Chicken breast is probably one of the easiest things to pick up for dinner, but figuring out what to do with it is another story. Plain baked chicken gets boring pretty quickly.
These chicken breast recipes give you a few different ways to use it, from creamy mushroom chicken and Chicken Marsala to a fresh Greek salad and spicy Buffalo chicken sandwich.
There are quick dinners for busy nights, a couple of meals that feel a little more special, and a slow cooker recipe for days when you don’t want to spend much time cooking.
Air Fryer Chicken Pesto Pasta
If pasta is already an easy dinner in your house, adding chicken turns it into a much more filling meal.
This air fryer chicken pesto pasta combines chicken breast, pasta and pesto for a simple dinner that doesn’t require much work. Using the air fryer for the chicken also keeps things easy, especially when you don’t want another pan on the stove.
It’s a good chicken breast recipe to keep around for busy weeknights when you want pasta but need something more substantial than pasta and sauce.
30-Minute Creamy Mushroom Chicken
This creamy mushroom chicken is made entirely in one skillet and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
The chicken breasts are browned first, then mushrooms and garlic go into the same pan. White wine, chicken broth, heavy cream, Dijon mustard and grated cheese turn everything into a rich, creamy sauce.
I like this one with mashed potatoes because you have plenty of sauce to spoon over them, but rice or pasta works just as well.
It’s easy enough for a regular weeknight dinner but looks a little nicer on the plate than your usual quick chicken meal.
Air Fryer Greek Chicken Salad
For something lighter, this Greek chicken salad is packed with tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives and feta.
The chicken breast is marinated in Greek yogurt with garlic, smoked paprika and oregano before going into the air fryer. While the chicken cooks, you can chop the vegetables and make the simple olive oil and lemon dressing.
Once the chicken is done, slice it and put it over the salad with plenty of feta.
This is a good choice for warmer days when you still want chicken for dinner but don’t feel like making a heavy meal.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken tikka masala sounds like it should take a lot of work, but this version lets the slow cooker handle most of it.
Cubed chicken breast cooks in a tomato sauce with garam masala, turmeric, cumin, ginger and garlic. Yogurt and heavy cream give the sauce its creamy texture without taking away from all those spices.
You can cook it on high for three to four hours or leave it on low for six to eight hours.
Serve it over basmati rice with warm naan on the side. It’s also a nice change when you’ve made the same basic chicken dinners a few too many times.
Chicken Marsala
Chicken Marsala is what I’d make when I want chicken breast for dinner but want it to feel a little more special.
The chicken is lightly coated in flour and browned in a skillet before mushrooms, shallots, Marsala wine, chicken broth and cream are added to the pan.
You end up with tender chicken in a rich mushroom sauce that is especially good with mashed potatoes. Pasta, rice, asparagus or roasted vegetables also work well on the side.
The whole meal takes about 40 minutes, so you get something that looks like a restaurant dinner without turning it into an all-evening project.
Buffalo Skinny Chicken Sandwich
Chicken breast doesn’t always have to mean a sit-down dinner with vegetables on the side.
For these Buffalo chicken sandwiches, thin chicken cutlets are cooked and coated in Buffalo sauce, then piled onto buns with ranch or blue cheese dressing, lettuce and celery for some crunch.
You can also add cheddar or pepper jack if you want cheese.
They take around 30 minutes to make and work particularly well for a casual Friday dinner, weekend lunch or game day meal. Add fries, potato wedges or a simple salad on the side and dinner is done.