The Kitchen's Best-Ever Chicken Recipes

Fried, roasted, seared and grilled — there's no shortage of ways to prepare the humble chicken.

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From: Jeff Mauro, Katie Lee Biegel, Sunny Anderson, and Geoffrey Zakarian

Show: The Kitchen

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Photo By: David Lang ©David Lang

Photo By:

Photo By: David Lang ©David Lang

Spicy Pecan Crusted Chicken Thighs

When setting up her dredging station, Katie adds hot sauce and Dijon mustard to the egg mixture, then seasons the crushed pecans with salt and pepper to ensure the chicken packs plenty of bold flavors all the way through.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Pecan Crusted Chicken Thighs

Grilled Chicken Parmesan

Katie’s quick, no-fuss version of this classic Italian dish ditches the breading and uses the grill to add smoky flavors.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Parmesan

Sunny’s Citrus Can Chicken

Sunny cooks the chicken over a can of lemon-lime malt beer to infuse the citrusy flavors into the meat.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Citrus Can Chicken

Creamy Corn Skillet Chicken

This all-in-one dinner is made in a cast-iron skillet, which means cleanup is a breeze.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Corn Skillet Chicken

Honey Bourbon Chicken Pops

Cut off both ends of the drumstick to help make these meaty bites stand up easily. Jeff uses a dry rub to give the chicken smoky, spicy flavors and a sweet Bourbon glaze to add sweetness.

Get the Recipe: Honey Bourbon Chicken Pops

Smoked Whole Chicken with Honey BBQ Sauce

The secret to this smoky, flavorful chicken is in the butter rub. Bold seasonings like smoked paprika, ground mustard and cayenne add rich flavors to the chicken, while the butter itself helps retain moisture in the meat.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Whole Chicken with Honey BBQ Sauce

Midnight Chicken Salad

Use your chicken dinner leftovers to make Alex’s tangy salad. Enjoy this simple dish on top of salad greens, on toast or with crunchy, salty crackers.

Get the Recipe: Midnight Chicken Salad

Sunny's Easy 1-2-3 Spice-Rubbed Chicken with Citrus-Honey Glaze

From bold, rich spices to a sweet and tangy citrus glaze, this dish has it all. Make extra portions of Sunny’s 1-2-3 Spice Rub and store in an airtight container to use as seasoning for other meats.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Easy 1-2-3 Spice-Rubbed Chicken with Citrus-Honey Glaze

Sunny's Big Easy Chicken and Andouille File Gumbo

The secret here is file powder, which is made from sassafras leaves and lends big, earthy flavors to Sunny’s gumbo. Serve over rice for a complete meal.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Big Easy Chicken and Andouille File Gumbo

Roasted Chicken with Croutons

Katie roasts her bird atop thick slices of bread, which absorb the savory juices from the meat as it cooks. Afterwards, the bread is at once toasted and moist, full of the rich flavors of the chicken.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Chicken with Croutons

Easy Juicy Chicken Breast

Say goodbye to plain dry chicken breast. The key here is cooking the meat in chicken stock so that it stays nice and moist!

Get the Recipe: Easy Juicy Chicken Breast

Baked BBQ Chicken

The secret to making this barbecue chicken is quickly grilling it before letting it bake with the barbecue sauce. This ensures you get the charred flavor you crave without the risk of the sauce burning. Katie says that you can use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce or make your own.

Get the Recipe: Baked BBQ Chicken

Sunny's Herbed Lemon Pepper Chicken Glaze

Sunny’s zesty lemon pepper glaze is made with fresh herbs, lemon curd, Worcestershire sauce and chicken stock. Use part of the mixture to glaze the chicken as it’s grilling, then use the rest to drizzle over the chicken when serving.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Herbed Lemon Pepper Chicken Glaze

Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo Casserole

This is a two-for-onedeal — two recipes in one dish. Jeff first gives a recipe for orzo casserole, and then one for Greek lemon chicken to top it off. The key here is baking the chicken right on top of the orzo, so all of the flavors come together in the end.

Get the Recipe: Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo Casserole

Sticky Honey-Chili Garlic Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Katie’s cool cucumber salad brings a fresh balance to the sticky-sweet flavors of honey, and chili garlic sauce.

Get the Recipe: Sticky Honey-Chili Garlic Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Sunny's Quick Sizzlin Chicken Fajitas

Sunny uses frozen mixed veggies here for an easy fajita. Serve the warm tortilla, chicken and veggies with all the fixings you like. Sunny recommends avocado, salsa and cheese.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Quick Sizzlin Chicken Fajitas

Popcorn-Coated Popcorn Chicken

Using salty popcorn mixed with panko and paprika for the breading gives traditional chicken tenders an unexpected crunch and a boost of flavor.

Get the Recipe: Popcorn-Coated Popcorn Chicken

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Thighs and Eggplant

Katie adds sumac, which boasts a subtle lemony flavor, to the spicy blend in her bold marinade. This chicken and eggplant recipe comes with grilled naan bread and a refreshing yogurt-tahini dipping sauce for a complete Mediterranean dinner.

Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Thighs and Eggplant

Chicken "Stir-Fry" Cheat Sheet

This isn’t your typical chicken stir-fry. Instead of a stovetop pan, this recipe is made right on a baking sheet, which means prep and cleanup are a breeze.

Get the Recipe: Chicken "Stir-Fry" Cheat Sheet

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Skewers

Elevate your chicken game with a common pantry snack — pretzels! Here they become the crunchy coating to these simple chicken skewers.

Get the Recipe: Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Skewers

Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken

Put a homemade spin on store-bought rotisserie chicken by dressing up the meat with Jeff Mauro's tangy barbecue sauce. It takes just a few minutes for the bold flavors of the hoisin, chili and soy sauces to combine with peppery fresh ginger to create flavor-packed results.

Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

A sweet-savory combination of honey, soy sauce and cider vinegar serves two purposes in this quick-fix chicken recipe: It's both a marinade for the meat and a basting sauce. If you don't want to grill the chicken thighs, try searing them on a cast-iron pan then finishing them in the oven.

Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Caprese Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze

Inspired by the classic salad you know and love, this hearty dinner features layers of tender sliced chicken breasts, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella. For an added boost of flavor, Jeff drizzles the platter with syrupy pomegranate juice for a sweet-tart finish.

Get the Recipe: Caprese Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze

Chicken and Waffle Cones

While these cones may look like a sweet treat, they're surely not a dessert. A scoop of silky mashed potatoes fills in for the usual vanilla ice cream, while spicy popcorn shrimp adorn the potatoes as "toppings."

Get the Recipe: Chicken and Waffle Cones

Pan-Seared Chicken with Olives

After cooking the chicken, use the same skillet to make a simple pan sauce. Here GZ combines briny olives, sweet shallots and a splash of vinegar to form the base of his sauce, which he rounds out with garlicky tomatoes to complement the chicken.

Get the Recipe: Pan Seared Chicken with Olives

Fried Chicken

The secret to Katie Lee's top-rated fried chicken is the buttermilk-hot sauce marinade in which she bathes the bird for a few hours before frying. Not only does it infuse the meat with flavor, but it also guarantees moist results.

Get the Recipe: Fried Chicken

Chile-Rubbed Chicken Breast with Kale, Quinoa and Brussels Sprouts

Who said you have to cook Brussels sprouts? Here they're combined with leafy kale and nutty quinoa to form a hearty salad, which rounds out Marcela Valladolid's chipotle-laced chicken.

Get the Recipe: Chile-Rubbed Chicken Breast with Kale, Quinoa and Brussels Sprouts Salad

Grilled Chicken Paillard with Arugula and Shaved Pecorino

Just 10 minutes and only a handful of ingredients? Yes, believe it or not, that's all it takes to turn out Katie's fuss-free dinner.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Paillard with Arugula and Shaved Pecorino

Sunny's Ham-and-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts (Chicken Cordon Bleu)

Stuffing is the name of the game in Sunny's speedy breaded chicken. To make room for the filling, slice a pocket into the side of the chicken breast — but take care that you don't cut right through the other end of the meat.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts (Chicken Cordon Bleu)

Roasted Chicken with Bibb Lettuce and Roasted Chicken Vinaigrette

GZ's succulent roasted chicken does double duty in his dinner: The meat serves as the star of the plate, of course, and the drippings from the roast lend a savory bite to his Dijon-laced salad vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Chicken with Bibb Lettuce and Roasted Chicken Vinaigrette

Chicken and Broccoli Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash

For the ultimate all-in-one meal, start with pre-cooked chicken and combine it with a creamy cheese sauce before baking it in a halved spaghetti squash.

Get the Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash

Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich

To impart just enough heat to his take on the Nashville classic, Jeff opts for a two-tiered approach to spice: first a cayenne spice rub right on the chicken, then a dunk in a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce before frying.

Get the Recipe: Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich

Chicken Salad

Ever suffer a kitchen mishap and end up with less-than-perfect chicken? Follow Jeff Mauro's lead and repurpose it in this easy chicken salad. "This is the perfect opportunity to make use of dry or overcooked chicken breasts," he explains.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Salad

Jerk Chicken

It's all about the sweet, savory spice rub that coats the chicken in Jeff's classic recipe. The key ingredients? Dark brown sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and a bold habanero.

Get the Recipe: Jerk Chicken

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

Save time in the kitchen by taking advantage of store-bought rotisserie chicken when prepping Geoffrey Zakarian's simply dressed pasta salad.

Get the Recipe: Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

Katie Lee's Chicken Pot Pie

Katie keeps it traditional in her 5-star recipe, with tender chunks of chicken, a creamy vegetable sauce and a blanket of golden pastry on top.

Get the Recipe: Katie Lee's Chicken Pot Pie

Sunny's Root Beer BBQ Wings

Not just for drinking, your favorite root beer soda serves as the base of Sunny Anderson's tangy, spicy barbecue sauce, which she heats up with the spice from a single ghost pepper.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Root Beer BBQ Wings

Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry

A bold sauce featuring grated ginger and a squeeze of honey marries the ramen noodles, sliced veggies and juicy chicken in Katie's quick-fix stir-fry.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Ramen Stir-Fry

Quick Chicken Tortellini Soup

A duo of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice brightens up Jeff's fuss-free soup.

Get the Recipe: Quick Chicken Tortellini Soup

Sweet Glazed Butterflied Grilled Chicken

It's best to wait until the last few minutes of cooking to add the buttery brown sugar-mustard glaze to the chicken. If you do it any earlier, the sugars could burn.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Glazed Butterflied Grilled Chicken

Smoked Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings

You've had honey mustard before, right? Jeff upgrades that timeless flavor with a splash of apple cider vinegar for welcome brightness, and he uses the mixture to transform crispy chicken wings.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Honey-Mustard Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Burgers with Pasilla Aioli

Marcela guarantees bold flavor in her finished chicken burgers by mixing the ground meat with chopped onions and garlic, and serving the patties with classic and creative toppings: creamy pepper Jack cheese, pasilla-laced mayonnaise and crispy fried Poblano Rings.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Burgers with Pasilla Aioli

Sunny's Easy Chicken Parmesan

To keep her ingredient checklist as trim as possible, Sunny opts for prepared pizza sauce, not tomato sauce, to dress up her breaded chicken breasts, as pizza sauce often comes already seasoned with flavorful herbs.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Easy Chicken Parmesan

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