Chicken Main Dish Recipes - Money Saving Delicious Meals (2024)

This Chicken Main Dish Recipes Round Up page contains delicious and easy-to-make meals you will love to eat!

Chicken Main Dish Recipes included on this page:Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Enchiladas, Turkey Barley Soup, , How to Cook a Turkey, Greek Chicken – Souvlaki, , Chicken Pot Pie, Lemon Broccoli Chicken,SouthwesternNacho Chicken, Creamy Cashew Chicken, Sweet Tropical Chicken, Autumn Chicken

1. Easy Chicken Parmesan

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As one of our chicken main dish recipes, this simplified chicken parmesan is delicious and easy to make. It’s a great main course for families with small kids because all of the chicken/turkey is cut into small pieces as the meal is prepared, so serving is a snap.

Servings:6-8.

Chicken ParmesanIngredients:

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 jar (about 26 ounces) marinara sauce
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Chicken ParmesanDirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the diced cooked chicken in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Add sauce and stir to mix with chicken. Top with mozzarella, then Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes until heated through. The cheese will be brown and crispy. If you prefer the cheese less cooked, cover the pan with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking. Serve with a side dish of pasta or rice and a green vegetable or green salad.

Per serving (based on 6 servings): 340 calories, 19 g fat, 96 mg cholesterol, 30 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 777 mg sodium, 51 percent calories from fat.

2. Crunchy / Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

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This delicious chicken enchilada main dish recipe is one of our easy-to-make chicken main dish recipes. It is a hit every time we serve it. We like mildly spicy, but you can increase the hotness temperature by adding hot sauce or chilies to whatever your family likes.

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Enchiladas:

• 3 cups cooked, diced chicken or turkey
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 jars salsa (16 ounces each), divided use
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (or 11/2 cups of each), divided use
• 10 flour tortillas (8-inch diameter)

DirectionsCreamy Chicken Enchiladas:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the diced chicken in a large bowl. Add the sour cream and 1 cup each of salsa and cheese. Mix thoroughly. Spread the remainder of the first jar of salsa in the bottom of an 11- by 15-inch glass baking dish.

Lay a tortilla on a cutting board or plate. Spread about 1/2 cup filling along one edge of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla, starting with the edge that has the filling mixture. Place into baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top the tortillas with the second jar of salsa. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until cheese is melted and browned to your liking.

Servings: 8-10

3. Turkey Barley Soup

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This is one of our chicken main dish recipes that can also use leftover turkey. And when the weather is chilly, or you’re feeling a little sick, nothing warms up a house and your bones like a hot bowl of homemade soup.

Throughout the year, we save chicken backs, ham bones, and turkey carcasses (all of the bones), in plastic bags in our freezer. We cook one turkey (bought at Thanksgiving time) almost every month of the year (except in the really hot summer months). Annette boils the carcass to make the broth.

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• Water 6 quarts
• 4-5 carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
• 2 to 3 cups chicken or turkey meat
• 3-4 large celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 onion chopped fine
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Optional: additional chopped vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini or yellow squash

Directions:

Place whole turkey or chicken carcass in an 8-quart stockpot. Add 6 quarts of water to cover the carcass. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.

Cook 20 minutes. Remove bones and set aside to remove any scraps of meat once it cools. (Leave water in the pot.)

Add 2 to 3 cups of diced chicken or turkey meat. Add the remaining ingredients to water in a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until barley is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with cheese muffins, if desired.

In the video below, Annette explains the who process of preparing this delicious soup.

4. Baked Chicken & Rice

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This is another one of our favorite chicken main course recipes and is often cooked in the oven during the winter months. Chicken prices seem to be relatively stable lately. In our area, we’re regularly seeing sale prices of 59 cents per pound or less, so we thought you’d enjoy a family favorite recipe for chicken and rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 to 5 pounds of chicken (skinless if you want to reduce the amount of fat mixed in with the rice)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 oz.) (or 2 cans and no cream of chicken soup)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (10 oz.)
• 2 cans of water (10 oz.) fill both soup cans and add that water to the mixture in pan
• 1 package of onion soup mix
• 1 1/2 cups of white rice or brown rice (or add 3/4 cup of wild rice and eliminate 3/4 cup of white or brown)
  (Brown rice must be soaked in water for about six hours, then drained prior to cooking. This helps it cook faster)

Directions:
Mix all soups with water and rice in a large 9 x 13 glass bakeware. Lay chicken on top of the rice and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1⁄2 hours. Uncover and bake/brown for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

According to Steve, is the crispy rice that sticks to the sides of the baking pan is the absolute best part of this recipe. This meal is an Economides family favorite.

