15 Chicken Dinners Ready in 20 Minutes

Looking for quick chicken dinner recipes? These super-quick and easy chicken recipes are perfect for a stress-free weeknight meal. This roundup includes pan-seared chicken recipes, chicken salad recipes, grilled chicken recipes, chicken stir-fry recipes, and many more! All these recipes are ready in less than 20 minutes, from start to finish. Plus, they make enough so that you can eat delicious leftovers for a couple of days. Enjoy!

by Christina Cherrier

Christina Cherrier

Christina Cherrier is a recipe developer and editor for Eatwell101 since 2011. She specializes in savory recipes, quick dinner options, and holiday menus. She is a professionally trained cook and worked as a consultant in the hospitality industry.

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Updated Mar 10, 2026

1. Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts in Pepper Parmesan Sauce

Easy pan-seared chicken breasts cooked to perfection and simmered in a luscious roasted pepper sauce. Dinner is ready in less than 30 minutes or less!
Cooking time: 25 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

2. Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus

This chicken bites and asparagus recipe is a winner for dinnertime. So much flavor and so easy to throw together!
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

3. Blackened Chicken Salad

This blackened chicken salad recipe with avocado is crisp and full of flavor - Salad with chicken is the simplest and healthiest meal you can make!
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

4. Asado Chicken Breast with Sauteed Lemon Zucchini

Delicious Asado chicken breast recipe is a winner for dinnertime! Forget dry chicken: Boneless chicken breasts are marinated then grilled and served with sauteed lemon zucchini.
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

5. Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans Skillet

This one-skillet Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken recipe is a snap to fix. The chicken thighs and green beans are cooked with lemon garlic butter sauce in the same pan. So addicting!
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

6. Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

This chicken recipe is a winning dish for a weeknight dinner for two!
Cooking time: 10 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

7. Cowboy Butter Chicken with Zucchini Noodles (15-Minute)

Easy and delicious butter chicken recipe with zucchini noodles - You'll want to sip the sauce by the spoon!
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

8. Garlic Lime Chicken Tenders and Quinoa

This garlic lime chicken tenders is delicious, easy and perfect for busy weeknights.
Cooking time: 7 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

9. Garlic Butter Chicken with Cauliflower Rice

Quick, Healthy dinner with Garlic Butter chicken and cauliflower rice — The ultimate gluten free/low carb dinner.
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

10. Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Zucchini Noodles

These delicious chicken bites recipe is so juicy and tender you'll eat them hot right off the pan!
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

11. Garlic Herb Butter Chicken Thighs with Asparagus

This garlic butter chicken thighs recipe is delicious and super nourishing. Skin-on bone-in chicken thighs are cooked in one skillet for easy prep and cleanup!
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

12. Chicken Stir Fry Noodles (15-Minute )

This chicken stir fry noodles recipe is loaded with nutritious veggies, and ready in 15 minutes - Flavor overload!
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

13. Taco Chicken Tenders with Lemon Garlic Butter Zucchini Noodles

These flavorful and juicy Taco Chicken Tenders are a perfect dinner for the busiest of weeknights.
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

14. Garlic Butter Chicken with Pineapple

This pineapple chicken is so tender and juicy bursting with savory sweet flavor!
Cooking time: 15 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

15. One-Pan Lemon Butter Chicken with Asparagus

A delicious, bright lemon butter chicken recipe with Asparagus for a Spring dinner.
Cooking time: 20 minView recipe >> Save to recipe box

Did you make one of these quick chicken dinner recipe ideas? Please share on your social media using our hashtag #eatwell101!

Tips for quick chicken dinners

• A quick chicken dinner starts with the preparation: Pound chicken breasts to get them to an even thickness so they cook quicker.

• When frying, grilling, broiling, or sautéing chicken, remove chicken pieces as they get done to avoid overcooking while finishing other pieces. White meat and smaller pieces, such as breasts and wings, will get done faster than dark meat pieces, such as legs and thighs.

• Keep in mind that uncovered chicken takes quicker to cook in the oven than covered chicken. Covering chicken foil allows cooking meat more evenly and gently. Toward the end of cooking time, remove the foil to crisp up the chicken.

• Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting or carving meat when your chicken dinner is ready. Sharp knives will make your job a lot easier, especially when having to cut in the joint areas, and will provide neatly cut slices and pieces of chicken.