68 Excellent Chicken Recipes That I Bet You Haven't Tried Yet

There's never not a good time for chicken.

Sizzling on the stove top or simmering away in a slow cooker, there's something so comforting and classic about chicken.

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Even better, it's incredibly versatile. No matter your starting point — shredded chicken, leftover rotisserie chicken, or anything in between — it's easy to whip up something creative and tasty. 

We could go on and on about all the ways to make chicken but instead, we rounded up our very best chicken recipes for you to enjoy. Scroll for scrumptious eats!

1. Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadilla

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Just in *ques* you have a party to host, this chicken sheet pan quesadilla recipe is worth trying. Not only is it delicious, filled with bacon, jalapeño peppers, sour cream, and Pepperjack cheese, but it also is super easy to make. (And easy to clean, since it's baked in a sheet pan!) If you start cooking an hour before the party, your dish should be good to go! 

Recipe: Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadilla

2. Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

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Bless you, cashews! This stir-fry dish is packed with flavors, like ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and peanut oil. If those ingredients didn't entice you enough, you should know that it only takes 30 minutes to make. Top off your stir-fry with toasted sesame seeds for best results.

Recipe: Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

3. Hibachi Chicken With Fried Rice And Vegetables

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Now you can make hibachi chicken right from the comfort of your own home. Since you can cook both the fried rice and chicken at the same time, the process is fast, so you can eat your hibachi meal after just 35 minutes of cooking. 

Recipe: Hibachi Chicken With Fried Rice And Vegetables

4. Instant Pot Last Minute Chicken

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The name of this dish is apt, as it takes less than 15 minutes to make! It really is an ideal meal to make if you are short on time, hungry, and/or don't have time to go to the store, as you are likely to already have most of the required ingredients  in your kitchen.

Recipe: Instant Pot Last Minute Chicken

5. Ginger Soy Chicken and Broccoli

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It might look complicated, but this sheet pan dinner is actually deceptively simple. You can have food on the table in just 40 minutes (or even faster if you opt to use your Instant Pot instead of the oven.) Serve the ginger soy chicken over rice for best results. 

Recipe: Ginger Soy Chicken and Broccoli

6. Chicken Tzatziki Bowls

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It's all Greek to me! This dish is full of flavor — there's garlic, shallots, feta, tamari, tahini, onions, and avocado. Not going to lie, it requires a lot of ingredients, but this 45-minute meal is so worth it. Add some pita to level up your dinner!

Recipe: Chicken Tzatziki Bowls

7. Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Thighs

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This delectable dish is both sweet and savory. The strawberry balsamic complements the taste of the roasted golden-brown chicken, onions and potatoes. Even better? It's dairy-and gluten-free, so this dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Recipe: Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Thighs

8. Creamy Chicken Francese

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This creamy dish — made of parmesan cheese, olive oil, white wine, and chicken broth — takes less than an hour to make. If you love chicken piccata, but want to switch things up, chicken Francese is for you. Bon appetit!

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Francese 

9. Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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This delicious soup is packed with hearty flavors that will fuel your soul. Top it off with avocado and tortilla chips for the full experience.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

10. Lemon Pepper Chicken

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In just 30 minutes, you could be eating this refreshing lemon chicken dish. This recipe only requires one pan and lots of butter — what could be better?

Recipe: Lemon Pepper Chicken

11. Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs With Orzo

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If you're craving meatballs but trying to cut back on red meat, this recipe is for you. Flavors of rosemary, garlic and dijon mustard will overwhelm your senses in the best way.

Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs With Orzo

12. Chicken Empanadas

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Get these pouches of delciousness in just 30 minutes. Just whip out some veggies and chicken and get cooking!

Recipe: Chicken Empanadas

13. 20-Minute Skillet Florentine Butter Chicken

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Tasty doesn't have to mean time-consuming. This bright and tangy skillet chicken with juicy cherry tomatoes comes together in under a half hour.

