Weeknight
3491 recipes found
Crispy Pepperoni Chicken
Imagine a topping made of crispy pepperoni and crushed pizza crust, and you’ve got pepperoni crumbs, the genius creation of Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, authors of the cookbook “Italian American” and chefs at Don Angie, a restaurant in New York. To make them, cook chopped pepperoni until it gives off its salty, spicy, garlicky and brawny fat, then toast bread crumbs in that fat. In the book, the crumbs are sprinkled on a wedge salad, but they do wonders for weeknight chicken, too. What simply seared chicken breasts lack in fat, flavor and texture, these crumbs make up for easily. As for sides, consider a radicchio salad, iceberg salad, roasted peppers, roasted broccoli rabe or simmered broccoli.
Chicken Breasts With Lemon
In this recipe, which Pierre Franey brought to The Times in 1992 in one of his 60-Minute Gourmet columns, two teaspoons of lemon zest are added to a simple sauce of lemon juice, thyme, garlic and shallots. It is, at once, lively and elegant. To round it out, it needs a sturdy accompaniment. Mr. Franey suggested mashed potatoes with garlic and basil, with just a little olive oil swirled in.
Hara Masala Murgh (Green Masala Chicken)
As is the case with every South Asian dish, variations of hara masala murgh abound. In the south of India, fresh desiccated coconut is used in place of yogurt, which is a common ingredient in the northern parts of Pakistan and India. The stalwarts of the dish across regions are copious amounts of fresh cilantro and mint — hence its name hara masala, which means green masala. In Lahore, it is commonly found on restaurant menus, and its peppery herbaceousness is a welcome reprieve from the tomato-onion gravies typical in Punjabi cooking. This version uses thinly sliced chicken breast. It also skips over the tedium of grinding almonds in favor of using almond butter. These two shortcuts mean a quicker cooking time and a creamy texture.
Chicken Paillard With Curried Oyster Mushrooms
Alain Sailhac, dean emeritus of the French Culinary Institute in New York and one of New York’s most venerable French chefs, gives inspiration here to recapture the glory of the chicken breast, that popular yet generally overcooked piece of meat. He suggests cutting the breast in half horizontally to make two thin pieces, then topping them with quick-cooking vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini or tomatoes, and roasting everything together. This supremely juicy and complexly flavored dish uses that technique and is a snap to put together.
Coconut-Gochujang Glazed Chicken With Broccoli
Gochujang, a staple of Korean cooking, is a fermented red chile paste made from spicy Korean chile peppers and glutinous rice. Here, it’s combined with coconut milk, which mellows the spicy gochujang into a creamy sauce. Fresh ginger is the key ingredient, infusing the sauce with brightness and spice that balance the rich coconut. This recipe calls for broccoli as the vegetable accompaniment, but cauliflower or brussels sprouts would also work. The sauce can be made in larger batches and used on grilled pork ribs, chicken wings or even pan-fried tofu.
Easy Kung Pao Chicken
Sweet, sour and a little spicy, this meal tastes like home — specifically the home of Pearl Han, a talented Taiwanese American cook who naturally streamlined dishes while raising three kids and managing a busy career. Her younger daughter, Grace Han, shared this recipe: “quick, easy and my mom’s favorite.” Dried chiles sizzle in oil first to impart heat to the whole dish, then chicken browns in a single layer — no high-heat stir-frying necessary — to create a tasty caramelized crust before the pieces are flipped together. Coated in a dead-simple kung pao sauce that delivers the dish’s signature salty tang, the chicken begs to be spooned over steamed rice. Serve with stir-fried vegetables as well for a complete meal.
Rosemary-Paprika Chicken and Fries
This sheet-pan chicken dinner was inspired by patatas bravas, the crispy potatoes typically served with a spicy sauce and aioli in tapas bars all across Spain. Here, there are potatoes, of course, but they’re cut into matchsticks and browned on a sheet pan; and there’s a garlic mayonnaise for dipping. (Make real-deal aioli if you have a few minutes to spare.) But instead of the traditional smoky, brick-red sauce, similar seasonings are smeared onto chicken before roasting: a mix of lemon, garlic, rosemary, smoked paprika and red-pepper flakes. Using bone-in parts keeps the white meat juicy, while the skin gets crisp and some of the schmaltz glosses the fries.
