Healthy Chicken Recipes: Easy Family Meals & Dinner Ideas

If you’ve got chicken in the fridge but absolutely no idea what you’re going to do with it, hopefully you’ll find something here that takes your fancy. I’ve gathered together plenty of my favourite chicken recipes, including curries, pasta dishes, fakeaways, air fryer recipes, slow cooker meals, traybakes and some lighter ideas too.

Chicken is one of those ingredients that can be completely different from one meal to the next, which is probably why so many families rely on it. You can cover it in spices and turn it into a curry one night, throw it into pasta the next, cook it in the air fryer when you can’t be bothered with much washing up, or leave dinner bubbling away in the slow cooker when you know you’re going to have a busy day.

Most of the recipes here use chicken breast because that’s what many people tend to buy and search for, although you’ll find other cuts too. Where a recipe can easily be made with thighs instead, I’ll usually mention that in the recipe itself because different cuts don’t always cook in exactly the same way.

Easy chicken recipes for dinner

When you’re trying to decide what to make for dinner, I think it helps to have plenty of genuinely different ideas rather than twenty versions of chicken breast with slightly different seasoning. I tend to favour meals with plenty of vegetables that don’t need ridiculous amounts of oil and are practical enough to make for an ordinary family dinner.

Some good places to start are my chicken traybake, Spanish chicken, barbecue chicken and chicken burrito bowl. They’re all quite different, so they’re useful recipes to have bookmarked for those nights when you know you’re having chicken but haven’t got much further than that.

If you already know you fancy a curry, pasta, something from the air fryer or a slow cooker meal, jump straight to that section instead. There’s no prize for reading every chicken recipe before deciding what to have for tea!

Roast chicken

A roast chicken is one of those meals that can turn into several others if you deliberately buy one big enough to have leftovers. There’s the roast itself, then sandwiches, salads, wraps or another dinner from whatever is left.

If you’re roasting a whole chicken, don’t rely purely on how brown it looks on the outside to decide whether it’s ready. Check that it’s cooked safely before serving, ideally with a food thermometer.

Whole chicken can also be cooked using methods other than a conventional oven, although I’d always follow a properly tested recipe for the particular cooking method and size of bird rather than assuming all whole chickens need the same amount of time.

If you’re wondering what to do with what’s left afterwards, my leftover chicken ideas should help you turn it into something that doesn’t feel like roast dinner again.

Air fryer chicken recipes

The air fryer is particularly handy for chicken when you want a crisp outside without having to get a large tray and the oven involved.

My air fryer buttermilk chicken is a good one if you fancy something crispy and fakeaway-ish, while my air fryer chicken cooking times guide is more useful when you’ve simply got chicken breasts, thighs, wings or drumsticks and want to know where to start with the time and temperature.

If you’re still finding your way around your machine, my air fryer recipes and cooking tips guide has lots more ideas as well as practical help with getting better results.

Slow cooker chicken recipes

Chicken works really well in the slow cooker, especially on days when you know you won’t want to start cooking from scratch at teatime. It doesn’t mean every chicken recipe can simply be chucked in with loads of liquid and forgotten about, though. Chicken releases moisture as it cooks, vegetables do too, and some sauces need considerably less added liquid than you might expect.

My slow cooker chicken curry guide explains more about cooking chicken curry this way, including the differences between using breast and thigh meat and why you can sometimes end up with far more liquid than you planned.

For more dinner inspiration, have a look through my healthy slow cooker recipes, where you’ll find chicken dishes alongside curries, casseroles, vegetarian meals and plenty of other easy family dinners.

Chicken curry recipes

Chicken is brilliant for curries because it works with so many different spices and sauces, so you can make something fairly mild one night and something much hotter the next without feeling as though you’re eating the same dinner repeatedly.

For something fairly mild, try my mild chicken curry or chicken and mushroom curry. If you fancy something with a bit more going on, there’s my chicken jalfrezi, chicken bhuna, Sri Lankan-inspired chicken curry or Stuart’s favourite, my Malaysian-inspired chicken and red pepper curry.

I’ve also got chicken tikka masala and chicken katsu curry, along with plenty of meat-free curries for nights when chicken isn’t actually what you fancy after all.