Recipe: 20-Minute Skillet Florentine Butter Chicken

14. Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus Avocado Salsa

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You can line the pan with foil or parchment paper first for much easier cleanup with this simple sheet pan recipe.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken With Citrus Avocado Salsa

15. Coq au Vin

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Transport yourself to a cozy Parisian bistro with the help of this French recipe. Loaded with chicken (drumsticks and thighs are best), onion, carrots, and mushrooms in a rich and savory red wine and chicken sauce, it tastes like the poultry version of beef bourguignon.

Recipe: Coq au Vin

16. Roasted Tandoori Chicken

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The whole bird gets coated in tandoori-seasoned yogurt and then roasted until the skin is nice and crispy.

Recipe: Roasted Tandoori Chicken

17. Creamy Tuscan Chicken

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Crispy chicken skin, creamy sauce, tons of veggies — I'm drooling already, TBH. And not only is this delicious, but it comes together in less than an hour, and the leftovers are fantastic over pasta. Is there anything better?

Recipe: Creamy Tuscan Chicken

18. Chicken Bibimbap

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Most bibimpap is made with beef, but swapping it out for chicken is just as delicious — it's the marinade that really packs a punch. And while the veggies are definitely adaptable to what you have in the fridge, don't skip the egg! The runny yolk really brings it all together into one cohesive dish.

Recipe: Chicken Bibimbap

19. Chicken Teriyaki Chow Mein

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Like all stir-fries, this takes a little prep work, but once you get it in the pan, it cooks in an absolute flash. And if you want to take a little time off the prep, commenters recommend using bagged coleslaw mix for the veggies instead of chopping it all yourself.

Recipe: Chicken Teriyaki Chow Mein 

20. American Buttermilk Fried Chicken

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Fried chicken can be intimidating — it's hard to know when the inside is done, and there's nothing worse than biting into a golden, crispy drumstick, only to get a cold, pink interior. But the buttermilk marinade on this is key — it means that you can fry at a medium temperature for quite a while, and the chicken won't dry out, which will leave you with a perfect crunch and delicious, juicy interior.

Recipe: American Buttermilk Fried Chicken 

21. Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

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You might never go back to a plain chicken-and-cheese quesadilla again after this recipe. The onions, peppers, and seasoning take it to a whole new level of scrumptiousness that you'll be dying to remake at the earliest opportunity.

Recipe: Chicken Fajita Quesadillas

22. Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

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Alfredo is already a top-tier comfort food, but adding that crispy cheesy crust on top really makes it *chef's kiss* perfection. And if you really want to gild the lily, throw in some bacon. You won't regret it.

Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

23. One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken

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This meal is flavor-packed, all in one pan: The chicken fat flavors the honey garlic sauce, which flavors the green beans and the chicken, and it all adds up to one delicious, sumptuous, easy meal.

Recipe: One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken 

24. 40-Clove Garlic Chicken

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If you're like me, this is pretty much the amount of garlic you use in every recipe. But if you're not and you're intimidated by the amount, don't be — the garlic cooks gently in the sauce and gets sweet and melty and wonderful.

Recipe: 40-Clove Garlic Chicken 

25. Easy Butter Chicken

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A lot of takeout favorites are simply too complicated to make at home, but butter chicken is not one of them. Just simmer chicken, tomatoes, cream, and a bunch of spices together, and you're on your way to Indian food heaven. And don't forget to have some naan on hand to mop up all that sauce!

Recipe: Easy Butter Chicken

26. Creamy Chicken Piccata

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This white wine and caper sauce is super versatile. You can serve it over pasta, but it also goes great with roasted potatoes, basically any sautéed veggie, or even a salad and a side of bread.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Piccata 

27. Cajun Chicken Alfredo

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The chicken, sausage, and creamy, spicy sauce are truly a marriage made in heaven. Do pay attention to your sausage, though — if it ends up rendering out a ton of fat, drain off a bit so the sauce ends up creamy and silky instead of just oily.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken Alfredo 

28. One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta

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All the flavors of Fajita Night, but in yummy pasta form! I'm a big fan of shape-shifting, and this is no exception. Tortillas who?

