5 EatingWell Chicken Recipes That Home Cooks Love Most

• Chicken Parmesan Casserole earned a perfect score among our five most-saved chicken recipes.
• Each dish offered bold flavors and ease, with most ready in under an hour.
• The author discovered a new love for casseroles and one-pot chicken meals.

It happens to every cook at some point. A few weeks ago, I hit a recipe wall. What I mean is that I got sick of everything already in my repertoire. As a restaurant critic, I spend my summers eating out at least once a day for the “50 best restaurants” list I work on. As soon as that parade of rich dining is over, I’m excited to get back into the kitchen and start eating more healthfully. It’s a fusillade of cooking that always ends in the recipe wall. 

But fortunately, there’s a cure for that culinary ennui. I religiously use MyRecipes to save EatingWell recipes. It allows me to catalogue my favorites, but I have to admit, I only save them once they’ve proven themselves with both me and my husband. So I decided it was time to diversify. In the space of two weeks, I prepared the five most-saved EatingWell chicken recipes of the year so far. What I encountered was a world of flavor far more varied than my usual routine of a protein with broccoli and salad. Chicken never seemed less boring!

Blame it on my New England roots, perhaps, but I didn’t grow up eating casseroles or one-pot meals. And that’s precisely what all of these are. This was the summer that I learned to value the ease of that cooking style and appreciate the fact that one-pot cooking doesn’t doom you to a heavy, unhealthy dinner. Each of these diverse dishes has a big, unique profile but packs as much of a nutritional punch as a wallop of flavor.

What Makes a Great Chicken Dinner

When I rate a restaurant, I take into account the food, ambience and service. But when it came to bestowing marks to my own cooking, I was in the dark. I settled on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. 

Flavor is obviously the most important factor, but ease of preparation, including the cost of buying all the ingredients, was also a matter of great consideration. Finally, since these dinners are sized for four people and there are only two in my household, I decided it was important to think about how each of the meals reconstituted the next day for lunch. Out of a possible 30 points, only one got a perfect score.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner: Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I grew up just outside New York City. Of course a good Parm is one of my lifelong obsessions. I’ve eaten it made with bone-in veal, with rolled ricotta and eggplant, and even with cheese and vodka sauce slid onto a chicken breast at the table. But I’d never had it in casserole form.

As one reader said in her five-star review: “Easy, affordable and comforting dinner. When you’re craving chicken parm but don’t want all the hassle, make this.” I agree, and gave it my only 30-point score. 

This healthier take on fried chicken Parmesan centers on whole-wheat rotini in a simple tomato sauce that you make yourself. Next time, I’ll consider making the dinner even easier by using bottled sauce. 

Because the recipe calls for cooked chicken, I used shredded chicken thighs, which I had on hand from making another recipe. I was initially worried that 2 cups wouldn’t feel like enough chicken, but it proved to be plenty. I freshly shredded mozzarella and added the panko-and-Parmesan mix on top to turn the dish into something that almost perfectly approximated a restaurant Parm in flavor and texture. 

Best for Guests: Lemon Chicken Orzo

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong

Every once in a while, you encounter a recipe that comes together almost alchemically. This Lemon Chicken Orzo is one of those. Imagine if you could make risotto without the tedium of constant stirring and adding broth. This hits that mark with just a few easy steps that culminate in something elegant enough to share with even your most gourmet friends. 

The only reason that the previous recipe beat this one out is that this was a bit more expensive to make, thanks to the lovely additions of fresh herbs and heavy cream. All 45 minutes of its cooking time are active, but if you love to cook as much as I do, this is a plus.

The result is creamy, citrusy and herbaceous. I liked the chunky, pan-seared chicken, and the inclusion of 5 full ounces of baby spinach makes the recipe feel almost virtuous. This was the one that made the best leftovers, since it required no additional crisping up when I reheated it.

Best Way to Eat Your Colors: Chicken Fajita Casserole

Photographer: Greg DuPree Food Stylist: Salley Mckay Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel

The only ingredients I had to purchase for this recipe were the fresh ones: chicken thighs, bell peppers, an onion and cilantro. I had everything else waiting in my refrigerator or pantry. But despite that it was so easy to throw together with staples like chili powder, cumin and corn tortillas, this was one of the best uses of vegetables among all the recipes. 

I appreciated the vitamins C and A from the colorful peppers but was just as much a fan of the tortillas and gooey cheese blend, which happens to add some calcium. It’s a delightful mix of healthy elements and ingredients that are more palate ticklers. Another plus? I used 100-percent corn tortillas, so the dish was gluten-free.

The Weeknight Hero: Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Natalie Ghazali

I’ve been making this dinner without using a recipe for years! My version didn’t include the Parmesan that gives this a richer, nuttier flavor, so I learned a new trick. Essentially, it’s whole wheat (or gluten-free) penne flavored with a liberal dose of garlic, white wine and tangy lemon. 

In the past when I’ve made this, I’ve typically used leftover chicken, but I liked searing fresh breasts and finishing them in the sauce, imparting the chunks with a stronger flavor. I also liked the glut of spinach required—10 cups!—which sounds and initially looks like a lot but cooks down to just the right amount. The sauce intensifies in leftover form, making it even better for a quick lunch the next day.

Restaurant Copycat: Bang Bang Chicken Casserole

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Renu Dhar, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

My husband gave this recipe his highest marks and it’s easy to see why. The crispy chicken, the creamy sauce and the slap of heat from Sriracha all conspire to create something very close to a restaurant dish. This makes sense, of course, since it’s based on Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang shrimp.

But what made it for me was the inclusion of brown rice and a ton of broccoli. I was concerned that the latter ingredient would end up getting overcooked, but in the casserole, the green florets roasted to an ideal al dente. 

One reader who reviewed the recipe said that they’ll use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise and cream cheese the next time they make it. I think that’s a great idea and will follow suit. What could be better than making a delicious recipe even healthier?

The Bottom Line

What did I learn from cooking our five most-saved chicken recipes? First, it reintroduced me to how much fun cooking dinner can be. Each of these simple recipes took me less than an hour to get dinner on the table and did so with explosive flavor and nutrition that made me feel like I was doing something good for myself beyond the mental-health boost of preparing and eating a home-cooked meal.

I already knew I could rely on EatingWell for well-conceived, budget-friendly recipes, but hadn’t thought much about how different five easy chicken dinners can be. I learned to appreciate one-pot meals and casseroles in all their varied forms.

Though I anticipate making the Chicken Parmesan Casserole most often, I’ll be adding each of these to MyRecipes as Favorites. Include me in the list of home cooks who made these five excellent recipes among our most-saved.