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10 delicious, healthy chicken recipes you can make in 30 minutes or less

Sick of the same old chicken dishes? Check out these healthy and exciting alternatives

Kim Renta
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Chicken is a dinnertime staple for a reason — it’s healthy, it’s delicious, and there are so many ways you can prepare it. It can also be used in so many dishes and can take on a wide range of flavors, from Indian and Chinese to Italian and more. While we love having a whole roasted chicken fresh from the oven, paired with a side of veggies and warm, crusty dinner rolls, some weeknights we don’t have time to devote to that kind of meal.

Luckily, there are plenty of healthy chicken recipes that have a super quick turnaround time. In less than half an hour, you can have these 10 healthy chicken recipes on the table and ready to serve. Who doesn’t want something delicious in under 30 minutes that the whole family can enjoy any night of the week? If you’re stuck in a chicken recipe rut and need some inspiration for meals, check out these ideas and see what you think!

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Cooked chicken breasts with lemon and parsley on a white plate

Healthy chicken recipes for your dinner table

Chicken piccata

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Calories: 457

If you’re searching for a healthy chicken breast recipe that’s mouthwatering and easy enough for any night of the week, this is the one. The trick to this classic Italian dish is making sure that your chicken fillets are pounded super thin. Not only will that allow the chicken to cook in just about 10 minutes, but it will ensure that the pan-made lemon, caper, and butter sauce penetrates into the meat for incredible flavor in every bite. 

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Greek chicken pasta

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Calories: 488

With artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, and pasta, this Greek-inspired chicken dish is packed with flavor but has under 500 calories per serving. To up the flavor profile, toss in a few Kalamata olives.

Buffalo chicken bites

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Calories: 230

Love spicy Buffalo wings, but hate the mess and the deep-fried calories? These chicken bites are a healthier, easier, every-bit-as-delicious win for three simple reasons:

  1. They’re skinless. But you won’t miss the saturated fat one little bit.
  2. They’re sauted. A quick saute in heart-healthy olive oil replaces the typical deep-fried cook method but still maintains the crispiness.
  3. They’re boneless. That means easier to eat and no messy bones to contend with at clean-up time. 

Grilled chicken tacos with slaw & lime crema

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Calories: 339

A colorful and healthy vegetable slaw, dressed with a flavorful blend of sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro, gets topped with chicken tenders that are cooked on a grill pan for a crowd-pleasing chicken taco filling that comes together in just 25 minutes!

Quick and easy chicken noodle soup

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Calories: 253

Homemade chicken noodle soup in under 30 minutes? You’ve got this! This recipe is a real game-changer, giving you that homemade goodness your family deserves, without hours of stovetop simmering. The trick to this fast and easy version is the store-bought rotisserie chicken that substitutes for cooking a chicken from scratch. Add chicken broth, fresh veggies, some dried herbs, and egg noodles, and your family can enjoy a big bowl of homemade chicken soup that has all the flavor and nutrition of the classic kind, in less than half an hour!

Parmesan-crusted chicken breast

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 12 minutes

The crunchy, crispy coating on this chicken breast recipe comes from just two ingredients: parmesan cheese and pepper. Add a tomato-basil topping and a side of potatoes for a dinner that goes from oven to table in just 27 minutes!

Crispy chicken stir fry

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Calories: 503

Skip the takeout and add this yummy chicken stir-fry to your weeknight dinner repertoire. When making any stir-fry, warm the pan prior to adding the oil. For this stir-fry, it’s also important to cook the chicken separately from the vegetables, which will ensure that your meat is perfectly cooked and prevents overcooking the veggies. 

Chicken salad with grapes and celery in a bowl

Looking for healthy chicken recipes for lunch? Done!

Healthy chicken salad

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Calories: 227

If you want a healthier version of a classic chicken salad recipe, your search is over. This one combines tender chicken, crunchy celery, grapes, and sliced almonds with a Greek yogurt and dijon mustard-based dressing that substitutes for calorie- and fat-laden mayo. Throw it together and serve on crusty whole-grain bread, or limit your carbs by layering it over a bed of lettuce.

BBQ chicken chopped salad

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 minute
  • Calories: 280

You can make this dish for tonight’s dinner and make a little extra for tomorrow’s lunch. The lime juice dressing draws out the flavor of the vegetables, so creamy dressings aren’t needed, resulting in a healthier, lower-calorie choice.

Homemade chicken tenders with everything seasoning over green salad

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Calories: 394

Everything bagel spice adds extra seasoning and crunch to the breadcrumbs coating this chicken tenders recipe. If you’re having a hard time finding premixed everything bagel spice, you can make your own with equal parts of dried minced onion and garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, salt, and ground pepper. After pan-frying the coated chicken tenders, use them to top a simple salad for an easy, tasty dinner — or lunch — that’s ready in 25 minutes.

Our chicken recipe ideas give you 10 new ways to enjoy one of the most popular dinner choices. Each one is super easy to make, and all will leave you feeling good about the food you’ve just eaten, or fed to your family. So give one a try this week — we promise you won’t regret it.

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Kim Renta
Kim Renta
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kim has written for Bloomingdales, Movado, and various e-commerce wine sites. When she's not writing about wine and…
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