Food Recipe Collections & Favorites 15 Easy Chicken Breast Recipes You Can Make in Less Than 40 Minutes Get dinner on the table in no time with these chicken breast recipes. By Phoebe Fry Phoebe Fry Phoebe Fry is a graduate of Barnard College, where she studied English Language & Literature, and Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, where she completed a 12-week certificate course. Throughout her college years, she took advantage of her location in New York City and held various roles at companies in the food media space, from the James Beard Foundation to Real Simple, to a position as cookbook author Vallery Lomas' assistant. She has experience in marketing, foundation work, social media, recipe development, recipe testing, editorial, and more. Phoebe presently works as a line cook in New York City. She also writes a Substack newsletter, and contributes to Real Simple as a freelance food writer. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 1, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Caitlin Bensel Widely available at grocery stores and butcher shops, chicken breasts are a lean, versatile cut of meat, easily transformed with spices and flavorings. Chicken breasts are quick-cooking and infamous for becoming tough and dry, but if cooked properly they turn out juicy and tender. When shopping for chicken breasts, you have a few main options to consider: boneless or bone-in, and skinless or skin-on. Boneless breasts cook the fastest, but are easy to overcook and dry out if you're not careful. On the other hand, bone-in breasts take longer to cook, but more reliably yield succulent meat. As for the skin, chicken skin contains a lot of flavor, holds in moisture, and can get nice and crispy with the right technique. With that said, your chicken breast choice is all about your preferences and what sounds best to you. Chicken cutlets are simply thin slices of chicken that can be made by carefully slicing horizontally through a chicken breast. And you don't like chicken breasts, another related option is the chicken tender—a long strip of meat attached to the bottom of the breast. Here, we've gathered Real Simple's 15 best chicken breast recipes—all call for 40 minutes of hands-on work or less. Read on for a list of chicken breast recipes that won't disappoint! 23 Rotisserie Chicken Dinner Ideas That Are Quick and Easy 01 of 15 Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans Christopher Baker get the recipe This one-pan meal calls for bone-in, skin-on breasts that turn golden and crisp in a hot oven. Lemony green beans and potatoes get cooked in the same pan for a nourishing dinner that requires minimal effort. 02 of 15 Baked Marinated Chicken Jennifer Causey get the recipe A jar of artichoke hearts works double duty in this clever recipe; the liquid marinates the chicken breasts, and the artichokes serve as a vegetable side. Toasted panko gets sprinkled on top to give the chicken a nice crunch. 03 of 15 Chicken with Salsa, Olives, and Lime A saucy, delicious chicken dinner that comes together in 20 minutes? Where do we sign up? Braising chicken breasts in a flavorful mixture of pico de gallo (aka fresh salsa), salty green olives, and tart capers ensures tender, not rubbery, meat. Add homemade garlic bread or warm tortillas to elevate an everyday dinner. Using store-bought pico de gallo saves time—instead of chopping onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, and herbs, it’s all ready to go in a convenient package. Get the recipe: Chicken With Salsa, Olives, and Lime. Victor Protasio get the recipe Searing then braising chicken breasts in pico de gallo, olives, and capers infuses them with punchy flavor and ensures that they stay tender. Serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas for a DIY taco dinner. 04 of 15 Stuffed Chicken Breasts With Tomato Salad RealSimple.com. John Kernick get the recipe This retro recipe calls for stuffing chicken breasts with an herby, cheesy artichoke mixture, then grilling them until cooked through. A bright tomato salad is the perfect accompaniment to cut through the richness. 05 of 15 Oven Baked Chicken Tenders Greg DuPree get the recipe Chicken tenders aren't just for kids! These tenders get dredged in flour, spiced up with paprika, ground mustard, and garlic powder, and served with a Dijon-mayonnaise dip. 06 of 15 Almond-Crusted Chicken With Arugula Salad Caitlin Bensel get the recipe Here, almond flour replaces the more traditional panko for a golden crust. The almond flour not only gives the chicken a toasty flavor and crispy exterior, but also makes the dish gluten-free. 07 of 15 Crispy Chicken and Blue Cheese Salad Caitlin Bensel get the recipe Here's a secret formula: crispy chicken + green salad = delicious. Fill a plate with greens, dot them with creamy blue cheese, and lay a chicken cutlet on top for an easy, satisfying meal. RELATED: How to Cook Perfect Chicken Every Time 08 of 15 BBQ Chicken With Slaw Caitlin Bensel get the recipe Bone-in, skin-on breasts are the way to go for this recipe, which will bring summer barbecue vibes to your kitchen at any time of year. Store-bought barbecue sauce and shredded coleslaw mix make the process a breeze. 09 of 15 Orange-Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles Once you discover how easy it is to make orange chicken at home, you might never order Chinese takeout again. The “orange” part of this orange chicken recipe comes from orange marmalade, which adds the citrus flavor as well as a welcome bitter note to balance the sweet and salty elements. Scrape the pan well when you add the sauce to the chicken so that you can take advantage of any delicious drippings. Noodles offer a fresh take on the classic recipe, but if you prefer white or brown rice, either will work. Get the recipe: Orange Chicken Stir-Fry With Rice Noodles. Victor Protasio get the recipe Chicken breasts work just as well as chicken thighs in this recipe, which includes a sweet, tangy sauce that's reminiscent of your favorite Chinese takeout. Stick with rice noodles as the base, or try it with white or brown rice. 10 of 15 Baked Chicken Parmesan Use thin chicken cutlets and store-bought marinara to shorten your prep time. Get the recipe. Ellie Miller get the recipe For a speedy weeknight chicken Parmesan, crank up your oven to 400 degrees and turn to quick-cooking chicken cutlets in pre-made marinara sauce. The result is the same comforting Italian-American dish you know and love. 11 of 15 Crispy Chicken Cutlets With Artichoke Dressing Greg DuPree get the recipe Instead of pan-frying these cutlets, bake then broil them! You'll save yourself a mess by cooking both the chicken and the asparagus in the oven, and you'll still get super crispy cutlets. 12 of 15 Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken With Ginger and Yogurt José Picayo get the recipe Feel free to swap thighs for breasts in this warming recipe, which comes together in a slow cooker. Disclaimer: this chicken takes three to four hours on high to cook, but the hands-on time is less than 15 minutes. As long as you get started ahead of time, this meal is as easy as can be. 13 of 15 Spicy Grilled Chicken With Shaved Zucchini Salad Jen Causey get the recipe This low-effort grilled chicken highlights Aleppo pepper, an earthy, mildly hot spice from Syria. Alongside the chicken is a lemony, herby shaved zucchini salad that offers a bright contrast. 14 of 15 Greek Chicken and Potatoes Caitlin Bensel get the recipe This sheet pan recipe calls for a whole chicken broken down into pieces, but it would work beautifully with all bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts instead. It'll likely take a bit longer than 40 minutes, but it's such an easy, hands-off process that you won't even notice. Bring the flavors of Greece to your table with fresh oregano, lemon, and red onion. RELATED: The Best Potatoes to Use for Each of Your Favorite Tater Recipes 15 of 15 Tandoori-Spiced Chicken With Coconut Rice Greg DuPree get the recipe The spiced yogurt marinade in this recipe not only flavors the meat, but also tenderizes it, resulting in juicy chicken breasts. Coconut rice is the mellow, subtly sweet side the chicken is searching for. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit