artichokes, and return chicken to pan. Cover, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5-10 minutes then serve this chicken recipe up with some rice and enjoy!
8. Cheese Chicken Soup
I love a good soup, so any chicken recipe that becomes a soup is a go for me. Plus, cheese and chicken are one of the best combinations. This chicken recipe is perfect to make after a busy day because it’s quick and the ingredients also make it very kid-friendly. It’s also an adult-approved chicken recipe that you’ll enjoy!
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
- 1 can diced potatoes, drained
- 1 pound Velveeta, cubed
- Minced chives
In a Dutch oven, combine the first 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in cheese just until melted (do not boil). Top with minced chives and enjoy this chicken recipe while it’s nice and hot.