If curry is what you came looking for, have a browse through my curry recipes for even more ideas rather than limiting yourself to the handful I’ve included here.

Chicken pasta recipes

Chicken and pasta is such an easy combination for family meals because you can make it creamy, spicy, tomato-based or turn it into a pasta bake depending on what you’ve got in the cupboards.

My chicken fajita pasta bake is one we’ve enjoyed many times, especially if we fancy something with plenty of flavour without it being ridiculously hot. There’s also my chicken and bacon carbonara and chipotle chicken pasta if you want something a little different.

I’ve got even more ideas in my chicken and pasta recipes guide, so that’s worth a look if you’ve already decided pasta is going to be involved in dinner!

Chicken and rice recipes

Rice is another easy way of turning chicken into a filling meal without needing lots of different side dishes, and it works with so many different flavours that there are plenty of options beyond plain chicken and plain boiled rice.

My chicken biryani takes a little more effort than some of the recipes here but is worth it when you have the time. For something different, have a look at my chicken and bacon dirty rice, chicken rice salad or mixed meat paella, which includes chicken alongside other meats.

Chicken and rice dishes can also be useful when you have vegetables that need using up, although I would always follow the actual recipe the first time rather than randomly throwing half the fridge into it and hoping for the best!

Chicken salads and lighter meals

Chicken salad doesn’t have to mean a pile of leaves and a sad plain chicken breast.

My sticky chicken salad is full of flavour and makes a much more interesting option if you find ordinary salads boring. There’s also my chicken rice salad if you want something a bit more substantial.

Marinating or seasoning the chicken before cooking can completely change a salad, and you can add whatever vegetables you enjoy rather than feeling you need to reproduce exactly what’s in a photograph.

Cooked leftover chicken can work well in salads too, providing it has been cooled and stored safely.

Chicken traybakes and casseroles

I love meals where most of the cooking happens in one dish because nobody has ever finished dinner and wished there were more pans to wash.

My chicken traybake is an easy family option with chicken and vegetables cooked together, while my Moroccan-inspired chicken casserole is a good choice when you fancy something warming with plenty of flavour.

Traybakes are particularly handy because you can often adjust the vegetables according to what you’ve already got. Just bear in mind that vegetables don’t all cook at the same speed, so something like a chunky carrot may need longer than peppers or courgettes.

Chinese-inspired chicken and noodle dishes

If Chinese takeaway flavours are what you’re craving, there are a few ways to take chicken in that direction without ordering dinner.

My Singapore chow mein contains a mixture of meats, but chicken works particularly well with noodles, vegetables and the spices in dishes like this.

There’s also my chicken fried cauliflower rice if you fancy something different from ordinary rice, while sweet and sour flavours work brilliantly with chicken too.

For noodles with more of a warming, soupy feel, have a look at my chilli chicken ramen. It’s particularly good when you want something with a bit of heat rather than a heavy dinner.

Chicken fakeaway recipes

Making a fakeaway at home doesn’t mean it has to taste like a disappointing diet version of whatever you actually wanted from the takeaway. I’d much rather make something because we genuinely enjoy eating it.

For crispy chicken, try my air fryer buttermilk chicken or KFC-style fakeaway chicken.

If curry is your usual takeaway choice, chicken tikka masala, chicken jalfrezi and chicken katsu curry are all worth a look.

There’s also my chilli chicken ramen if noodles are more your thing, and you’ll find plenty more ideas amongst my fakeaway recipes.

Jamaican-inspired jerk chicken and Caribbean flavours

If you fancy something spicy and completely different from curry, my Jamaican-inspired jerk chicken with Caribbean rice is packed with flavour.

One useful thing about cooking seasoned chicken for a family is that you don’t necessarily have to season every piece identically. If one person loves spicy chicken and someone else would rather have something milder, you can adapt what you’re cooking rather than making two completely separate dinners.

The Caribbean-style rice alongside it helps make it a full meal rather than simply another seasoned chicken breast with no idea what to serve with it.

Piri Piri chicken

My Piri Piri chicken is another option when you want plenty of flavour and some heat. It works particularly well with salads, rice or potatoes and can make a good alternative to ordering a Nando’s-style takeaway.

How spicy you make Piri Piri chicken is really down to what you and your family enjoy. There’s no point making dinner painfully hot just because somebody somewhere has decided that’s the authentic level of bravery required!

