Skip to main content

The Best Chicken Recipes You Need To Make

There is no denying the wide range of chicken dishes available or that chicken makes the perfect meal year-round, but there are certain chicken recipes that just go better during the fall and the cooler months of the year. As you know, we love all things chicken and have an entire section on easy chicken recipes.

Chicken breast recipes seem to be the most popular part of the chicken to cook but there is something to be said about those chicken thigh recipes, too! Chicken thighs have just a fantastic flavor, it’s hard to think it’s overlooked. What other more versatile food is there? Chicken can be cooked so many different ways, such as fried, baked, cooked stovetop in a skillet, or in a slow cooker.

Pieces of grilled chicken legs in a grill basket.
Ekaterina Novitskaya/Unsplash

Related Guides

Cooking Methods

Before we jump to the recipes that you should be making, let’s discuss a few methods for preparing your chicken dinner outside of the normal stovetop or oven-baked chicken recipes.

Instant Pots

Techniques have really changed over the years. Sure, slow cooker chicken, baked chicken, or even oven fried chicken are tried and true methods but even the technology has changed. You can now cook chicken in an Instant Pot in a fraction of the time it takes to bake, making your easy chicken dinner that much easier.

Air Fryers

If you’re not sold on the Instant Pot, you can also try the air fryer method. The air fryer isn’t as quick as the pressure cooker but it uses less oil or fat making your chicken dinner recipes a bit healthier. Aside from being a healthy cooking option, cleaning up is a snap and usually requires little effort.

Grilling

Regardless of the time of year, there are some of us who need to grill year-round. It doesn’t matter if you use the more traditional charcoal way, the gas grill method, or even the electric grill. You’re still going to get that wonderful flavor that you just can’t duplicate in an oven (as easy). If you use an air fryer, you can come close but it’s just not the same.

Best Chicken Recipes

The Best Fried Chicken

Fried chicken served on a leaf with a chili.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The trick here is using a cast-iron skillet and double breading the chicken breasts. It’s the crunchiest of the crunchy fried chicken. Eat it plain or grab one a dipping sauce; either way, you won’t be disappointed.

Read more: The Best Fried Chicken Recipe

The Perfect Chicken Soup

White Chicken Chili in a bowl with cilantro garnish.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You don’t have to wait for a cold to enjoy the healing properties of homemade chicken soup. This soup really does warm the soul. You don’t have to settle for the traditional chicken soup either. Mix it up with a couple of these variations.

Read more: How To Make the Perfect Chicken Soup

Peri-Peri Chicken

Peri peri chicken grilling.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is a perfect grilled chicken recipe with African and Portuguese origins and a bit of spice. After it is marinated in its spicy vinegar sauce, it’s ready for the red hot coals to get that perfect char.

Read more: How To Make Peri Peri Chicken

Sweet and Crispy Hawaiian Fried Chicken

Garlic chicken Hawaii.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A couple of fried chicken recipes with some unique Asian flavors of fragrant garlic and mochiko. The chicken is marinated in some soy, ginger, and spices to create this sweet and extra crispy chicken. Pair this with some rice and you have yourself a creation of the island’s rich blend of cultures and cuisines.

Read more: How To Make Hawaiian Fried Chicken

Karaage, Japanese Fried Chicken

Japanese Fried Chicken served on a plate.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s not your typical chicken recipe but a Japanese favorite made with a sake marinade. It’s also less greasy than the American version but still as delicious. Add some lemon wedges or maybe some Japanese mayonnaise as your dipping sauce.

Read more: How To Make Japanese Fried Chicken

Barbecued Cornell Chicken

Barbecued cornell chicken on a grill grate.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This is the perfect grilled chicken recipe that you need to make and was created by a food scientist in 1950. The marinade itself is full of complex flavors that help to season and tenderize the chicken. It’s a grilling must.

Read more: How To Make Cornell Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Korean fried chicken only became popular during the 1980s and is now a staple turned obsession. Perhaps the best sides for Korean Fried Chicken are an ice-cold beer and some pickled daikon radish.

Read more: How To Make Korean Fried Chicken

Southern-Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken

A hand reaching for a piece of crunchy buttermilk fried chicken.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

While we know that fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food, this fried chicken recipe adds a brine to help retain the juiciness of the meat. The thick buttermilk helps the dredge to stick everywhere on the chicken meat.

