6 Ridiculously Delicious One-Pot Chicken Dinners To Try

Easy weeknight, or weekend, meals everyone will love.
The I-Haven't-Gone-Food-Shopping-in-a-Week Dinner
Credit: © Alexandra Grablewski
Keep a package of chicken thighs in your freezer, a lemon in your fridge and some basics in the pantry, and this practically effortless supper will always be an option. Each of the ingredients in this dish (there are also olives and capers), along with the citrus juice, helps make the chicken tender and mingles with the meat's juices to create a delicious sauce.

Get the recipe: Chicken with Olives and Capers
A Winning French Dish with a Twist
Credit: ACP Magazines Limited
The ingredients in a rustic cassoulet vary, but chicken isn't all that common. Yet it's surprisingly perfect: The mild flavor doesn't overpower the sausage, white beans and herbs, but instead adds body and extra oomph without a ton of additional prep work (or cost!).

Get the recipe: Chicken, Sausage and Bean Cassoulet
An Asian Dish Where Every Bite Is Fabulous
Credit: John Kernick
Chicken legs and thighs are terrific in stir-fries, since the dark meat tends to soak up the delicious sauce (here, it's chili-soy-garlic) so well. This recipe also has a fantastic contrast of textures, from tender chicken to crunchy peanuts to celery, which seems to fall somewhere in the perfect middle.

Get the recipe: Chicken Stir-Fry with Celery and Peanuts
A Way to Play Tetris While Making Dinner
Credit: Kathy Strahs
An 8x8 brownie pan is surprisingly ideal for cooking chicken drumsticks, since their elongated shape allows you to arrange them in a zigzag pattern that can accommodate plenty, while still leaving room for the skin to brown and crisp. Underneath the meat lie chopped carrots, turnips and red potatoes; the vegetables absorb the meat's flavor, as well as the honey-balsamic dressing that gives this dish a deliciously sweet undertone.

Get the recipe: Honey-Glazed Chicken with Root Vegetables
The Roast with a Bit of Spice
Credit: Gentl
Don't be scared off by the list of ingredients in this dish—the only things that require chopping are scallions. Once you've done that, just put everything—including chicken pieces and pork chorizo or chicken sausage—in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. An hour or so later, you'll have succulent chicken and sausage, tender vegetables and a pan sauce that gets a little kick from the sausage's spices and is terrific with crusty bread.

Get the recipe: Roast Chicken with Green Beans and Artichokes
A Throw-It-All-in-One-Pan Favorite
Credit: Alison Gootee/Studio D
Even if you've got a go-to roast chicken, this recipe is a great reminder that the addition of one new ingredient can bring a brand new flavor to a familiar dish. In this case, you toss a few basics—carrots, potatoes, onion, lemon—with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme; roast until golden, then nestle chicken-breast halves in the pan. When they're cooked, you boil the pan drippings and—here's the twist—stir in a bit of paprika. The resulting sauce is smoky, with a touch of pleasant sweetness.

Get the recipe: Pan-Roasted Paprika Chicken

Before You Go

5 Chicken Casserole Recipes Everyone Loves
A Winning French Dish With A Twist(01 of05)
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The ingredients in a rustic, slow-cooked French cassoulet vary, but chicken isn't all that common. Yet it's surprisingly perfect: The mild flavor doesn't overpower the sausage, white beans and herbs, and it adds body and extra oomph without a ton of additional prep work (or cost).

Get the recipe: Chicken, Sausage and Bean Cassoulet
(credit:ACP Magazines Limited)
The Classic Comfort Food(02 of05)
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Wild rice and Ritz crackers are two mainstays of traditional casseroles, and there's no denying just how satisfying the combination of toothsome rice and coarsely ground, buttery crackers can be. This meal also includes two cups of cooked chicken (any kind works, from store-bought rotisserie to poached breasts) and leeks, which are milder than the usual white onions.

Get the recipe: Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish
(credit:Jennifer May)
A Sweet And Smoky Supper(03 of05)
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Instead of serving baked sweet potatoes topped with crumbled bacon alongside cooked chicken, try this easy, make-ahead dish, which combines all three components. It also features sage; the herb's fragrant aroma and warm flavor go well with sweet potato.

Get the recipe: Chicken, Sweet Potato and Bacon Casserole
(credit:Susie Cushner)
The Dinner-Party-Ready Bake(04 of05)
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If casseroles are a throwback, then a crêpe-based casserole is the ultimate vintage dinner. It's elegant, too. You roll chicken, broccoli and Gruyère into either homemade or prepared crêpes and bake. A dash of curry powder is an unexpected add-in that lends depth.

Get the recipe: Chicken Divan Crêpes with Gruyère
(credit:Olha Afanasieva/iStock/Thinkstock)
A Superspeedy (And Cheesy) Weeknight Casserole(05 of05)
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Most one-pot meals involve a significant amount of baking time, but not this one. As long as you have cooked, shredded chicken and steamed white rice ready, you're just a few minutes away from a delicious dinner.

Get the recipe: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet Dinner with Bacon
(credit:Jenny Flake)