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta 

29. Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken

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This is one that will impress everyone at the table, whether it's guests or just your kids. The chicken itself is delicious, but serving it in the pineapple amps up the wow factor to 11.

Recipe: Pineapple Sweet & Sour Chicken 

30. Slow Cooker Chicken & Biscuits

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Is there anything more comforting than chicken and biscuits? Just imagine coming home after a long day and getting to dish yourself up a bowl of this after it's been slowly cooking all day. Bliss.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken & Biscuits 

31. Paprika Chicken & Rice Bake

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This recipe makes an easy, no-fuss, no-mess dinner that comes out spectacular. And while the final step to crisp the chicken skin is "optional," definitely don't skip it. You need that crispy skin!

Recipe: Paprika Chicken & Rice Bake 

32. Hasselback Chicken

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Hasselbacking can seem complicated, but really, it's just a simpler way to stuff chicken — you don't have to fuss around with all the slicing and pounding and tying that comes with a traditional roulade. Just slice almost all the way through the chicken breast, fill it, and you're good to go.

Recipe: Hasselback Chicken 

33. One-Skillet Chicken Pot Pie

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Everybody loves chicken pot pie, I'm pretty sure. But I know I don't make it as often as I should, because of the effort and the prep. This recipe streamlines it all into one skillet and uses a premade piecrust, so you can eat chicken pot pie every day of the week if you like.

Recipe: One-Skillet Chicken Pot Pie 

34. Hainanese Chicken Rice

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This is basically one of Singapore's national dishes, and for good reason. The chicken is juicy, the rice is incredibly flavorful, and the sauces are divine. Trust me, you won't regret making this.

Recipe: Hainanese Chicken Rice 

35. Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken

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This recipe was basically made for meal prep. You can set it and forget it while you do other things, and then use the meat in absolutely everything: over rice, in a stir-fry — heck, you can even put it in a tortilla.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Teriyaki Chicken 

36. Buffalo Chicken Dip

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If you're hosting a tailgate and there isn't Buffalo chicken dip, no offense, but I don't want to come. It's all the best parts of wings without any of the mess, and there's cheese on top! I can't think of a better game-day food.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

37. Chicken Gyros

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Roasting the chicken on the skewers might seem a little intimidating (commenters recommend splitting it onto two, for balance), but it's totally worth it. The chicken stays so juicy, and you get to dramatically slice it right off the stack, just like at a real Greek place.

Recipe: Chicken Gyros 

38. One-Pot Cashew Chicken Ramen

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Take your instant ramen noodles and turn them into an exciting stir-fry with boneless chicken breasts, cashews, and whatever veggies you have on hand.

Recipe: One-Pot Cashew Chicken Ramen

39. One-Pot Chicken and Chorizo Paella

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Paella may seem like an intimidating meal to make from scratch, but you can make it entirely in one skillet. In addition to chicken, toss in whatever protein you have on hand — from chorizo to shellfish.

Recipe: One-Pot Chicken and Chorizo Paella

40. French Onion Chicken

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This dish is baked chicken covered with caramelized onions and cheesy French onion soup, and you're going to want to make it on repeat.

Recipe: French Onion Chicken

41. One-Pot Coconut Chicken Curry

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You can make restaurant-quality curry at home with just a handful of flavorful ingredients. This Thai-inspired chicken calls for red curry paste, yellow curry powder, coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce.

Recipe: One-Pot Coconut Chicken Curry

42. Skillet Chicken Cacciatore

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This Italian classic is made with chicken breasts, onion, peppers, and mushrooms in a rustic and slightly spicy tomato and white wine broth.