Read more: Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

We’ve covered some of our favorite chicken recipes so the only problem you should be facing right now is deciding which recipe to start with. We recommend just starting at the beginning and going down the list. Add these to your cooking arsenal and you will not be disappointed.

We do recommend using brine or a marinade when cooking chicken. Not only does it add another level of flavor, but it also adds moisture so your chicken stays extra juicy and doesn’t dry out, shrivel, or get too charred. Brining or marinating your meat can be done in just a few hours before the actual cooking process begins. It will ensure that no matter what recipe you follow, your chicken will come out perfect each and every time.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Joe Morales
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joe Morales is a trained chef with over five years of experience working in fine dining and Michelin recommended restaurants…
Ice cream bread is the lifehack your internal fat kid needs
You like ice cream. You like bread. Why not mix them together?
ice cream bread recipe 6289263 1920

Social media's hottest new recipe trend that's floating around is one that we deeply, truly approve of. Naturally, things like butter boards and new coffee concoctions are always appreciated by those of us who love a fun culinary trend. But there's something about this one that just really tickles us pink - ice cream bread. Maybe it's the tempting simplicity of the name that combines two of the most wonderful things in the world. Maybe it's the fact that the recipe itself is almost simpler than the name. Maybe it's the sprinkles. Whatever the reason, ice cream bread is our new favorite trendy treat.

When we saw this video making the rounds, we decided that we needed to give ice cream bread a try, and the results were pleasantly surprising.

Read more
Slow cooker recipes: Cincinnati chili is easier than you think
Put it over spaghetti, we dare you
Cincinnati chili

This time of year, everyone loves good slow cooker recipes. You want one that warms, comforts, and greets you with a delicious scent the moment you walk through the door after a long, chilly autumn day. The slow cooker is a beautiful thing for that very reason - not only does it provide a nearly prep-free meal, but it's the gift that keeps on giving with its delicious promise of a warm and hearty meal through tantalizingly exquisite aromas filling the house all day. And while we all love common slow cooker recipes - a meaty pot roast or Kung Pao chicken, sometimes what we're craving at the end of the day is something a bit out of the ordinary. That's why we love this recipe for Cincinnati chili.
Cincinnati chili is tremendously unique in the world of varying (sometimes competing) American chili dishes. Its flavors are warmer and more exotic, which makes sense as its origins aren't American at all, but Greek. In the early 20th century, Greek-Macedonian immigrant brothers John and Tom Kiradjieff opened a restaurant in Cincinnati. Their chili was flavored with traditional ingredients like chili pepper and cumin but also included more familiar Mediterranean ingredients such as allspice and cinnamon. The deliciously comforting dish caught on, and Cincinnati chili quickly became a regional favorite.
This spicy chili is traditionally served over spaghetti with a generous topping of shredded cheddar on top. Depending on the locals you happen to ask, the best way to enjoy this chili is over spaghetti, with or without cheese, kidney beans, and/or grated white onion. Within these barriers, one cannot go wrong. Just make sure to always, always use your fork to cut the pasta into bite-size portions. Twirling is absolutely out of the question.

Cincinnati chili recipe
While spaghetti is the traditional choice for serving Cincinnati chili, another popular option is pouring a generous heap over hot dogs. If you ask us, this is the absolute best way to make chili dogs.

Read more
This creative old-fashioned recipe has two bitters and a unique bourbon that give it a campfire feel
An old fashioned recipe that's perfect for winter
Bib & Tucker old fashioned

There are classic cocktails, and then there’s the old-fashioned. While the cocktail renaissance of the last few decades has unearthed many traditional cocktails and brought others back to the forefront (like the daiquiri, gimlet, Manhattan, Tom Collins, negroni, and others), none are as timeless as the old-fashioned. This whiskey-based drink is as popular as ever.

The aptly named cocktail is a very boozy drink with a whiskey base. Recipes call for rye or bourbon; what you use is entirely up to you. Since whiskey is the star of the show and the prominent flavor, the drink will be quite different depending on the whiskey you (or your favorite bartender) select. Rye whiskey-based old fashioneds will have a spicy, peppery bite, while bourbon-based old fashioneds will have a sweet corn base. Both are great options.

Read more