30+ Boneless Chicken Breast Recipes
~ Boneless chicken breast recipes are a weeknight go-to in most American kitchens. We’ve got lots of new ideas to keep your weeknight standby deliciously interesting, night after night! ~
No doubt, chicken is one of the most common meals on this country’s dinner tables. It’s easy to grab a package of chicken at the market, it’s relatively cost-effective, and the possibilities are practically endless.
They’ve really got everything going for them!
Are Chicken Breasts Healthy?
They definitely are! (Especially without the skin.)
Compared to red meat, and even to dark chicken meat, white chicken breast meat is leaner and lower in fat. And of course, it’s also a great source of protein.
One note about keeping chicken breasts as healthy as possible, though: be sure to remove the skin to decrease unwanted extra calories and fat.
Usually, when you buy boneless chicken breasts, the skin has already been removed for you, too. If not, simply remove the skin either before or after cooking (depending on your recipe) to cut down on the higher fat and calories the skin contains.
Boneless Chicken Breast Recipes – Versatile & Easy to Cook!
There are just so many ways to cook chicken breasts!
You can bake them, grill them, use them in casseroles, add them to soups, slowly simmer them in a crock-pot, quick-cook them in an Instant Pot … the list goes on and on!
And, to make meals even easier, they’re absolutely fantastic to pre-cook for meal prep later in the week. Or, of course, you can grab a rotisserie chicken at the market and swap that into lots of recipes like chicken salads and sandwiches – without actually cooking the chicken yourself at all. When time is really tight, somebody else can cook the chicken for you! (I do this all the time!)
But what about the often-heard complaint that chicken breast meat is too dry?
It certainly doesn’t have to be!
How to Avoid Dry Chicken Breasts
Properly cooked chicken breast meat should be succulent and juicy.
They key is to avoid overcooking it, which is a sure-fire way to dry it right out. Some suggestions:
• Invest in a good meat thermometer. Many people overcook chicken to the point of dryness because they’re afraid of eating it undercooked. A meat thermometer will help you get it right every time. The safe temperature for cooking chicken is 165ºF. But remember that, through carryover cooking, meat continues to cook a little further, even once you’ve removed it from the heat.
• Moist cooking methods like the slow cooker are champs for helping you avoid the dryness problem.
• And lots of great toppings and additional flavors can help to conceal slightly overcooked chicken, if you do happen to go a bit too far. Similarly, a good sauce can do wonders, too.
When they’re cooked to delicious perfection, there’s really no question why boneless chicken breasts are so popular!
Getting Out of the “Boring Chicken” Rut
But sometimes people just get into a bit of a rut, cooking the same things over and over … and over. So, not surprisingly, chicken breasts can get a bit of a bad rap for being boring.
But they sure don’t have to be!
We’re gonna inspire you with brand-new dinnertime ideas that’ll make you fall in love with chicken all over again! Buckle up … dinner isn’t going to be the same after you get a peek at these …
I've divided these recipes into various sections, from slow cooker to baking to grilling, etc. – so you can easily find exactly the delicious, easy, boneless chicken breast recipes you want to make next! Throw some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in your slow cooker ... and magic happens while you spend your day NOT thinking about dinner! Niiiiiice! This is about as easy as chicken breast recipes can possibly get! Just 3 ingredients and maybe 5 minutes of effort – seriously! Enjoy them very simply, just rolled in tortillas … or create a festive taco bar featuring your family’s favorite toppings. An all-time most popular recipe – a definite must-try! A total breeze to make, and these sandwiches win huge raves every time! The easy homemade dressing is moist and packed with flavor, and it offers an additional little protein boost beyond the protein in the chicken breasts themselves. Delicious! If you love Chipotle's burrito bowls (and seriously ... who doesn't??), this is a perfect recipe to make for your family at home. It's also a great way to create a DIY burrito bowl station for parties. I've actually watched friends and neighbors scrape the bottom of the slow cooker to get every last, scrumptious bit – it's always a hit! Here's a boneless chicken breast recipe for BBQ ... no beef, no hog ... just lean chicken so darn good that you may never make your BBQ any other way! Even Carolina natives have raved over this version. And it's sooooo simple, too (thanks, slow cooker)! Mediterranean toppings turn the "taco bar" idea into a whole new culinary adventure! Start with perfectly seasoned, slow cooked chicken breast meat, and let everyone layer up their own, any way they like. It's a surprising twist packed with fabulous flavors! Buffalo chicken isn't always the healthiest option ... until now! This super-easy version leverages lean chicken breasts to give you that buffalo chicken wing vibe ... without the fatty wings! Pssst ... and for game days and casual parties, use this recipe as the base for our crave-able Buffalo Chicken Nachos! With protein-packed chicken breasts as their base, all of these