7 Meals To Make With Chicken So You Don’t Get Bored
Chicken is my favorite meat, so I eat a lot of chicken. I know that it can get boring for people who don’t like it as much as I do. So these are some new meals to make with chicken for those days when you want to try something new and different.
1. Chicken Cutlets with Charred Peppers
The breaded chicken cutlets go really nicely with the charred peppers. The flavors of the peppers bring out the flavor of the breaded chicken amazingly. This is one of the best meals to make with chicken so you can have a unique flavor that’s something you’re not used to.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2 large white onions, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- Salt
- 4 large eggs, beaten to blend
- 2 cups of plain dried breadcrumbs
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- 12 ounces of small peppers
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
Steps:
1. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring often, until onions are very soft but haven’t taken on any color, 14-18 minutes. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, 6-8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season onion puree with salt. Keep warm.
2. Place eggs, breadcrumbs, and flour in 3 separate, shallow bowls. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and set a wire rack inside. Place 1 chicken breast on a cutting board. Holding knife blade parallel to the board, cut breast in half, slicing along a long side, to make 2 pieces. Place inside a large resealable plastic bag, seal, and gently pound to about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
3. Working with one cutlet at a time, season with salt on both sides, then cover in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in eggs, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Then coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere before shaking off excess. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy skillet, over medium-high heat. Cook peppers, shaking pan occasionally, until lightly blistered and charred all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer peppers to a medium bowl and toss with lemon juice, season with salt.
4. Wipe out skillet and pour in oil to come 1 inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium-high heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 350-365 degrees. Carefully lower 1 cutlet along the side of skillet closest to you and let slide away from you into the oil. Use tongs to submerge it and cook until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes.
5. Carefully turn cutlet and cook, spooning hot oil over any areas that may be poking out, until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack in prepared baking sheet. Season lightly with salt while still hot. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Divide cutlets and warm onion puree among plates and top with charred peppers.
2. Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Stir-fry is a really good dish that you can make with almost anything you want to put in it. It’s mostly made with green beans and chicken, but you can add broccoli and carrots, if you want. This is another one of the best meals to make with chicken that will give you unique flavors.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced across the grain into bite size pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided
- 6 scallions, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise
- 12 ounces of green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise
- Steamed white rice, chopped toasted cashews or peanuts, sesame seeds, and/or thinly sliced fresh chiles, optional for serving
Steps:
1. Toss chicken, corn starch, red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce in a medium bowl. Stir vinegar, wine, and remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce in a small bowl. Have the other ingredients prepped and ready to go.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. When oil is shimmering and slides quickly across the surface of the pan, add scallions and ginger and cook, tossing, until scallions are browned and softened, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing often, until green beans are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer green bean mixture to another medium bowl.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over high heat. When oil is shimmering again, add chicken mixture and arrange slices in a single layer in skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until chicken is browned and caramelized on first side, about 1 minute. Toss and continue to cook until meat is no longer pink and cooked through, about a minute or two longer. Pour in wine mixture and green bean mixture and cook, tossing briskly, until sauce is thickened and all ingredients are coated, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and taste, then season with more salt, if desired.
4. Divide stir-fry among plates. Serve with rice alongside, if you want to use the rice. Sprinkle with desired toppings.
3. Chicken Tikka Masala
This chicken meal includes yogurt because it helps to tenderize the chicken. The spices help to infuse the chicken with lots of flavors. This is one of the meals to make with chicken that will provide a lot of unique flavors that you might not be used to yet.
Ingredients:
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 4 teaspoons of finely grated peeled ginger
- 4 teaspoons of ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons of garam masala
- 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups of whole milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup of tomato paste
- 6 cardamom pods, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 3/4 cup of chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
- Steamed basmati rice, for serving
Steps:
1. Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 4-6 hours. Cover and chill the remaining spice mixture.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, cardamom, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until the bottom of the pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, add heat, and simmer, stirring often, and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until sauce thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on the rack in a single layer. Broil until the chicken starts to blacken in spots, about 10 minutes. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs.
4. Tomato Chicken Curry
The honey that is added to this meal makes the chicken flavor pop out more. The other spices added to the chicken make it a little spicy, but it’s not too bad. This is one of the meals to make with chicken that is really creative and would be a unique taste.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1 28-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can of coconut milk
- 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
- 1/2 cup of whole-milk yogurt
- 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped cilantro
Steps:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, turning occasionally, until undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes, season with salt. Add garam masala, bay leaf, and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in honey and cook until slightly caramelized, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, along with juices, and bring to a boil, smashing down on tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until pieces are no bigger than one inch.
2. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until sauce thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Add coconut milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 20-25 minutes. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Add chicken strips and reduce heat to low. Cook, partially covered, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt. Stir yogurt, a big pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Drizzle yogurt sauce over stew, top with cilantro before serving.