Chicken Stroganoff
This Brazilian stroganoff is a riff on the classic Russian-American beef, mushroom and sour cream stew that was considered peak haute cuisine in the United States during the 1950s. In Brazil, stroganoff is often made with beef, chicken or shrimp, but with a tomato base, and heavy cream instead of sour cream. The biggest difference is in the accompaniments: The stew is served with rice and topped with crispy potato sticks. Do not omit the crunchy potato; it may be a garnish, but it is essential. If sticks are hard to find, replace them with lightly crushed chips. Straying from tradition, this recipe opts to poach the delicate chicken breast at the end, for more tender results, rather than to sauté it at the beginning.
Citrus Chicken
This take on the humble chicken breast yields a dish that is at once crisp and moist, tangy and sweet. You can use bone-in chicken breasts, but you'll need to adjust your cooking time by a few minutes.
Chicken With Garlic-Chili-Ginger Sauce
Chicken Salad With Fennel and Charred Dates
The unlikely inspiration for this savory-sweet salad comes from Lilia, an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, where vanilla gelato is adorned with sea salt, honey, olive oil and fennel pollen for a dessert that is citrusy, creamy and fresh. The savory spin goes like this: Thinly slice two fennel bulbs, then mix with shallots and shredded cooked chicken. Dates cook in olive oil so their outsides blister and their insides become caramel-like and soft. Fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes are added to the skillet, which creates a spiced oil for dressing the salad.
Baked Chicken With Crispy Parmesan and Tomatoes
Think of this as an easy version of chicken Parmesan, tender chicken, tangy tomatoes and crispy bits of Parmesan. Here, there’s no pounding, breading or frying required. The bath of garlicky tomatoes gently cooks the chicken, keeping it juicy, while the dusting of Parmesan returns some richness lost in choosing boneless and skinless breasts. Seek out chicken breasts on the larger side to give the Parmesan a chance to properly brown and crisp up without overcooking.
Poached Chicken Breasts With Tomatillos and Jalapeños
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be easy to overcook, going from tender to rubbery in a matter of seconds. Not so here, where the breasts are cooked in chicken stock in a very low oven, which keeps them moist and juicy. Tomatillos, jalapeños and garlic, which are roasted at the same time, turn golden and soft before being chopped into a vibrant, cilantro-laced salsa. Make this on days when you don’t mind having the oven on low for a couple of hours. It may take a while to cook, but most of that time is entirely hands-off.
Garlic Chicken With Giardiniera Sauce
Traditional Italian green sauces typically include a long list of ingredients: chopped herbs, vinegar or citrus juice, garlic, shallots, capers and anchovies to name a few. But this recipe streamlines the process by mixing fresh green herbs with giardiniera, a condiment of pickled mixed vegetables that contributes the oil, vinegar and punchy flavors. Giardiniera, which is Italian for “gardener,” is a colorful and crunchy mixture typically made with cauliflower, peppers, celery and carrots. It’s commonly found on supermarket shelves with the pickled peppers, and is used on Italian beef and muffuletta sandwiches as well as antipasto plates. While spices, the balance of vinegar to oil, and vegetables vary, any will work here. Eat this combination on its own, with orzo or salad greens, or in a sandwich.
Green Chile Chicken Tacos
This weeknight chicken dinner takes advantage of canned green chiles, a flavorful and time-saving pantry staple. The green chiles have already been roasted, peeled and chopped for ease; simply combine them with spices and broth for a quick sauce with nice mild heat and smoky notes. Chicken thighs are an affordable cut that’s juicy, tender and rich with flavor, but chicken breast could also be used here for leaner (but just as tasty) tacos. Leftovers can be turned into a zesty pasta salad or used as a hearty omelet or frittata filling.
