11 Best Winter Chicken Breast Recipes

It is easy to let a healthy dinner routine suffer when the weather begs us to stay wrapped up in a blanket with a bowl of popcorn in our laps instead. However, simple chicken recipes run the gamut from exotic but accessible flavours to surprising twists on classics to simple ethnic dishes that may spice up our routine with praises of the hero of our dinner – chicken!

When looking for a delicious way to use chicken breasts or thighs from our fridge, look for the recipes which make a healthy and flavorful meal. The mix includes simple, one-pot, or pan meals packed with veggies and super-cosy soups that keep you warm and salads that will give you a refreshing boost at the end of the day. Recipes like Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale and Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli are tasty ways to eat well and keep your stomach full.

Let’s look at each one in detailed

1. Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli

In this accessible and healthy dinner recipe, sweet and savoury baked honey-garlic chicken thighs come with many veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken. The honey-soy-garlic marinade for the chicken is a mix of an irresistible sauce to drizzle over everything. Lining a baking sheet with foil protects the pan from the sticky honey-soy-garlic sauce. If you cannot find small carrots, cut medium carrots half lengthwise.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1½ tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• Four cloves of garlic, minced
• One tablespoon cider vinegar.
• 1/4th teaspoon crushed red pepper.
• Five ounces of the bony chicken thighs with their skin.
• One pound of small carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Two tablespoons of olive oil, divided.
• 4 cups broccoli florets.
• ½ teaspoon salt.
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper.
• One teaspoon of cornstarch.
• One teaspoon water

Method of cooking:

• Gather all the ingredients.
• Mix 1/3 cup honey, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and one tablespoon vinegar.
• Place chicken along with half of the honey mixture, 1/4 cup, in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal the bag after removing the excess air. Massage the chicken in the sealed pouch until it is well coated. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes and up to two hours. Reserve the remaining honey mixture.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Line it with a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; coat with cooking spray. Take the chicken from the marinade and tuck it on one side of the prepared pan.
• Combine 1 pound of carrots and one tablespoon of oil in a bowl, and toss to coat well. Spread the carrots evenly on another side of the pan
• Bake the chicken and carrots for fifteen minutes. Remove from the oven and stir the carrots.
• Combine 4 cups broccoli and the remaining one tablespoon oil; toss well to coat. Spread the broccoli evenly over the chicken and the carrots on the pan. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper each.
• Bake until the vegetables are tender for 15 to 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk one teaspoon of cornstarch and one teaspoon of water in a small bowl until there are no lumps.
• Combine the cornstarch mix and the reserved honey mixture in a saucepan; bring it to a simmer over medium to low heat, whisking it once or twice. Simmer, often whisking, until the sauce is clear and thickened, for two minutes.
• Drizzle over the chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.

2. One-Skillet Bourbon Chicken

Coating the chicken in the cornstarch may seem like an extra step, but the reward is the chicken gets a crispy exterior and thickens the sauce. Legend has it that bourbon chicken got its name after Bourbon Street in New Orleans; it has made its place on menus at Chinese American restaurants.

Method of cooking:

• Combine bourbon, soy sauce, apple juice, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
• Toss together chicken and one tablespoon of cornstarch in a large bowl—heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; cook, occasionally stirring, until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the soy-bourbon mixture; stir to coat. Stirring it often until the sauce has reduced to a syrupy consistency and the chicken is cooked for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Combine water and one teaspoon of cornstarch in a small bowl; stir to mix well and add to the pan; cook it until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Divide rice among four plates; top with the chicken and sauce. Garnish with scallions, if desired, and serve.

3. One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake

We use only one baking sheet to quickly whip up dinner and veggies in this chicken and asparagus recipe. Pounding the chicken thigh helps it cook soon alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. It is one quick dinner recipe you will be returning to time and again.

Method of cooking:

• Preheat the oven to a suitable temperature of 375 degrees F. Then, place the chicken on a clean wok surface and cover it with plastic wrap.
• Pound the chicken pieces evenly to a size of ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
• Arrange it on one half of a large rimmed baking sheet.
• Arrange the potatoes and carrots in a single layer on the other half of the pan.
• Drizzle the chicken and vegetables with one tablespoon oil; sprinkle with one teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, whisk lemon juice, shallot, mustard, honey, and the remaining two tablespoons of oil, one teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
• Put away the pan from the oven and switch it over to broil.
• Stir the potato-carrot mixture and arrange asparagus in the center of the pan.
• Spread the lemon juice-shallot mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
• Broil until the chicken and vegetables turn light brown; asparagus is tender-crisp for about ten minutes.
• Remove from the oven; sprinkle it evenly with the parsley and dill. Serve with lemon wedges.

4. Lemon chicken orzo soup with kale

This healthy, easy-to-make soup is loaded with vegetables, protein, and fiber to keep us full and fueled. Serve the winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a side of garlic toast.

Method of cooking:

• Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pot over medium to high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle it with ½ teaspoon each oregano or thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook it while occasionally stirring, until it turns light brown, for 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon, and transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onions, carrots, and celery to the pan. Cook by scraping up any browned bits until the vegetables are soft and light brown, for three to five minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon oregano or thyme. Cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Add in the broth and boil it over high heat. Add the orzo. Reduce the heat, maintain a simmer, cover it, and cook for five minutes. Add the kale and chicken, along with any of the accumulated juices. Continue to cook till the orzo is tender, and the chicken cooks for five to eight minutes.
• Remove from heat. Before serving, discard the bay leaf. Stir in some lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

5. One-Pan Baked Chicken & Potatoes

With just one skillet, you can easily make baked chicken and potatoes. The chicken cooks directly on top of potatoes to add flavour while reducing the number of dishes to clean.

