Healthy Recipes Best of Our 20 Most Popular Chicken Dinners of 2021 By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Leah Goggins is a digital fellow for EatingWell. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she is a devotee of old movies, farmers' markets and Ina Garten's tomato sandwich with basil mayo recipe. Leah has a degree in news media and English from The University of Alabama. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 14, 2021 Trending Videos Close this video player There's no need to settle for a boring or bland chicken recipe when these healthy dinners are on the menu. Whether you prefer to keep it simple with a saucy skillet dinner or go for classic comfort with a delicious bowl of soup, there's a recipe that you'll want to make on repeat. It's no surprise that recipes like our Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce and One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake were the chicken dinners people clicked on most in 2021. 01 of 20 Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce View Recipe Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce. 02 of 20 Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken View Recipe This rich-tasting but better-for-you creamy chicken soup has a delicious chicken pot pie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time--look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting and easy soup recipe with a green salad, or, if you're really hungry, a grilled cheese sandwich. 03 of 20 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan View Recipe This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love. 04 of 20 Slow-Cooker Chicken & Chickpea Soup View Recipe This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth. 05 of 20 One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake View Recipe In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again. 06 of 20 Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew View Recipe This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli. 07 of 20 Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli View Recipe In this easy and healthy dinner recipe, sweet and savory baked honey-garlic chicken thighs come with a side of veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken. The honey-soy-garlic marinade for the chicken does double duty as an irresistible sauce to drizzle over everything. Lining your baking sheet with foil will protect your pan from the sticky honey-soy-garlic sauce, so cleanup will be a breeze too. If you can't find small carrots, cut medium carrots in half lengthwise. 08 of 20 Chicken & Broccoli Casserole View Recipe This one-pan chicken-and-broccoli recipe comes out of the oven all browned, cheesy and bubbling like a casserole, but is really prepared more like a skillet meal on the stovetop. Serve with a crunchy green salad. 09 of 20 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce View Recipe Serve these creamy pesto chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite. 10 of 20 Chicken & Zucchini Casserole View Recipe This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!). 11 of 20 Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice View Recipe Andrea Mathis This high-protein chicken casserole clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full. 12 of 20 Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms View Recipe Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes. 13 of 20 Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew View Recipe This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad. 14 of 20 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale View Recipe This healthy, easy soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to keep you full and fueled. Serve this winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of garlic toast. 15 of 20 Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole View Recipe Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey. 16 of 20 Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole View Recipe This protein-loaded chicken and sweet potato casserole dish is made with multicolored quinoa, a blend of white, red and black varieties, but any color will work. 17 of 20 Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale View Recipe This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup. 18 of 20 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese View Recipe This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang. 19 of 20 Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results. 20 of 20 One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta View Recipe This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. Finish the dish under the broiler to achieve a delicious melted cheese crust. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit