Think you can’t get a delicious dinner on the table in a half-hour or less? Think again! I have 20+ amazing 30 minute chicken recipes that everyone in the family will love. The best part? These are recipes that are full of flavor.
The Top 20+ Juiciest Chicken Recipes You Can Make in Just 30 Minutes
1. Thai-Inspired Coconut Milk Chicken
Spice up your dinner routine with this coconut milk chicken recipe. Many Thai-inspired recipes have tons of ingredients, but this recipe keeps it simple (that’s what I love about it).
Canned coconut milk keeps the chicken juicy, and the combination of red curry paste, ginger, chili, garlic and onion adds complex flavor to this dish.
We like to serve this dish with rice, but you can eat it by itself if you like. Add steamed veggies for some extra nutrients.
2. Air Fry Sweet Chili Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
Crispy Brussels sprouts and a sweet chili sauce make this chicken dish perfect for any weeknight. Using an air fryer will save you so much time when making this dish.
Just toss your sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook in the air fryer for about 10 minutes. Then, add your chicken (tossed in chili oil and aromatic spices), and cook for 10-12 more minutes.
You can serve this dish with rice, quinoa or just on its own. It’s a quick and healthy dish that even the kids will enjoy.
Related: 15+ Easy, Make-ahead Chicken Marinades for Juicy Chicken Meal
3. Easy Hibachi Chicken
A fun and tasty dish that cooks chicken and veggies in a tasty sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. You can use any mix of vegetables you want, but this recipe calls for onion, zucchini and mushrooms.
I’ve made this with peppers and broccoli as well.
The whole dish is topped with a tasty hibachi (yum yum) sauce, which is a mix of ketchup, mayo, butter, paprika, garlic, hot sauce, water and sugar.
I recommend cooking this dish in a cast iron skillet because it heats up fast and offers even heat distribution.
4. Creamy Garlic Chicken Parmesan
One skillet is all you need for this dish, which cooks chicken in a rich, creamy and cheesy sauce. The secret to the flavor is the chicken bits. You start by cooking your tenderized chicken breasts in the skillet, and then removing them to make the sauce. All those little bits leftover from the chicken add so much flavor.
The sauce is simple, with a heavy cream base. You’ll also need olive oil and butter, so this is a heavier and more filling dish.
You can serve your chicken with steamed vegetables, a side salad or even a small serving of pasta.
5. Skillet Lemon Chicken
A zesty chicken dish cooked in a large skillet in just 20 minutes. You’ll start by sauteing your chicken and then creating a delicate white wine and lemon sauce (flavored by leftover chicken bits).
This dish is so easy to make, but it doesn’t skimp on flavor.
What I love most about this recipe is that it’s so versatile. You can add your chicken to a salad, serve it with rice, or pair it with roasted vegetables. The possibilities are endless.
6. Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
A simple chicken dish that’s perfect for any time of year. Once you’ve sauteed your chicken, you’ll make a delicious creamy sauce with butter, flour, shallots, half-and-half, chicken broth and fresh lemon juice.
Top with fresh parsley and serve with roasted vegetables.
7. Garlic Butter Chicken
This is one of the easiest 30 minute chicken recipes on this list. In fact, it should only take you 20 minutes to make this dish.
Just cook your thin, tender chicken breasts in a skillet, remove and make a tasty garlic sauce. The sauce is super simple – butter, broth (or wine) and fresh garlic. I recommend deglazing the pan with wine because it adds so much flavor.
That’s all it takes to make this dish. We like to serve this with rice or mashed potatoes, and top with the extra sauce from the pan.
8. 30-Minute Chicken Fajita Bowls with Avocado Crema
I love how simple it is to cook this dish, but it looks and tastes gourmet. You’ll cook seasoned chicken thighs or breasts with red onion and bell peppers on a single sheet pan.
Then, you’ll add a tasty avocado crema to the bottom of your bowl and top with a serving of rice, black beans, corn, pico di gallo, lettuce and fresh cilantro.
Plays Well With Butter walks you through every step of this dish, which comes together in just 30 minutes.
9. One-Pan Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken
Creamy, cheesy and satisfying are just a few words that come to mind with this recipe. It’s a one-pan meal, so clean-up is easy. And it combines healthy, flavorful ingredients that make this dish so memorable: artichoke hearts, fresh spinach and garlic.
The creamy sauce is made with half-and-half, mozzarella cheese, broth, shallots, butter and Parmesan.
This is a rich sauce, so I recommend serving your chicken with a simple serving of veggies on the side.
Related: 15 Chicken Bowl Recipes With Secret Superfood Ingredients
10. Honey Garlic Chicken and Green Beans
Healthy, balanced and easy. The honey garlic sauce is the star of the show, and it will only take a few minutes to make. I recommend using high-quality honey, and make sure you’re using fresh garlic and ginger.
You can cook this entire dish in a single pan to save you time at clean-up.
11. Bang Bang Chicken
Spiced chicken breast baked in a spicy bang-bang sauce. It really doesn’t get much easier than this recipe. Just toss your chicken tenders with oil, paprika and a few other spices.
Top with a homemade bang-bang sauce (mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and honey) and bake for 15-20 minutes.
You can serve this with vegetables, cauliflower rice or even some quinoa.
12. Pesto Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes
One of my favorite 30 minute chicken recipes when I’m craving something creamy and filling. You’ll cook spiced chicken breasts in a skillet, and then make your sauce in the same pan to get all of the flavors of the chicken bits.
The sauce is a mix of caramelized onion, heavy cream, pesto and roasted tomatoes.
13. Lemon Chicken
If you’re looking for something light and simple, this lemon chicken is perfect. You’ll spend a total of 20 minutes cooking this dish, which pairs chicken breasts with a zesty lemon sauce.
Serve with veggies or over a bed of rice for a balanced dish.
14. One-Pan Chicken & Zucchini
One-pan dishes are popular because no one wants to spend just as much time cleaning dishes as they do cooking. Five-minute prep and twenty-minute cook times make this a must-try dish. Use a large skillet and add butter and melt on medium-high heat.
Stir in your garlic, oregano, rosemary and thyme and cook for a minute.
Add your chicken thighs and cook until internal temps reach 165 degrees. Remove from the skillet, and add zucchini slices, salt and pepper. You’ll eventually add your chicken back into the skillet before serving.
15. Lemon Dill Chicken Thighs
One of my go-to 30 minute chicken recipes that require minimal prep are these lemon dill chicken thighs. Season your chicken with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. Heat oil in your cast iron skillet, cook the chicken on medium until golden brown set aside.
Add your flour, chicken stock and lemon juice, and then a few spices and dill before eventually adding the chicken for a few more minutes.
16. Chicken Pomodoro
Thirty minutes for a classic chicken pomodoro recipe? I’ll take it. You’ll need your normal chicken breasts, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and tomato puree. Chicken broth, basil and sugar also combine to add a sweet, fresh flavor to the dish.
But you can omit the sugar if you like because it’s meant to enhance the flavor of the tomatoes.
If you use a sweeter tomato, skip the sugar. One tip I recommend following is to flatten your chicken cutlets to make cooking easier.
17. Keto Chicken Skillet
Chicken, tomato and a basil cream sauce come together so well with this keto recipe. Heavy whipping cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and sun dried tomatoes come together to provide a creamy chicken skillet that pops with flavor.
And each serving has just three grams of carbs.
18. Cashew Chicken
If all 30 minute chicken recipes tasted this good, no one would order takeout again. Make your own creamy stir fry that has a mere 10 minute prep time. But there are three main components of this dish:
- Sauce: Make your sauce with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, granulated sugar, sriracha sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil.
- Chicken: Boneless chicken breasts cut into pieces and cooked with cashews, corn starch, veggie oil, salt and pepper, spring onions, ginger and garlic.
- Garnish: Top with sesame seeds and green onions.
Curry Trail provides a simple step-by-step breakdown for you to follow when making this dish.
Related: 17+ Best Leftover Chicken Recipe Ideas You’ll Make Again and Again
19. Rosemary Dijon Chicken
What an Instagram-worthy dish? This recipe is perfect. Easy to make and delish, the recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients that pack a lot of flavor:
- Chicken
- Flour
- Olive oil
- Butter
- White wine
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Heavy cream
- Dijon mustard
Juicy and fast to make, I do recommend using a garlic press and thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
20. Paprika Chicken
Such a simple and tasty recipe.
Take your boneless chicken thighs out of the freezer and let it thaw. Pat the chicken with paper towels to dry it before pulling out a small mixing bowl and adding in all of your seasonings: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cayenne pepper.
Season the chicken in the spice mixture and put it in a preheated large skillet to cook.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and add butter and garlic. Saute for about thirty seconds before pouring in your chicken broth and whisking the sour cream into it. Add the chicken back in once the mix is smooth and cooked through.
21. Creamy Coconut Chicken
Eleven ingredients are all you need for this creamy chicken dish that you can whip up in as little as 30 minutes. Four chicken breasts, cilantro, cloves, garlic, onion, paprika, salt and pepper, turmeric, olive oil, cumin and coconut milk are all you need to get started.
Begin by:
- Prepping and searing the chicken.
- Sauteeing your onions, minced garlic and ginger.
- Adding in all of your spices.
- Stirring your coconut milk into the skillet with your sautéed ingredients and spices.
Add your chicken to the sauce and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes before adding on any of the finishing touches that the recipe’s author recommends.
