Let me tell you the tale of the no-mess, fail-proof, totally delicious one-pot chicken dinner. In general, I try not to make really obnoxiously lofty claims around here, but I’ll just give it to you straight: THESE RECIPES WILL CHANGE YOUR WEEKNIGHTS.
You won’t believe how easy it is to get a fantastic meal on the table with just a single pot, whether it’s a skillet or a Dutch oven.
1. One-Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Let’s talk about Alfredo sauce. It’s that creamy, cheesy, super garlicky dream that is just so, so good. And here’s the best part: making it from scratch is not some huge undertaking.
For this one-pot magic, the pasta gets to cook right in a mix of milk, chicken broth, and garlic. When it’s perfectly tender, you just stir in some cream and parmesan, and boom! That’s all there is to it.
2. One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies
Honey and garlic are both known for being good for you, but let’s be real, the fact that they taste amazing together is the real headline here.
Pair them up with some lean chicken and yummy veggies, and you’ve got a seriously wholesome meal on your hands!
3. One-Pot Chicken and Orzo
Orzo might look a little like rice, but surprise! It’s actually pasta. And because it’s pasta, it has a much chewier and more satisfyingly firm bite than rice, which sometimes just turns into mush for me.
To really make the orzo shine, you’ll want to toast it first. I find it gets this lovely nutty flavor and holds its texture so much better during cooking.
4. Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Soup in 30 Minutes
Chicken and mushroom is such a classic combo, and this soup takes it to a whole new level of delicious. Since the mushrooms are all getting chopped up in the pot, you don’t need to get too fancy with them.
Just your regular white mushrooms will give this soup more than enough flavor to be a total standout.
5. Instant Pot Butter Chicken
A good butter chicken needs to be thick, creamy, and just ridiculously luscious, with plenty of tender chicken bites. But did you know you can whip up a whole pot in just 30 minutes?
The Instant Pot makes slow-cooked meals faster than ever, which is a total game-changer.
6. One-Pot Chicken Ranch Pasta
When you’re craving pasta but you’re not in the mood for the usual mac and cheese or red sauce, you have to try this insanely good ranch recipe.
And don’t worry, you aren’t just pouring ranch dressing on everything. Instead, you’ll make a quick, creamy sauce with chicken broth, milk, and that dry seasoning packet. YUM.
7. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Using a Crockpot for chicken is a fantastic trick to make sure it comes out perfectly juicy every single time. It’s usually swimming in some kind of stock or liquid, and once you put that lid on, none of the moisture can get out.
This honey and garlic version is just a little sweet, with a great salty kick from some soy sauce.
8. One-Pot Chicken Stew
I absolutely love chicken soup, but sometimes it just isn’t filling enough. So when it’s extra cold out, I’m all about making this chicken stew instead. It’s so thick and rich, and it’s packed with delicious veggies.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classic and budget-friendly combo of carrots and potatoes, but feel free to toss in whatever vegetables you love.
9. Pan-Seared Chicken Breast with Spinach
If dark meat just isn’t your thing, this chicken breast recipe might be exactly what you need. I know cooking chicken breasts on the stove can feel a little intimidating since they dry out so easily.
But as long as you use medium-high heat and just let the chicken be (no moving it around!), it should stay perfectly juicy and delicious.
10. One-Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice
This dish is a lot like a stir-fry, but you get to cook the rice with everything else instead of in another pot. After the chicken is browned, you’ll toast the rice a bit before adding water to cook it all through.
That means you’ll definitely want a deep saucepan for this one, and one with a heavy bottom is always a good idea.
11. One-Pot Paprika Chicken Thighs
Chicken and paprika are just a match made in heaven. One is juicy and savory, and the other is smoky and even has a little fruitiness to it.
Paprika is also so vibrant, and it can make a simple dish of chicken and potatoes look totally stunning and ready for its close-up.
12. Healthy Chicken Chili
Chili is such a great healthy one-pot meal, and it’s super filling, too. Between the tomatoes, corn, and beans, there’s no way you’ll be hungry after a bowl of this goodness.
Of course, if you’re looking for an extra protein boost, chicken is the perfect addition. Even though the recipe uses rotisserie chicken, you can totally cook raw chicken breasts right in the pot.
13. Chicken Adobo
You absolutely have to make this Filipino dish. It has the most perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and the chicken comes out unbelievably juicy.
You’ll start by cooking the chicken until the skin is golden and crispy, then let it braise in a heavenly mix of soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper, sugar, and chicken stock.
14. One-Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Lemon and cream aren’t usually best friends, since the acid in the fruit can make things curdle. But if you play your cards right, you can have a wonderfully creamy sauce with a lovely little hint of citrus in no time.
The secret? Use cream that’s at room temperature, and make sure to add it at the very end.
15. One-Pan Spanish Chicken and Rice
This chicken and rice dish is basically a super-fast paella recipe. It uses a lot of the same herbs and spices, but you don’t have to worry about adding things like shrimp and rabbit.
Instead, it’s all about boneless chicken thighs for maximum juiciness and a quick, colorful spice blend of cumin, paprika, and chili powder.
16. Honey Mustard Chicken & Potatoes
Have you picked up on the theme here? So many of these recipes use chicken thighs, and it’s because they are way more forgiving than chicken breasts.
Since you’ll start by frying the chicken skin-side down, you’ll want a nice big, heavy skillet. Then, you’ll add the sauce and potatoes and let it all finish cooking in the oven.
If you want it a little less spicy, just swap the multigrain mustard for dijon.
17. Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts and Veggies
Balsamic glaze has a noticeable tang and can be pretty acidic. But it also has a little sweetness that gets brought out beautifully when you add some honey.
This honey and balsamic marinade not only gives you incredible flavor, but it also helps make the chicken super tender.
18. One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Sausage and Potatoes
Andouille sausage is smoky and bursting with flavor. But honestly, this marinade is so delicious, you could really use any kind of sausage you like.
I always use a big tray for this so the chicken and potatoes have lots of space to cook. If everything is packed in too tight, you might get some raw spots, and you definitely won’t get those amazing crispy edges.
19. One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
This homegrown soup is so nostalgic and is exactly what you need after a long, cold day. Since the base is pretty much just chicken broth, you want to start with a really high-quality one.
If you use a cheaper option, the flavor just won’t be as rich. To speed things up, you could always use leftover chicken and just toss it in the pot at the end.
20. One-Pan Chicken Enchilada Skillet
I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical of this recipe when I first saw it. Adding the tortilla strips like they were noodles just seemed so strange, and I was sure they’d turn to mush.
But it’s amazing how much this tastes just like a pan of chicken enchiladas. I also broiled it for a minute at the end, right before adding the cheese, which made some of the tortilla edges get nice and crunchy.
21. One-Pot Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
I love putting broccoli in pasta because it adds such a great pop of color. That’s a big deal when you have a light pasta and cheese sauce, because your food should always look as good as it tastes.
I like my broccoli to have a bit of a crunch, so I add it to the pot at the very end. But if you like it softer, you can definitely throw it in sooner.
22. One-Pan Garlic Ranch Chicken and Veggies
Ranch has such a unique flavor, and I think it goes best with chicken. Instead of drenching the meat in dressing, all you need is a packet of the dry ranch mix.
Just use it like you would salt and pepper and sprinkle it over everything, from the meat to the veggies.
23. One-Pot Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
Normally, chow mein and lo mein recipes use noodles that are already cooked. You add them at the end when the rest of the dish is ready, which means you need at least two pots going.
But since this list is all about one-pot wonders, we want something way simpler, right? So, while this might not be the most authentic chow mein ever, it will make your dinner so much easier.
