9 Weeknight Chicken Breast Recipes You’ll Never Be Bored Of

“Chicken” and “excitement” are far from synonymous words, but the healthy protein that nearly everyone likes doesn’t have to be boring! If you can’t stomach yet another baked chicken breast topped with a squeeze of lemon, we’re here to liven up this go-to protein and make your dinners fun and interesting. These are weeknight recipes, so some involve convenience foods like basic jarred sauces, and eight of the nine take under an hour from start to finish; the other is a crockpot recipe, with minimal prep time required. Prepare to ignite your taste buds thanks to these festive weeknight chicken breast recipes.

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1. Pesto Chicken Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a delightful appetizer, but this pesto bruschetta weeknight chicken breast recipe turns that basic app into a healthy main dish that comes together in just forty minutes. You’ll make a simple fresh pesto that you’ll likely have leftovers of, meaning a wonderful sauce is already on hand for future nights’ dinners. By swapping out bread for chicken, this dish becomes high in protein and far more satiating. We love the usage of white balsamic in the tomato mixture, and highly recommend doubling it to use as a salad topping or simple tomato sauce for a future meal.

Try the recipe from Modern Proper.

2. Mango Chutney Chicken

You have the option of using a jarred mango chutney or making your own with a provided recipe for this tangy mango chutney chicken recipe. While mango chutney alone is highly flavorful, it gets leveled up even further with the addition of Dijon mustard, dried thyme, curry powder, and white wine. While we certainly wouldn’t call this an authentic Indian recipe, it’s a fusion take on Indian flavors that’s full of healthful ingredients, and we guarantee you’ve never tasted anything quite like it before.

Try the recipe from Daring Gourmet.

3. Grilled Honey Chili Lime Cilantro Chicken

The marinade is everything in this recipe for grilled honey chili lime cilantro chicken, and you can even make it and toss the chicken in the day ahead. The skewers call for one to two bell peppers, but we think this recipe would make more sense — and be even healthier — if you opted to use a variety of shish kabob vegetables. Stack some sliced zucchini, red onion, and eggplant on with the chicken, and all you’ll need to go with the skewers are a steamed grain or side salad.

Try the recipe from Eating Well 101.

4. Crockpot Applesauce BBQ Chicken

This crockpot applesauce BBQ chicken recipe might seem ridiculously easy, and, well, it is! This ridiculously tasty weeknight chicken breast recipe is a healthful way to get the barbecue flavors you love with none of the carcinogens from smoked foods. Choose unsweetened applesauce so that you’re adding fiber to your meal without any added sugars, and opt for a BBQ sauce that also eschews sweeteners, such as Good Food For Good, which uses organic ingredients. If you’re feeling up for planning upcoming meals, prep an extra batch of this and throw it in the freezer, then thaw in the refrigerator the day before you want to cook it.

Try the recipe from Who Needs A Cape.

5. Hummus Chicken

We knew hummus is a versatile dip, at home with crudites and pita chips alike, but using it as a crust for chicken was a completely new concept. As could be expected, we are in love with this hummus chicken recipe, for which you need only chicken breasts, prepared hummus, and a couple of dried spices like smoked paprika and cumin. The hummus bakes directly onto the chicken, adding fiber, protein, and tons of garlicky flavor. Because you can never get too much of a good thing, we agree heartily with the recommendation of serving it with even more hummus for dipping.

Try the recipe from Well Plated.

6. Simple Mole Chicken Enchiladas

Baked enchiladas certainly make for easy weeknight chicken breast recipes! If you’ve ever made mole, you know that you can cook numerous meals in the time it takes to just make the sauce for it. So we think it’s pretty darn fantastic that these simple mole chicken enchiladas use only a few inexpensive ingredients to make your own mole sauce lightning fast. If you’re concerned about the quantity of mozzarella, opt for one made with part skim milk, and/or pare back the quantity to a single cup. And though the avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro are optional, they’ll make for an even better dish, so we recommended employing them all.

Try the recipe from Modern Proper.

7. Easy, Healthy Butter Chicken

As the name implies, regular butter chicken is far from a healthy weeknight meal, relying on lots of heavy cream and ghee for its flavor. This healthified variation on an easy butter chicken swaps out those ingredients in favor of healthy ones like Greek yogurt, tomato paste, and tons of spices. There’s only a single tablespoon of oil needed, but provided you use full-fat Greek yogurt, we don’t think you’ll miss any of the richness of the original dish.

Try the recipe from Family Food On The Table.

8. Asado Chicken Breast With Sauteed Lemon Zucchini

The herb and spice mixture in this weeknight Asado chicken is reminiscent of more indulgent meat recipes, adding all the flavor you want with none of the excess fat. Because the zucchini is cooked in the pan after the chicken and uses the same marinade as it, the breasts will have time to rest and retain moisture before serving, and the zucchini will be as tasty as zucchini can be. With a whopping eight cloves of garlic in all, this chicken breast recipe is anything but boring.

Try the recipe from Eating Well 101.

9. Easy Creamy Chicken Skillet Fajitas

A sizzling plate of fajitas is certainly our idea of easy weeknight chicken breast recipes!  We adore the suggestion of adding extra vegetables and think that mushrooms, asparagus, and broccoli would also go quite well with the recipe. If you’re looking to avoid eating wheat tortillas, they’d go just as well with corn tortillas or served over grains. And if you prefer to avoid packaged spice mixes, you can make your own fajita seasoning with an assortment of shelf-stable ingredients you may already have on hand.

Try the recipe from Healthy Fitness Meals.

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