5. Chicken Cordon Bleu
This is a dish where you stuff the chicken with other meat, usually ham with a little bit of cheese. The flavors go really nicely together, too. This is another one of the meals to make with chicken that will give you a totally unique flavor.
Ingredients:
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 thin slices of ham
- 4 thin slices of Swiss cheese
- 3/4 cup of dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Steps:
1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven, preheat to 375 degrees. Trim any fat around the edges of the chicken. Working one at a time, place chicken between sheets of parchment paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin, until about 1/4 inch thick. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange chicken, smooth side down, on a work surface. Cover one half of each breast with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese, leaving space around the edges. Fold breast in half over ham and cheese and press the edges together to firmly seal.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk egg and 1 tablespoon of water in another shallow bowl. Spread flour on a plate. Press both sides of the chicken in the flour, shake off any excess, then dip both sides into the egg mixture. Coat all over with the breadcrumb mixture, patting with your fingers to adhere. Transfer to a plate.
4. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides, around 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, season with salt. Bake chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!
6. Chicken Saltimbocca with Crunchy Pea Salad
This is a nice combination of prosciutto and sage with chicken, so it tastes really good. There is a lot of flavor in this chicken and salad dish. This is one of those meals to make with chicken that has a lot of different tastes and unique flavors.
Ingredients:
- 2 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
- 2 cups of panko
- 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
- Salt
- 8 sage leaves
- 4 thin slices of prosciutto
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- 4 scallions, very thinly sliced on a diagonal
- 8 ounces of sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of mint leaves, torn if large
- 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Steps:
1. Place a chicken breast on a cutting board, holding a knife parallel to the board and working a long side, cut through the center of the breast, until you are a 1/2 inch from the other side. Open like a book and place butterflied breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound as thin as possible without tearing meat, about 1/4 of an inch thick and 8 inches wide. Repeat with the other chicken breast.
2. Place eggs, panko and flour in separate shallow bowls, cake pans, or pie plates. Season cutlets lightly with salt. Working with one cutlet at a time, press 2 sage leaves to both sides of the meat. Wrap 2 pieces of prosciutto around each cutlet to make a belt that holds in the sage. Cover in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in eggs, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Coat in panko, pressing lightly to help it adhere, then shake off the excess. Place cutlets on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until very hot, an instant read thermometer should register 350-375 degrees. Carefully lower one cutlet along the side of the skillet closest to you and let it slide into the oil so it’s lying flat. Swirl oil in the skillet carefully so that the cutlet is submerged, and cook just until the bottom side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, season with salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes, repeat with remaining cutlet.
4. Toss scallions, peas, mint, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Arrange cutlets on a platter and top with pea salad. Sprinkle with sea salt, serve with lemons. Enjoy!
7. Chicken Schnitzel with Crunchy Salad
This is basically another way to make chicken cutlets. The flavors with the mustard and radishes make this meal even better than chicken cutlets, though. This is one of those meals to make with chicken that has a great flavor that you’ll love.
Ingredients:
- 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 large shallot
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 5 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
- 8 chicken cutlets
- 2 cups of plain breadcrumbs
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 10 stalks of celery with leaves
- 8 radishes
Steps:
1. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a large bowl and pick out any seeds. Whisk one tablespoon of honey into the lemon juice. Peel and thinly slice 1 large shallot into rings. Add them to the bowl with the lemon juice mixture, season with 1 teaspoon of salt, and let sit, stirring occasionally with a spoon, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2. Pour the vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of about 1 inch and heat over medium-high heat. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature every few minutes. It should be around 350 degrees, about 10 minutes. As it goes past 3oo degrees, reduce the heat to low so you get to the target temperature gradually.
3. While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, prep your chicken for frying. Whisk 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 3 teaspoons of mustard, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Working in batches, add 8 chicken cutlets to bowl and toss until coated.
4. Pour 2 cups of plain breadcrumbs onto a rimmed baking sheet. Cover the cutlets one at a time, pressing down so an even layer of crumbs adheres to each one. Transfer the chicken to a plate as you go, setting them aside. Whisk the remaining 2 teaspoon of mustard into the bowl with pickled shallots. Whisking constantly, slowly add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to create an emulsified vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Thinly slice 1o celery stalks with leaves on a bias and add them to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Trim and thinly slice 8 radishes. Add to salad bowl and give everything a good toss.
6. Check oil and adjust temperature so the thermometer registers around 350 degrees. Working with 2 cutlets at a time and using tongs, carefully slide chicken into hot oil and cook, turning once, until crispy and browned, 1-2 minutes per side. Keep an eye on the oil temperature, which will drop when you add the chicken, increase the heat if needed to maintain 350 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack. Season with a little bit of salt and repeat with remaining cutlets.
7. Slice 1 lemon into wedges for serving. Divide salad and schnitzel among plates. Top with a few grinds of pepper and serve with mustard and lemon wedges for squeezing over. Enjoy!