recipes are filling enough to be a meal. Hearty and comforting ... and so darn easy in your crock pot! You'll love coming home to these recipes after a busy day! Just toss your boneless chicken breasts in the slow cooker, along with other pantry items. So simple, yet so fantastic with the sunshine-y sweetness of corn and just a hint of smoky bacon! Why does beef stew get all the glory?!? This recipe relies on leaner chicken for a healthier comfort-food meal. Perfect for chilly nights – you'll never miss that fatty beef! Savory Mexican flavors ... and a double-hit of protein from both the boneless skinless chicken breasts and also a little quinoa (instead of the more typical rice). Terrific as a main course, or you can serve it as a starter for a whole Mexican fiesta meal. Either way, it's crazy-good! Fantastic southwestern-inspired taste that's wonderfully warming on a cool evening, without being too spicy. Plus it's so easy – just mix everything together right in your crock-pot! And, it makes a really big batch that's perfect for meal prep freezer meals, too! Need even more chicken soup ideas? We've gathered favorites from other sites all across the Internet – 10 more beloved, must-try recipes! Baked chicken breasts sound so ho-hum, don't they? Kinda plain and uneventful. I hear ya – but these recipes are bursting with big, BIG flavors, and are pretty much guaranteed to change your mind! A symphony of flavors, but with all the fabulous, easy cleanup of a sheet pan meal! Tender, juicy chicken breasts and baked red potatoes are deliciously accented with rosemary, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and an irresistible honey-balsamic drizzle. Outstanding! Besides the layers of addictive Mexican flavor, the beauty of this easy baked chicken casserole is that there's absolutely no pre-cooking required (not even for the quinoa!). For this recipe, you can cut your regular-sized, boneless chicken breasts into thin fajita strips, or opt for handy chicken breast tenders. This scrumptious meal-in-one absolutely shines with layer upon Iayer of Italian flavors ... and TWO cheeses! After baking, your chicken and veggies get one final pop of flavor with a vibrant caprese topping full of juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fragrant basil, and balsamic vinegar. So good, and you can even reserve the caprese topping to the side, to make this chicken dinner versatile for pickier eaters, too! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are terrific on the grill. An easy and nutritious summer dinner idea, with no need to heat up the kitchen! Talk about simplicity ... this grilled chicken recipe quickly became a family favorite at my house for both its ease of prep, and it's sensational, clean and bright flavors! Not really a recipe, per se ... but this is the game-changing tip that instantly made my chicken kabobs sooo much better! If you're a grilling fan, I highly recommend giving it a try! Where are my Instant Pot fans out there?!? (Yeah ... I see a lot of hands waving in the air!) Instant Pots are a weeknight timesaver, and their pressure cooking method can do a really lovely job with boneless chicken breasts. These insanely delicious, ridiculously EASY Carolina-Style Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches are inspired by epic family beach vacations along the Eastern Carolina shore. This tangy, flavor-packed chicken recipe takes just minutes to prep, and it's a total snap in your pressure cooker! With only 3 ingredients, these chicken tacos are ultra easy! They require very little hands-on time and can even be made ahead. Plus, you can use either fresh or frozen chicken (with no thawing). Check out allllll the creative ideas for how to serve up your shredded taco meat (including on nachos or in burrito bowls and salads)! From Chicken and Broccoli to Bruschetta Chicken ... Chicken Piccata to Chicken & Mushroom Pie ... this recipe collection has so many ways to reinvent beloved chicken recipes for the Instant Pot! And, since pressure cooker chicken recipes are so incredibly popular right now, we've actually got an entirely separate collection devoted just to Instant Pot chicken soups. The old stand-bys are here (like Chicken and Wild Rice Soup), but so are more inventive ideas like Chicken Curry Soup and Chicken Enchilada Soup! Air frying offers the coveted joys of deep frying … without all the mess, calories and fat. And, air fryer recipes are typically quick, too – perfect for busy weeknights! A delectable list full of inspired recipes … from buffalo chicken strips to BBQ air fried chicken breast, air fry chicken breast parmesan, Greek and lemon pepper recipes … and many more! A favorite strategy of mine for creating EASY chicken recipes? Whenever you're cooking chicken breasts for one recipe, cook a few additional to have on hand later in the week for a second meal. These salad recipes showcase delicious ways of elevating pre-cooked boneless chicken breasts to superstar status. (And hey, in a pinch, you can grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and use the breast meat in these recipes, instead of cooking your own. Busy week? We've gotcha covered!) This is the main course dinner salad my family makes ALLLLL the time on constant repeat – and my daughter's most favorite salad in the entire world. Tender chicken, crunchy pecans, sweet-tart cranberries, juicy apples, creamy goat cheese and an amazing vinaigrette all add up to