5. Greek Marinade – Souvlaki

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This is a delicious lemon marinade for Greek Chicken and one of our favorite chicken main dish recipes. The marinade recipe is adequate for 2 to 3 pounds of chicken. It’s also called Souvlaki. This is a requested meal many times during the summer and is terrific cooked on the grill.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Lemon Juice
• ½ Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs Oregano
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

If your chicken is frozen, defrost it overnight so you can start Marinating Chicken in the morning.

This recipe is good for any cut of chicken — legs, leg quarters, thighs, or breasts. This is not recommended for a whole chicken, as it is too hard to get the marinade to saturate all of the meat.

Use a roasting pan or glass baking dish. Place chicken in pan, then pourthe marinade mixture over it. Flip chicken pieces every couple of hours throughout the day and either cook on the grill or in the oven. If cooking in the oven, leave marinade and chicken in a pan. Cook until pieces reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. It is delicious.

Boil any leftover marinade for at least 4 minutes and then serve as a sauce for the chicken.

Optional: All the ingredients can be put in a Crock-Pot in the morning (set on low, about 8 hours) and will be ready for dinner when you get home. Add a starchy side dish and a vegetable for a complete meal.

6. Italian Chicken & Peppers

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One of our all-time favorite meals is roasted chicken with roasted potatoes and sweet vinegar peppers. It is one of our indescribably delicious chicken main dish recipes!! Because of the vinegar peppers mixing with the chicken broth, it has a savory and tart flavor that will keep you coming back for more. And better yet, the prep time for this meal is only about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• Chicken, 1 whole. Variation: any cut of chicken with the skin on will work for this recipe – including breasts, whole chickens, leg quarters, legs, etc.
• Mild Cherry Peppers (1 to 2) 16-ounce jars. Variation: Sweet Vinegar Peppers (see video below for how to make them at home)
• Potatoes, cubed. One potato per family member.
• Garlic Powder. 2 tsp sprinkled over the entire recipe.
• Salt & Pepper sprinkle to taste

Directions:

Cube potatoes, and put chicken, potatoes, and peppers (including all juice from the jar) into a large roasting pan or crockpot. Sprinkle with Garlic, Salt, and Pepper.

Oven Cooking Directions: Put all ingredients in a large roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After that uncover the pan and broil for an additional 15 minutes to brown the skin of the chicken. Make sure you have your oven rack low enough so that the chicken does not burn from the broiler and catch fire. Annette usually drops her oven rack to the 3rd or middle rack position.

Crock Pot Cooking Directions: Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. When in doubt use a meat thermometer to ensure that chicken is fully cooked. Just remember that with the Crock-Pot version of this, you don’t get the crispy chicken skin. This is a small sacrifice for the benefit of not heating up your kitchen in the summertime. We put our Crock-Pot outside, up high, on a countertop so it can’t be reached by animals or children. If you want our recipe and video for making sweet vinegar peppers, click here.

7. SimpleChicken Pot Pie

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This is a delicious and easy way to use up left-over chicken or turkey and is one of our terrific chicken main dish recipes. You can also use up left-over veggies you have in your refrigerator or a bag of mixed frozen vegetables.

Start by making your own pie crust or just buy a ready-made pie crust from the grocery store. Any general information cookbook will have a pie recipe but our favorite is The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. The ready-made pie crusts are near the dairy and wall deli items, by the refrigerator biscuits.

Pot Pie Filling – Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 Cups Diced, Cooked Chicken
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup (10 oz.)
• 1 Bag of frozen Mixed Veggies (1 lb.) or 3 to 4 cups of leftover veggies from your refrigerator.
• Season to taste with onion powder, salt, and pepper

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Lay the bottom pie crust onto a glass (or aluminum) pie plate. Pour the ingredient mixture into the pie crust. Place the top crust over the mixture and flute the edges to seal the crusts. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour (until crust is golden brown). Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with applesauce and enjoy.

8. Lemon Broccoli Chicken

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This is a delicious, refreshing and different-tasting meal. It’s one of our chicken main dish recipes that we are incredibly proud of. We modified it from a family friend many years ago. Whenever we serve it everyone goes back for seconds. It’s got a light lemon flavor and the broccoli gives it a healthy green look. Topped with cheese and filled with mayo, it’s not low fat, but it is high in flavor. Served over rice it makes a great meal any time of year.

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken – Deboned OR 3 cups of cooked chicken/ turkey
• 1 Cup Mayonaise
• 2 Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese (divided)
• 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
• Fresh Broccoli – 1 pound (lightly steamed or cooked in 2 cups of chicken broth from cooking the whole chicken above)
• 1 TBL lemon juice (squeeze one lemon) up to 1 cup (we like lots of lemonflavor)

Directions

Debone the chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces or if you have raw chicken, cook it before adding it to a glass/ ceramic baking dish. Mix in mayo, 1 cup of cheese, a can of cream of chicken soup, and lemon juice. Stir ingredients thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top, then place in a 350-degree oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve over rice, pasta, or toast for a complete meal. Delicious!

