They’re juicy, they’re saucy, and they’re jam-packed with incredibly fresh ingredients and terrific flavor. Chicken is a universally loved protein for meat eaters with its wonderfully savory yet mild taste. Since it’s so mild, you can add almost any sauce or coating to make it pop. From punchy marinara to creamy parmesan, I know you’ll find more than one recipe here you just can’t wait to try. Buon appetite!
1. Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Since chicken parmesan is one of my favorite meals ever, I was super excited to try this dish. I love that the meatballs are breaded, giving them a wonderful golden crunch. And if you want that Aussie-style parmigiana, try adding chopped-up ham to the ground chicken meat. Serve with lots of thick and crunchy garlic bread.
2. Chicken Piccata (Easy Recipe)
Chicken piccata is a lovely light dish with hints of lemon and wine, along with salty capers for excellent balance. You’ll start by cooking the chicken in butter, then use the leftover juices to make the sauce. If you don’t like capers, feel free to leave them out. But you’ll likely need to add an extra dash of salt to make up for it.
3. Creamy Italian Chicken & Pasta Skillet
Believe it or not, the base for this creamy pasta sauce is Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing. I’ve used it to marinate chicken and fish before, but never like this! You’ll even cook the chicken right in the dressing, so it will soak up that fantastic tangy taste. Then, it’s mellowed with added tomatoes, buttery artichoke hearts, and smooth cream cheese.
4. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
This 20-minute chicken dish needs just a handful of pantry basics. Be sure to have the cream at room temperature, so it doesn’t curdle on the heat, and don’t be afraid to add extra garlic. And remember: if parmesan cheese is the star of the dish, you’ll have to buy the real deal! None of that stinky powder in here, please.
5. Italian Chicken Strips
Chicken strips aren’t exactly an Italian delicacy, but they’re a favorite in almost every household, so I had to include them on this list. And you’ll use Italian seasonings and parmesan cheese, so I think it counts! I like to dip the chicken in flour before coating it in eggs and breadcrumbs. It helps the egg to stick better, but it’s not essential.
6. Chicken Cacciatore
If you need an easy one-pot meal to impress your family and friends, this is it. It’s vibrant, full of fresh veggies, and packed with juicy chicken thighs. The best part about this dish is that you can easily modify it. Not a fan of mushrooms? Try zucchini instead!
7. Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Creamy lemon pasta in under 30 minutes? Sign me up! Unlike the garlic and parmesan dish above, the sauce for this is much more flavorful. That’s because you’ll add chicken stock along with cream for a boost of meaty taste.
8. Chicken and Red Pepper Pasta
Marinara is a terrific sauce that’s smooth, tangy, scrumptious, and great on everything from pizza and pasta to chicken and mozzarella sticks. But I really enjoy texture in my food, which is why this red pepper sauce is my new go-to. You’ll use red bell peppers, as well as chopped tomatoes and mushrooms. If you want to boost the pepper flavor, try using fire-roasted pepper from a jar.
9. Sheet Pan Italian Chicken with Potatoes and Peppers
Nothing beats juicy chicken with comforting potatoes and colorful peppers. Not only does it look fantastic and taste terrific, but it’s super affordable to boot. Remember to cut the potatoes small enough so they’ll cook faster. If you have big chunks, the chicken will be dry before the potatoes are ready.
10. Clinton Kelly’s Chicken Thigh Osso Bucco
Osso Bucco is typically made with veal shanks, which are neither cheap nor readily available. Luckily, the braising liquid of white wine, chicken stock, rosemary, and thyme works even better with chicken.
11. Italian Chicken Pasta Bake
Pasta bakes are thicker and much denser than your typical penne or tagliatelle dish. They’ll also have a nice layer of crunch to the top you don’t get in a regular bowl of pasta. But since you’ll cook the pasta in the sauce, you must add some extra liquid; otherwise, it will soak up, and the dish will be very dry. One way is to use some of the cooking liquid (if you pre-cook the pasta). Or, add the pasta uncooked and use an equal amount of water as the sauce.
12. Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Pesto is bright, fresh, garlicky, and a little bit grassy. If you’ve never made your own, I highly recommend it! Some recipes use walnuts instead of pine nuts, making the dish cheaper but just as yummy. Once it’s mixed into the creamy sauce, you’ll see the color lighten, but tiny green flecks will appear all over. Adding cream helps to mellow the flavor, so even if you’re not a huge garlic or basil fan, I’m sure you’ll love this simple Italian chicken recipe.
13. Creamy Chicken Florentine
The florentine in this recipe refers to the spinach in the mix. Almost every dish with that in the title will feature this leafy green one way or another. Not only that, but you’ll also most often see it accompanied by a creamy sauce. In fact, this recipe should look pretty familiar at this point. You’ll use chicken stock and cream for the base, along with garlic, Italian seasoning, and a splash of white wine.
14. Bruschetta Chicken Pasta Salad
Pronounced ‘brew-skeh-tah,’ this is one of the most well-known antipasto dishes around. Of course, it’s traditionally served on toasted bread, with plenty of garlic and fresh tomatoes. In this case, though, you’ll toss all that flavor with spaghetti and top it off with roasted chicken.
15. Cheesy Provolone Baked Chicken
Provolone is a semi-hard cheese from southern Italy that can either be mature and sharp (provolone piccante) or mild and even a little sweet (provolone dolce). What’s great about it (other than the unique taste) is that it will melt but still hold its shape. So once you’ve draped it over the chicken, you won’t need to worry about it pooling (and burning) in the bottom of the baking dish.
16. Chicken and Mushroom Gnocchi Skillet
Gnocchi is such a terrific pasta alternative, and it should be dense yet tender. Since it’s made from potatoes, it’s pretty filling and tastes extra yummy when toasted. I always start by tossing the uncooked gnocchi in a hot pan with butter until it starts to turn golden. That way, when you add it to the rest of the ingredients, it has a slight crunch.
17. Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Authentic Alfredo sauce uses just butter and parmesan cheese, making it much lighter than what we’re used to. With that in mind, you could keep it simple and add those ingredients right at the end, mixing until they emulsify, Or, you could make it extra indulgent with cream (or half & half) like in this recipe.
18. Caprese Chicken
This chicken dish is a twist on the classic Caprese salad, featuring tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. You’ll also see a drizzle of balsamic glaze in some places, which is much more pronounced in this chicken meal. It’s actually more or less the key ingredient as you’ll finish cooking the chicken in it and then add extra to the top to serve.
19. Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes
Although this recipe may not originate from Italy, the tomato, garlic, and parmesan flavors will transport you there in just one bite. You’ll use spinach, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes, making this super bright and brimming with tangy flavor.
20. 30-Minute Mozzarella Chicken in Homemade Tomato Sauce
If you need something quick and easy, you can’t go wrong with this cheesy chicken and tomato recipe. You could speed this up with store-bought marinara, but the homemade sauce is very straightforward. Serve it with pasta or roasted potatoes. Click on a star to rate it!
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