Spanish chicken

My Spanish chicken combines chicken with tomato and pepper flavours and is a useful change from creamy sauces or curry.

It’s one of those recipes that works well as a family dinner because you can serve it with rice, potatoes or whatever suits the rest of the meal, rather than needing lots of complicated sides.

BBQ chicken

Chicken is brilliant on a BBQ, although food safety matters even more when you’re cooking outside and it’s easy to become distracted.

My barbecue chicken is one of Ben and Stuart’s favourites, while my lemon and garlic chicken kebabs are handy when you want smaller pieces of chicken that can be cooked with peppers, mushrooms, onions or tomatoes.

Kebabs are also useful when different people like different things because you can change what’s on each skewer without making completely different meals.

If you’re cooking chicken on a BBQ, don’t assume it’s cooked in the middle simply because the outside looks done. Check it properly before serving.

Chicken rubs and marinades

Sometimes you don’t need another complicated recipe at all. You just need something to make the chicken you’ve already bought taste more interesting.

My chicken rubs are useful when you want to add flavour without making a sauce, particularly for grilled or BBQ chicken. My BBQ marinades give you more ideas if you’d rather marinate the meat before cooking.

Changing the seasoning is one of the easiest ways to stop chicken becoming repetitive. The same basic chicken breast can taste completely different depending on whether you’ve gone for garlic and herbs, smoky spices, something hot or something sweeter.

Chicken kebabs

Chicken kebabs are easy to vary because you can change both the marinade and the vegetables you thread onto the skewers.

My lemon and garlic chicken kebabs are a good starting point, but peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes can all work depending on what you enjoy.

Try to cut the chicken into reasonably similar-sized pieces so that they cook at roughly the same rate, and always check that the chicken itself is thoroughly cooked rather than judging the kebab by whether the vegetables look ready.

Grilled chicken

Plain grilled chicken has a bit of a reputation as boring diet food, but it doesn’t have to be. Seasoning, marinades and rubs make an enormous difference without requiring you to cover it in a heavy sauce.

My guide to grilled chicken has more ideas for cooking it well, while my chicken rubs are useful when the problem isn’t how to cook the chicken but how to make it taste of something!

Grilled chicken can then be used in salads, wraps, pasta dishes or alongside rice and vegetables, so it’s also handy if you like cooking some components ahead.

What can I make with leftover chicken?

If you’ve cooked too much chicken, don’t automatically assume you need to eat exactly the same dinner again tomorrow. Depending on what you’ve cooked it with, leftovers can work well in salads, wraps, pasta, rice dishes and lunches.

What you can sensibly make will depend on whether you’ve got plain cooked chicken or chicken that’s already covered in a particular sauce or seasoning, so have a look at my leftover chicken ideas for some inspiration before deciding.

Always cool and store leftovers safely rather than leaving them sitting around the kitchen and hoping they’ll be fine tomorrow.

Cooking and storing chicken safely

Raw chicken is one ingredient where I’m quite happy to be boring about food safety. Don’t wash raw chicken before cooking it, keep it away from foods that won’t subsequently be cooked, wash your hands and anything that’s been in contact with it thoroughly, and make sure the chicken is properly cooked before serving.

A digital food thermometer takes a lot of the guesswork out of checking chicken, particularly when you’re cooking thicker pieces. The UK Food Standards Agency has guidance on preparing, cooking, chilling and reheating food safely, which is worth checking if you’re unsure.

If you’re starting with frozen chicken, my guide to defrosting chicken safely covers that in more detail.

Chicken recipes for weight loss

Chicken is popular in weight-loss recipes because skinless chicken breast is relatively lean and it’s easy to combine with vegetables, rice, pasta, potatoes and lots of different flavours. That doesn’t mean you need to live on plain grilled chicken and salad, thankfully!

If you’re following Slimming World, Weight Watchers or another particular plan, you’ll need to check the current rules, points or allowances yourself because these can change. What I find much more useful generally is looking at the whole meal, choosing something you’ll actually enjoy and adjusting the portion or accompaniments where necessary.

If you’re specifically looking for meals suitable for Slimming World, have a look at my Slimming World chicken recipes, where you’ll find plenty more ideas in one place.

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