Serves 10

9. Easy Chicken Cashew – American Style

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This is one of our family’s favorite recipes. Remember that cooked turkey can be substituted for the chicken.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Tbs to 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce (to taste)

3 Cups Cubed Raw Chicken (can be up to 3 lbs of Chicken)
3 Cups Diced Celery (including leaves)
1 Large Onion—chopped
1 Small Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup (use a second can if you want a more creamy sauce)
Cashews
Crispy Chinese Chow Mein Noodles to sprinkle on top
1/4 tsp of Pepper

2 Cups uncooked rice

Optional:
1 Can of Sliced Water Chestnuts (drained)
8 oz container of Fresh Mushrooms Sliced

Directions:

Put broth and Soy Sauce in a pot.
Add uncooked chicken.
Bring broth and chicken to a boil. Then turn down the heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add celery, onion, and optional veggies.
Cook for an additional 15 minutes until veggies are tender.

Add Cream of Mushroom soup. Thicken gravy with liquified corn starch.

Serve over rice. Top with Crispy Chow Mein Noodles and Cashews

• Servings: 10
• Cost per Serving: $1

10. Southwestern Nacho Chicken Casserole

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This is one of the recipes that Annette picked up from a friend during a group recipe swap the first year we were married. It’s been a family favorite since 1982.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 to 3 lbs. cooked Chicken (diced or cubed)
• 2 cans (10 oz.) Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 can (10 oz.) Green Chilies (mild to hot, you choose)
• 1 to 2 lbs. shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese
• 10 oz. to 16 oz. bag of Tortilla Chips

Instructions:Fill a 9 x 13 inch, glass baking dish 3/4 full with chicken. Mix in cream of mushroom soup, green chilies, and chicken broth. Layer broken-up tortilla chips on top of the mixture, then cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350º for 30 to 45 minutes — until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Mmmmm delicious. Have a bowl of salsa available for those who want to spoon some on top.Serves 8 to 10 people.

VIDEO: Annette preparing a Southwestern Nacho Chicken Casserole

11. Sesame Chicken

This is another family favorite meal. Whenever Annette cooks this there are rarely any leftovers.

Ingredients:

• Diced Chicken or Turkey (enough to cover the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish — about 3 cups)
• Juice from 6 lemons
• 1/4 cup teriyaki or soy sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 15 ginger crystals or 1 Tbs. gingerpowder
• 1 Tbs. to 1/4 cup honeydepending on taste
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds – Toasted

Cooking instructions:

• Heat lemon juice and teriyaki with onions and garlic till cooked – about 10 min.
• Add peanut butter, ginger, and honey.
• Thicken with flour or cornstarch and pour over diced, cooked, chicken.
• Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 8-10 people

12. Sweet Tropical Chicken

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This recipe was only recently created by Annette and is a wonderful slow cooker meal. It has only 4 ingredients and counts as 0 points on the new WeightWatchers Freestyle Program.

Ingredients

• Chicken: 3-4 pieces of breast meat, or 6-8 thighs or legs. Boneless, skinless, or Not.
• Mango: 2 Large ripe, peeled and diced in chunks
• Pineapple: 1 fresh, ripe pineapple – skinned, cored, and cut into chunks, or a 20 oz can of pineapple chunks, with juice saved for something else.
• Onions: 2 medium to large onions, any color, chopped to your liking. You can use yellow, sweet, white, or red. I typically use yellow as that is on sale the most.

Directions

Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and then put on top of the chicken.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Serve over the rice of your choice for a complete meal. This is delicious and your family will rate it a 10 for yumminess!

You could also cook this in a roasting pan in the oven.

13. Autumn Chicken

This recipe is another one created by Annette last year. It is so perfect for Autumn when pears and apples are on sale, and cranberries are just coming into season. Another perfect slow cooker recipe with 4 ingredients!

Ingredients

• Chicken: 3-4 pieces of chicken breasts, or 6-8 thighs or legs. Boneless, skinless or not.
• Cranberry Sauce: (1) 14 or 15oz can of whole berry cranberry sauce
• Fruit: 3-4 pieces of fruit:diced in chunks. It can be 2 pears & 1 apple, or 2 pears & 2 apples, or 3 pears, or 3 apples. Your choice, this recipe will taste good with any combination of these fruits.

Directions

Lay your chicken pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix the fruits and dump them on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serve over the rice of your choice for a complete meal. This is such an amazing meal to serve up during the Fall season.

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