Our Best Easy Chicken Recipes, According to Readers

These dishes, which take a half-hour or less, deserve a spot in your rotation, too.

Susan Spungen’s chicken caprese comes together with just six ingredients.Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Published July 31, 2025Updated July 31, 2025

Take a few minutes to scroll through our most popular recipes of the year (so far), and one thing is obvious: People really like chicken. Unsurprisingly, they’re especially fond of chicken recipes that promise a delicious meal in 30 minutes or less. And so, here are the easy weeknight chicken recipes our readers turn to again and again. Take a peek, and maybe you’ll find a new favorite (or two).

An overhead shot of a pan with sliced chicken thighs and sliced asparagus. There is a spoon in the pan.

“This is easily the easiest meal I’ve made from NYT Cooking and it was a smash hit at home.”

There’s a reason this Ali Slagle recipe has 22,000 reviews and counting: It’s the high effort-to-flavor ratio, which is commended in more comments than we can count. Ready in 15 minutes, it’s a foolproof stir-fry that relies on quick-cooking asparagus, honey and turmeric.

An overhead shot of three tostadas, layered with refried beans, chicken tinga, cilantro, avocado and diced white onion,

“Easily the best refried type beans I’ve made — our whole family loves them! And so easy. Adding this one to the ‘on repeat’ list!”

Full disclosure: These tostadas from Rick A. Martínez take 35 minutes, but they’re just the kind of resourceful, easy dish that deserves to be on this list. Rotisserie chicken warmed in salsa, chipotles in adobo and bacon refried beans are layered atop crunchy tostadas for a hearty and fast meal.

An overhead shot of a plate with sliced, spiced chicken thigh, a fork and a side salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and olives covered in a feta dressing.

“This 78-year-old good cook, who now tires easily, loved this recipe.”

If the combination of chicken and garlicky yogurt isn’t on your radar, try this recipe from Ali Slagle. The yogurt does double duty: as a marinade, ensuring it stays juicy, and as part of a feta dressing for a quick cucumber salad with tomatoes and olives.

An overhead shot of a cast-iron pan on a dish towel. In the pan: sliced chicken thigh, sliced pickled jalapenos, feta cheese and broccoli.

“So good and super easy, perfect for the work week.”

Instead of pretending not to see that jar of pickled jalapeños languishing in your fridge, use the peppers and their brine in this five-ingredient dish from Yasmin Fahr. After searing the sliced chicken thighs, add salty crumbled feta, sweet honey and crunchy sautéed broccoli.

An overhead shot of a long rectangular serving plate with four large chicken breasts which are filled with sliced tomatoes, basil and melted mozzarella. They are garnished with pesto and browned on the top.

“This was not hard at all, and it was SO good! My whole family loved it, and I’m thinking of swapping out the turkey next Thanksgiving and doing this instead. This made for a very special Thursday night!”

It’s hard to believe that you can prepare this Susan Spungen recipe with just six ingredients, but believe it. Sautéing garlic in olive oil, then using the infused oil to cook the chicken breasts results in a delicious, nuanced pan sauce. Some readers recommend using toothpicks to hold everything together.

An overhead shot of a serving plate with browned sliced chicken thighs, garnished with black pepper and sliced ginger on top. There are two serving spoons in the plate, and a small bowl of rice to the side.

“Made this a few times because it’s fast, easy, and full of great flavor — and heat! So great left over the next day.”

Zainab Shah’s take on chicken karahi, a South Asian favorite, uses boneless chicken thighs rather than bone-in chicken. Pantry staples like chiles, cumin, ginger and garlic add warmth, but it’s the three teaspoons of black pepper (or four teaspoons of Malabar black pepper, if you have it) that give this dish an underlying fire.

An overhead shot of a stainless steel pan with four chicken breasts, covered in a lemony sauce garnished with parsley. There is a lemon half in the pan, and a spoon.

“This was super easy and punches way above its weight. My family wants to ‘put it in the rotation.’”

This recipe from Lidey Heuck is as simple as it is versatile. Take full advantage of the lemony, garlicky sauce by drizzling it over pasta or sopping it up with bread. Use store-bought lemon-pepper seasoning, or make your own.

An overhead shot of a cast-iron pan with several small bowls surrounding. The pan has sliced chicken thighs covered in a sticky red sauce, garnished with sliced scallions and blanketed in melted cheese. A small bowl contains more sliced scallions, one contains rice and one has some of the chicken with rice.

“This is a unicorn, i.e. hugely rewarding for the amount of work required.”