Michelada Chicken
This spicy, tangy chicken is flavored with — you guessed it — ingredients that make a michelada. This recipe combines beer, Worcestershire, hot sauce and lime for a marinade that results in surprisingly tender meat and a sizzled crust, as well as a sauce that, for obvious reasons, is good enough to drink. Eat the chicken with tortillas, rice and beans or a creamy slaw. The marinade also works well on steak. (For grilling instructions, see Tip.)
Chicken Paillard With Parmesan Bread Crumbs
This recipe doesn’t take long to get on the table, and you can get some aggression out at the start of the process by pounding down the chicken breasts. Then dredge the chicken in bread crumbs and Parmesan and sauté it in butter. At the end, you’ll spoon brown butter over the top and add a sprinkling of capers for a very simple meal that looks very fancy indeed.
Garlic-Ginger Chicken Breasts With Cilantro and Mint
This chicken, which is the brainchild of my aunt Sonia, is legendary among our cousins. Until recently, though, no one knew what, exactly, went into it. Whenever my aunt would make it on a family vacation, she’d disappear for a half-hour and reemerge with a Ziploc bag filled with the marinade and the chicken breasts. No one (not even her only daughter, Isha) was allowed to know the contents. The marinating chicken would smell so good, I’d legitimately have thoughts about eating it raw, carpaccio-style (which is disgusting, I know!). Well, folks, I am here to tell you that, after much negotiation, I have finally pried that chicken recipe out of Sonia’s hands. Both the marinade and the cooking method (low and sort of slow) feel ingenious to me, and the payoff is huge: Charred, spicy, slightly funky, juicy chicken that is equally wonderful by itself or rolled up in a roti, taco-style, and served with various salads and chutneys.
Spicy, Lemony Chicken Breasts With Croutons and Greens
A post-marinade is exactly what it sounds like: a flavorful mixture you sink meat or fish into after it cooks. Often used with grilled meats, the technique works great with seared proteins as well, especially boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which don’t have a lot of flavor on their own. These breasts are cooked using a combination sear-steam method that builds flavor and keeps lean breasts juicy. Finish with a tangy-spicy combination of lemon, garlic and red-pepper flakes and you’ll reap all the benefits of a traditional marinade without having to plan ahead. If you have thinner breasts or cutlets, this is a particularly wonderful use for them, since they don’t have a lot of time to pick up color and flavor before they cook through.
Chicken Caesar Salad
When you order this dish in a restaurant, you usually get a Caesar salad topped with dry slices of chicken breast. Here, the moist shreds are bathed in the dressing with the lettuce — another story altogether.
Chicken Breasts With Mustard-Verjuice Jus
Chicken Breasts With Miso-Garlic Sauce
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are known for becoming dry, but brining them before cooking helps retain moisture. The chicken is soaked in cold, salted water to which a small amount of whey or yogurt is added. (The lactic acid and phosphates in the dairy help with moisture retention.) However, the star of this recipe isn’t the chicken: It’s the sauce, made from miso, plenty of garlic and a good amount of lemon and leftover pan juices. Just take care when salting it: Miso is salty by nature, and lemon juice tends to heighten its brininess. Round out the meal by pairing it with white rice, or a vibrant salad.
Curry Chicken Breasts With Chickpeas and Spinach
This entire dish is built for flavor — and ease. An ideal ingredient for quick weeknight meals, chicken breasts can be pounded thin, so they’ll cook quickly and evenly. Here, the cutlets are dusted in flour to create a delicate, golden crust that seals in moisture, and flavored with Madras curry powder, an Indian spice blend featuring coriander, turmeric, chiles, cumin, fennel, garlic and ginger. Toasting it in oil brings out all its warmth and richness. The curried chickpeas make a wonderful side dish on their own, and would pair just as well with another meat or fish.
Chicken Schnitzel With Pan-Roasted Grapes
No matter how you spin it, making schnitzel is a bit of a process. But by starting with thinly sliced chicken breasts, or chicken cutlets, this recipe removes the most time-consuming step — pounding the chicken — and makes schnitzel more doable on a weeknight. The contrast in temperatures and textures from the pan-roasted grapes and tangy sour cream make for perfectly balanced bites. Serve with a simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette.