The Best Chicken Recipes of 2021, According to Our Readers

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Brie Passano If there’s one true thing about the United States, it’s this: we love chicken . And why not? Lean chicken breast is one of the easiest proteins to cook, plus it’s a blank slate that can be dressed up with herbs, spices, and sauces galore. Even chicken […]

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bowls of homemade orange chicken with chopsticks
Brie Passano

If there's one true thing about the United States, it's this: we love chicken. And why not? Lean chicken breast is one of the easiest proteins to cook, plus it's a blank slate that can be dressed up with herbs, spices, and sauces galore. Even chicken thighs are relatively low in fat when treated right and have their place in a healthy diet.

While fast-food chicken sandwiches and takeout have their role as the occasional weeknight solution, it's worth your sanity—and your health—to keep some easy, healthy chicken recipes on hand. To make it easy to comb through the multitude of recipes online, we've gathered together our most popular chicken recipes as chosen by our readers.

If you're picking up a rotisserie chicken for one of these quick dishes, don't miss We Tried 6 Store-Bought Rotisserie Chickens & This Is the Best

Low-calorie chicken pot pie
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

This chicken pot pie delivers all the flavors you'd expect from this beloved comfort food with a fraction of the fat and calories. No wonder it was the most popular chicken recipe on our site in 2021. If you're curious, here are The Best Recipes of 2021, According to Our Readers.

Get our recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.

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Crock pot chicken noodle soup with bread on a table.
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

We love our slow cookers in the U.S. and what better way to put them to use than to make this warming soup. Chicken noodle soup may not cure an illness, but it makes it much easier to bear.

Get our recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.

chicken piccata
Shutterstock

Chicken sings when it's lightly sauteed and then dressed up with a light lemon-butter sauce and a sprinkle of tart capers. This dish is a classic for a reason, give it a try!

Get our recipe for Easy Chicken Piccata.

Healthy mom's chicken noodle soup
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Don't have a slow cooker? No worries! This chicken noodle soup is made the classic way: bubbling merrily on your stove.

Get our recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.

Paleo oven fried chicken
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Taking the extra steps of marinating the chicken in buttermilk with a dash of hot sauce and seasoning your breadcrumbs with a touch of oil and herbs and spices make all the difference in this popular recipe.

chicken parm casserole
Gail Watson Photography

The classic flavors of chicken Parm become a soul-warming all-in-one dish with this easy recipe. Bonus: It's made with meat from a rotisserie chicken so it's perfect for any night of the week.

Get our recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Parm Casserole.

bowls of homemade orange chicken with chopsticks
Brie Passano

If you're craving takeout, give this dish with tons of fresh orange flavor a try. You won't miss the sticky, gloppy sauce and you'll feel much better without all of the sodium coursing through your veins.

Get our recipe for Healthier Orange Chicken.

crispy chicken on pan with tongs and lemon
Jason Donnelly

Well-seasoned breadcrumbs are the key to this simple, oven-fried chicken. Be sure to cook your chicken on a rack set inside your pan to get the best crispy results.

Get our recipe for Healthy Crispy Chicken.

side view of lemon chicken inside an Instant Pot
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

The Instant Pot infuses simple skinless chicken thighs with lemony goodness in less than 20 minutes. Honestly, this is one of the best appliances to add to your kitchen, If you love your slow cooker, it's time for the Instant Pot.

Get our recipe for Instant Pot Lemon Chicken.

two bowls of instant pot chicken and rice soup with bread
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Our readers cannot get enough of chicken soup, this one is made in record time in the Instant Pot with healthy wild rice.

Get our recipe for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup.

Healthy loaded alfredo with chicken and veggies
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

You won't find a touch of cream in this healthier version of Alfredo sauce, but with a creamy bechamel sauce base, you won't miss it. A ton of crisp veggies and tender chicken help make this a healthy and filling meal that tastes just as decadent as the calorie bombs you get in restaurants.

Get our recipe for Loaded Alfredo Pasta With Chicken and Vegetables.

Healthy creamy mushroom chicken
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

The key to cooking healthy is knowing that a little bit of decadence goes a long way. A 1/4 cup of real half-and-half combined with Greek yogurt gives this dish the creaminess you crave without all of the fat and calories. Garlic, shallot, and sherry infuse the mushrooms with intense flavor.

Get our recipe for Creamy Mushroom Chicken.

chicken enchilada casserole in bowl
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Use your slow cooker to get all the spicy flavors of the enchiladas you crave without all the work. You can customize the spice in this dish to your liking.

Get our recipe for Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

Healthy chicken and dumplings
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Do you sense a comfort food theme with these recipes? Comfort food classics like this warming dish of chicken and dumplings struck a chord throughout 2021. All of our recipes, of course, have a healthy spin so you can feel good about your choices.

Get our recipe for Chicken and Dumplings.

Healthy greek salad
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Greek salads are commonly packed with crisp healthy veggies and this one is no different. Shredded chicken and tangy feta cheese add a hit of protein and chickpeas boost the fiber to make this a filling meal for lunch or dinner.

Get our recipe for Chicken Greek Salad.

Healthy chicken fried rice
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Takeout fried rice is hardly filling with its little bits of veggies and sorry scattering of protein. In this recipe, we turn leftover rice into a whole new healthy meal by packing in tons of veggies and lean protein. You'll never be satisfied by the stuff in the container again!

Paleo margarita chicken 
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Our version of margarita chicken, a meal that you can have on the table in 20 minutes, contains all the same bells and whistles (Cheese! Salsa! Sizzle!), minus all the added calories and dollars spent on eating at a restaurant.

Get our recipes for Margarita Chicken.

white chicken chili in two bowls with cilantro
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Packed with lean chicken, corn, white beans, and chiles, this warming pot of chili will keep the whole family fed throughout the week. Scatter your favorite toppings over it when you're ready to eat and dig in.

Get our recipe for Instant Pot White Chicken Chili.

Gluten-free chicken fingers with chipotle honey
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Love chicken fingers? Make the switch to this oven-fried version once a week, and you'll shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 milligrams of sodium) in a year, while still enjoying your favorite childhood food.

Get our recipe for Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers.

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