Method of cooking:

• Preheat the oven to a suitable temperature of 400°F. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium to high heat for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together rosemary, thyme, basil, pepper, and paprika. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and one tablespoon of the spice mixture.
• Add a tablespoon of oil to the hot skillet; swirl to coat. Add the chicken, skin-side down; cook over medium to high heat, keep it undisturbed, until it is golden brown and crisp on the bottom, for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer it to a plate.
• Meanwhile, toss together potatoes, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, one tablespoon oil, and the remaining spice mix in a bowl. Spread evenly in the hot skillet. Arrange the chicken, with the skin-side up, on top of the potato mixture.
• Bake until the thickest portion of the chicken and the potatoes are tender, for about 25 minutes. Set it away from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

6. Chicken vegetable soup

Barley adds the texture, flavour, and a healthy dose of fiber to the chicken vegetable soup recipe.

Method of cooking:

• Toss the chicken breast pieces with the poultry seasoning and set them aside.
• In a medium 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of the oil. Add mushrooms, onion, carrot, sweet pepper, garlic, dried basil and parsley, black pepper, and salt; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove vegetables from Dutch oven; set aside.
• Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven; heat over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally—return the vegetables to the Dutch oven. Stir in the chicken along with bouillon granules. Boil and stir in potatoes and barley. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for almost 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in fresh basil and parsley.

7. Loaded Mediterranean Chicken-Quinoa Salad

Turn the simple pre-cooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal high in fiber and protein to keep one feeling full and satisfied.

Method of cooking:

• Combine the chicken, quinoa, and roasted vegetables in a bowl; drizzle it with vinaigrette. Top with avocado, feta, and sunflower seeds.

8. Cocoa-rubbed chicken thighs with orange-pomegranate salsa

Make a batch of the cocoa-infused spice rub with the healthy baked chicken thigh recipe, and let that be your weeknight secret weapon. It is excellent with salmon, steak, and tofu. Serve it with brown basmati rice or whole-wheat couscous.

Method of cooking:

• Put the rack in the lower third row of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Combine the brown sugar, cocoa, paprika, coriander, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne in a bowl. Rub half of the mixture under the chicken skin, and then rub the rest on the skin. Place on a baking sheet. Roast until the thickest part of a thigh bone registers 165 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine shallot, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Zest the orange. Cut off and discard the peel with a white pith; coarsely chop the fruit. Add the zest, pomegranate seeds, chopped orange, parsley, and oil to the shallot and stir to combine. Serve with the chicken.

9. Roasted chicken thighs, potatoes, and scallions with herb vinaigrette

Roasting the chicken thighs directly on top of the vegetables bastes the scallions and potatoes with delicious drippings in this healthy dinner recipe. You may serve it with steamed broccoli, sautéed spinach, or a mixed green salad.

Method of cooking:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Toss potatoes and scallions with four teaspoons of oil and 1/4 teaspoon each pepper and salt in a large bowl. Place it evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place the chicken on top; drizzle it with two teaspoons of oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each pepper and salt. Roast for at least 18 to 20 minutes until the thickest part of the chicken and the potatoes are tender.
• Meanwhile, whisk the remaining two tablespoons of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper with vinegar, herbs, mustard, and shallots in a small bowl. Serve the drizzled chicken and vegetables.

10. Paprika chicken thighs with brussels sprouts

In the healthy chicken recipe, paprika-rubbed chicken thighs are nestled in Brussels sprouts and shallots and roasted on a sheet pan in the oven for an easy and healthy dinner. As the chicken thighs roast, the garlicky drippings flavour the Brussels sprouts and shallots, adding a mesmerizing flavour. Delicious one-pan cooking! Smoked paprika adds a smoky flavour. Regular paprika can also be used in its place but does not add a hint of smoke.

Method of cooking:

• Position rack in the lower third of oven; preheat to at least 450 degrees F.
• Combine Brussels sprouts, shallots, and lemon with two tablespoons of oil and 1/4 teaspoons of salt and pepper on the large rimmed baking sheet.
• Mash garlic and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt with the side of a chef’s knife to form a paste. Combine the garlic paste with thyme, paprika, and the remaining one tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over the chicken. Nestle the chicken into the Brussels sprouts.
• Roast on the lower rack till the Brussels sprouts are tender and stir for 20 to 25 minutes.

For more recipes with chicken please check:

• 10 summer chicken breast recipes
• How much chicken in a shawarma

11. Slow-cooker chicken cacciatore with polenta

This rustic stew cooks all day in a slow cooker so you can come home to a comforting, hot dinner. 

Method of cooking:

• Heat oil in a large skillet from medium to high heat. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, often stirring, until it begins to brown, for about 8 minutes. Add flour,  garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and crushed red pepper; cook, constantly stirring, until fragrant, for about 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring it and scraping up any browned bits for 30 seconds.
• Move the mixture to a six-quart slow cooker. Stir in the chicken, tomatoes, broth, and capers—cover and cook on low heat for eight hours.
• Place the chicken on a cutting board; let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bones and return the meat to the slow cooker. Stir in the olives and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium to high heat. Whisk in the polenta; cook, often stirring, until thickened, for about three minutes. Please remove it from heat before adding the Parmesan. Serve the chicken and sauce over the polenta, and top it with basil.

Conclusion

We hope that the comprehensive list of chicken dinners will help you out of a tight spot when you prepare your next meal. It has been a staple meal for many, and many have been drooling over the recipes. However, chicken can be very versatile and used in so many different meals that you will probably struggle to think of fewer ways! 

So, do not wait anymore. Just rush to the kitchen and start cooking your favourite recipe from the list above for a hot and sumptuous dinner. We believe you enjoyed reading it as much as we enjoyed sharing it.