This recipe from Emily Kim, a.k.a. Maangchi, makes it possible for you to enjoy Korean fire chicken at home. As in many of the best Korean dishes, the meat is simply coated in a gochujang-based sauce, then braised on the stovetop. The swath of mozzarella, melted under the broiler, takes this dish from standard to incredible.

An overhead shot of a serving plate with three tacos, on a piece of parchment paper and surrounded by sliced limes. The tacos have diced chicken, avocados, cilantro, diced white onions and diced tomatoes.

“Wow, this was so much tastier than I expected! And I’m from Texas so I know tacos! Truly delicious! We kept mmmm-mmmming all through the meal.”

Some readers made Kristina Felix’s streamlined tacos, one of our most popular recipes this year, in even less time than the recipe suggested. Smart shortcuts, like warming your tortillas while the chicken cooks and creating a pan sauce in place of a long marinade, make this a worthy weeknight candidate.

An overhead shot of chicken breasts in a pan, covered in a creamy sauce with spinach.

“This recipe scored highly on the most important metric in our house: do all three of my children like it? A rare, but resounding, ‘yes.’”

Dan Pelosi’s recipe is a hit with readers, getting nearly 3,000 ratings in the first three months after it was published. Cream cheese, heavy cream and grated Parmesan form a rich sauce with butter and white wine, ideal with an absorbent side like mashed potatoes or bread.

An overhead shot of a cast-iron pan with four chicken breasts, browned and covered in a lemony sauce with thyme sprigs.

“Have been making this dish since it was first published in The Times in the ‘90s — still easy, quick and delicious just as originally written!! I am over 90, but still appreciate a great recipe.”

If a recipe, like this one from Pierre Franey, was published over 30 years ago and still gets rave reviews, you should probably add it to your rotation. The chicken breasts are coated in a pan sauce of lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, garlic and shallots that is thickened with a little flour.

An overhead shot of a white serving plate with a mound of white rice, sliced cucumbers, mint sprigs and some yellow-tinged ground chicken. A fork lies to the side.

“Turns out I had everything I needed to make one of the easiest, best meals I’ve made in a long time.”

Toast Thai red curry paste, turmeric and chiles with ground chicken until, as Ali Slagle writes, the chicken is “spicy first, salty second.” Then, brighten with brown sugar, fish sauce and lime zest for a fiery dinner that takes no longer than 15 minutes. If you have access to makrut lime leaves, use them in place of the lime zest; the flavor is very special.

An overhead shot of a serving plate with browned chicken thighs covered in a lemony sauce with parsley, capers and garlic. There is a lemon half on the plate.

“Made this tonight, and it will be added to my rotation for sure! This recipe is packed with flavor and easy to make.”

Leave it to Melissa Clark to make something as delicious and easy as this elevated version of plain pan-seared chicken, with ingredients you probably have in your pantry: chile flakes, garlic, lemon juice, capers and of course, anchovies.

An overhead shot of a serving plate with sliced chicken thighs in a brown sauce, with leaves of basil, ginger coins and red chiles. There is a spoon in the plate and a bowl of rice to the side.

“Family loved this dish — said put it into the regular dinner rotation. No leftovers.”

Sesame oil, rice wine and soy sauce are the pillars of this classic Taiwanese dish, which Sam Sifton adapted for a weeknight. After a quick stir-fry, sliced chicken thighs are stewed in the sauce, all of which is absolutely irresistible over white rice.

An overhead shot of a bowl with rice with sliced chicken thighs, with cashews and dates, garnished with mint and cilantro. There is a fork in the bowl.

“Recipes like this make me want to put up a little shrine to Melissa C. She really knows what she is doing.”

Toasted cashews and thinly sliced dates add crunch and pops of sweetness to tender chicken thighs in this ingenious weeknight meal from Melissa Clark. If you don’t have a wok, crank the heat and work in batches to ensure the chicken browns.

An overhead shot of a bowl with yellow-tinted fried rice with pieces of chicken, green beans carrots, corn, scallions, topped with a fried egg.

“Absolutely delicious, a popular meal on constant rotation in my home. I just wish I had come across this recipe sooner!”

Once you start making fried rice, you’ll never reheat day-old rice again. This recipe from Romel Bruno is particularly forgiving, making use of frozen vegetables and fragrant curry powder. The only thing you need to prep here is the chicken, by cutting it into one-inch pieces.

An overhead shot of a bowl with chicken salad with diced chicken, grapes, celery and red onion. There is a spoon in the bowl.

“This recipe made me like chicken salad.”

Leftover cooked chicken makes this recipe nearly effortless, although you could easily roast or poach your own. Dice the chicken, rather than shred it, and add celery, grapes, toasted pecans, red onion and parsley for a lunch that gets better in the fridge.

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