a blockbuster dinner that you'll have ready in under 15 minutes! This fabulous chicken salad is bursting with delicious flavors and textures! Juicy grapes, crisp apples and crunchy pecans, all topped off with a you’d-never-guess-it’s-healthy Greek yogurt dressing (psssst ... secret ingredient alert!). All the great flavors of buffalo chicken dip, in a satisfying tortellini pasta salad! Chunks of juicy, boneless chicken breast make this hearty salad perfect as a main dish on a hot day (or as a filling side). Fabulous warm or totally chilled – serve it as a main course for dinner one night, and then enjoy leftovers for lunch throughout the week! A showstopper chicken salad! Impressive enough to win lots of oooohs and aaaahs at the potluck, but so simple that you can even make it for weeknight dinners. (Won’t your family be impressed?!?) A great meal on a summer evening! Although this recipe specifically shows you how to turn your Cobb salad into a festive Christmas tree for the holidays ... you can simply toss it together as a main course dinner salad any night of the year (no adorable Christmas shapes needed). It's so yummy, yet very simple to make with previously cooked boneless chicken (and it can even be made ahead for busy nights)! Loving our idea to keep pre-cooked chicken breasts on hand, so you can re-invent them for additional meals throughout the week? Oh yeah! It's such a total lifesaver hack for busy people! Batch cook those boneless chicken breasts (or, in a pinch, grab a rotisserie chicken) ... and dinner is moments away! A few unique topping choices make these super-easy chicken tacos an absolute standout. Big, BIG flavors so easily! Even better? These tacos can be prepped completely ahead … and assembled in a jiffy at dinnertime! These extra-speedy wraps are filled with bold flavors and a wonderfully melty-cheesy texture! And they’re ready in less than 10 minutes flat – a perfect quick meal for insanely busy evenings. This super-popular recipe is a beloved classic, made easier and faster, with no need for long simmering. Great for all those times you crave a comforting pot of chicken noodle soup, but just don't have much time! All the wonderfully cheesy, saucy flavors of your favorite chicken parmesan casserole ... in a lightning-fast, 15-minute meal! You can even make these completely ahead, and they’re freezable, too – kind of like homemade Hot Pockets (but sooooo much better than the store-bought kind). Great for grab-n-go dinners on the run! Another freezable, dinner on-the-go idea! These little beauties are filled with the comfort food flavors of chicken pot pie. But they're totally portable, for when sitting down around the dinner table just isn't gonna happen. No need for unhealthy drive-thru food – just keep a few of these stockpiled in your freezer! As if grilled cheese could get any better. Add some buffalo chicken dip, and you've got an amazingly cheesy-gooey-awesome sandwich (that's ready in just minutes). And heads-up, Buffalo Chicken lovers, you're gonna want to try our super-easy Crock-Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip, too! Soooooo crave-able! It’s like your favorite Chinese sweet and sour chicken met up with a stylish flatbread pizza crust! Uniquely delicious, and ready in under 30 minutes.Boneless Chicken Breast Recipes
Chicken Breast Slow Cooker Meals
3-Ingredient Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
Crock-Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
Crock-Pot North Carolina BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Mediterranean Crock-Pot Chicken "Taco" Wraps
Healthy Crock-Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Chicken Soups and Stews
Crock-Pot Corn Chowder with Chicken and Bacon
Creamy Crock-Pot Chicken Stew with Potatoes, Carrots and Tomatoes
Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Crock-Pot Southwestern Corn Chowder with Chicken and Green Chiles
Top 10 Healthy Crock-Pot Chicken Soups and Chilis
Baked Chicken Breasts (Sheet Pan and Casserole)
Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes with Rosemary, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Honey-Balsamic
Chicken Fajita Quinoa Bake
Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables (with Italian Caprese Topping)
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon and Garlic
The Secret to Perfect Shish Kabobs
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Ideas
Carolina-Style Instant Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Soup Recipes
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Ideas
Easy Air Fry Recipes
The Easiest of Easy Dinners: Hearty Salads Featuring Chicken Breasts You Can Cook Ahead!
Pecan Chicken Salad
Healthy Chicken Salad with Grapes, Apples and Tarragon-Yogurt Dressing
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
Easy, Healthy Chicken Salad with Quinoa, Tomatoes, Lemon and Basil
Easy 7-Layer Chicken Taco Salad
Easy Chicken Cobb Salad
MORE Ideas to Leverage Already-Cooked Chicken Breasts!
Quick Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Smashed Avocado
Easy, Cheesy BBQ Chicken Wraps
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy Chicken Parmesan Wraps
Easy Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pies
Buffalo Chicken Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Sweet and Sour Chicken Flatbread Pizza
Nope!
There are just so many delicious possibilities.
The only problem is: where ya gonna start?!?