29 Easy Chicken Breast Recipes for Fall
29 Easy Chicken Breast Recipes for Fall
In fall, chicken breasts are an easy starting point for all kinds of dinners: crispy cutlets, quick weeknight skillet meals, cozy soups, saucy chicken Parm—and on warm early-fall evenings, there’s still time for one last round of grilled chicken.
Learning how to cook chicken breasts so that they stay moist and tender doesn’t take much practice, just a little technique. Start by buying the best chicken breast you can find. Then follow our tips for frying the crispiest chicken cutlets, learn the key to the juiciest grilled chicken, or check out almost every other way to cook chicken breast.
Because they’re leaner than thighs, chicken breasts can easily overcook. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness (chicken breasts are safely cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F), and let the meat rest before slicing so the juices redistribute. Sauces and marinades can also help keep chicken breasts flavorful and juicy.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon1/29Vinegar Chicken With Figs
Photo by Emma Fishman2/29BA’s Best Chicken Parmesan
We tested this Italian-American favorite for six weeks to perfect its ample flavor (garlic and garlic powder, rich tomato sauce) and ideal textural contrast (crispy fried chicken, gooey melted mozzarella). Don’t fret about leftovers: They make great sandwiches.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni3/29Warm Chicken Piccata Salad
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Drew Aichele, and Prop Styling by Adrian Ababović4/29Speedy Chicken Stroganoff
Like beef stroganoff, this weeknight dinner comes cloaked in a tangy-creamy mushroom sauce. Thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts keep the whole thing speedy.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Rosanna Anil, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea5/2915-Minute Teriyaki Chicken
Photo by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca6/29Miso Chicken Soup With Squash and Tiny Pasta
Gently poaching boneless chicken breast in broth keeps it tender and moist, while kabocha squash and ditalini release just enough starch to give this cozy soup silky body. Kale and red miso round things out with greens and savory depth.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne7/29Skillet Chicken With Tangy-Sweet Peperonata
Sweet peppers, onion, and garlic collapse into a jammy peperonata that doubles as both sauce and side for this weeknight-friendly dinner.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon8/29Crispy Chicken Quesadillas
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Christina Allen9/29Smoky Chicken and Avocado Kale Salad
Marinate boneless chicken breasts in chipotles in adobo sauce, lime juice, and honey. Just 10 minutes does the trick—roasting in the oven further concentrates the sauce’s smoky flavor.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams10/29One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Buffalo chicken dip, meet weeknight pasta. This creamy, spicy, tangy dinner cooks entirely in one pot—yes, even the penne—and is on the table in under an hour.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova11/29Chicken Cordon Bleu
For the ultimate stuffed chicken breast recipe, pound boneless, skinless breasts thin, fill them with slices of ham and cheese, and fold them over. Dredge them in breadcrumbs before frying, and ask someone else to toss together a mixed greens salad while you tend the stove.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness12/29Sweet-and-Sour Cranberry Chicken Stir-Fry
Canned cranberry sauce becomes a glossy sweet-and-sour glaze for thinly sliced chicken breast and green beans in this definitely-not-Thanksgiving take on orange chicken.
Photography by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen13/29Golden Chicken With Mustard and Shallots
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christina Allen14/29Coconut Chicken Katsu With Smashed Cucumbers
Think of this katsu as the chicken equivalent of coconut shrimp: crunchy, savory, and just a little tropical thanks to unsweetened shredded coconut in the coating.
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio15/29Za’atar Chicken Cutlets With Cabbage Salad
No za’atar? No problem. This recipe makes a quick version with oregano, sesame seeds, and tangy sumac, then puts it to work on crispy chicken cutlets with crunchy cabbage salad.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones16/29Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts With Crunchy Radish Salad
Photograph by Scott Semler, food styling by Mieko Takahashi, prop styling by Emma Ringness18/29Sprite-Grilled Chicken Skewers
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova19/29Garlic-Ginger Chicken With Cilantro and Mint
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie20/29Soy-Garlic Popcorn Chicken and Rice Cakes
Skewer bouncy Korean rice cakes with crispy chicken bites, then lacquer the whole thing in a sticky soy-garlic glaze. Snacky dinner, party starter—either way, they disappear fast.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekatarina Boytsova22/29Chicken Tinga Tostadas With Bacony Black Beans
Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Jennifer Ophir23/29Chicken Schnitzel With Crunchy Salad
Pound chicken breasts thin, bread them, and shallow-fry until deeply golden outside and juicy within. A large Dutch oven helps keep the inevitable oil splatter under control.
Photograph by Jenny Huang, food styling by Tyna Hoang, prop styling by Sophie Strangio24/29Chicken With Schmaltzy Red Pepper Vinaigrette
This one-pan dinner is a win
on busy daysany day. Rendered schmaltz from bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts adds savory depth to the sweet-pepper vinaigrette spooned over the whole thing.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk25/29Grilled Chicken Breasts With Tadka-ish Sauce
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio26/29Chicken With Mushroom Purée and Swiss Chard
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, and Prop Styling by Emma Ringness27/29Spicy Ranch Chicken
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Michelle Gatton, and Prop Styling by Christina Allen28/29Buldak Chicken Parm
Bring the heat—and the funk—to dinner with gochujang. The fermented chile paste creates a fiery riff on chicken Parm, flavoring the marinara before everything gets blanketed in melted cheese.
Photograph by Aaron Barton, food styling by Drew Aichele, prop styling by Alexandra Massillon29/29Back-Pocket Caper-Butter Chicken
Looking for a date-night dish? Enter this elegant chicken breast dinner with capers, garlic, and red wine vinegar. The punchy brine transforms into a velvety pan sauce with the help of butter and honey.