Recipe: Skillet Chicken Cacciatore

43. Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

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You can make this stir-fry with pretty much whatever vegetables you have on hand. For a low-carb addition, serve it on top of cauliflower rice.

Recipe: Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

44. Chicken Bacon One Pot Meal

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This meal comes together in one pot and is all sorts of simple. There's a melange of potatoes and peas that gives it a Shepherd's Pie vibe, and the chicken makes it homey and comforting.

Recipe: Chicken Bacon One Pot Meal

45. One-Pan Keto Cheesy Jalapeño Chicken

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This creamy and spicy recipe tastes like baked chicken and jalapeño poppers combined into one decadent dish.

Recipe: One Pan Keto Cheesy Jalapeño Chicken

46. Creamy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole

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This easy casserole starts with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Just mix the shredded chicken with cream, cream cheese, onion, stock, cauliflower rice, and spices, and bake it in the oven.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Casserole

47. Grilled Chicken With Avocado Salsa

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Bookmark this avocado salsa, which is made with diced avos, tomato, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. It's almost like a chunky guacamole, and it instantly upgrades whatever you're cooking.

Recipe: Grilled Chicken With Avocado Salsa

48. Bacon Cream Cheese Chicken Bake

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This five-ingredient dish comes together in a single casserole dish, calling for just chicken breasts, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon (plus salt and pepper for seasoning).

Recipe: Bacon Cream Cheese Chicken Bake

49. Everything Bagel Chicken With Scallion Cream Cheese

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Bagel-lovers, rejoice: This everything-seasoned chicken drizzled with scallion cream cheese sauce is wildly comforting.

Recipe: Everything Bagel Chicken With Scallion Cream Cheese

50. Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos

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The filling for these taquitos is made of shredded chicken, cheese, salsa, and cream cheese. Roll the filling into tortillas and pop them into the basket of your air fryer until golden brown.

Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos

51. Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

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Save yourself the busy work required by the stove-top version of this recipe, and make it in the slow cooker instead. It only requires about 10 minutes prep, and the result is absolutely worth it.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

52. Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken

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This comforting chicken tastes amazing over your favorite pasta or grain bowl. Just dump your ingredients into the slow cooker and wait for dinner to make itself.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken

53. Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

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Make a big batch of this homemade chicken noodle soup, and you can freeze the leftovers for chilly winter nights.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

54. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

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Cooking tikka masala on the stove top can require lots of hands-on stirring, but this slow cooker version minimizes most of the effort. Serve with store-bought naan and basmati rice.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

55. Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

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There's something about these chicken and rice burrito bowls that gets even more delicious as it sits in the fridge, so make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls

56. Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas

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Roasting carnitas in the oven can take a long time, but this shredded and spiced chicken comes together in about 30 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot. Serve it with tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas

57. Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka

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You'll want to marinate the chicken in the marinade of yogurt, lime, ginger, garam masala, and lots of spices for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. Then, just spread it on a baking sheet and pop it in the oven.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka

58. Crispy Parmesan Baked Chicken Milanese and Veggies

Cafe Delites / Via cafedelites.com

Breaded and baked from start to finish, these cheesy chicken cutlets still manage to get delightfully crunchy.

Recipe: Crispy Parmesan Baked Chicken Milanese and Veggies

59. Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken

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This Moroccan spice rub made with olive oil, garlic, butter, and lots of spices turns ordinary roast chicken into something special.

Recipe: Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken

60. Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos

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Nachos can constitute a totally stand-alone meal, especially when topped with shredded chicken. Just layer on your favorite toppings and pop the sheet pan in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos

61. Apple Cider Pulled Chicken

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Serve this tangy pulled chicken on a bun with some coleslaw for an easy, family-friendly meal.

Recipe: Apple Cider Pulled Chicken

62. White Chicken Chili

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Step away from the canned soup. This homemade version is so easy — there's no excuse not to make it from scratch.

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

63. Skillet Chicken with Garlic, Shallot, and Wine Sauce

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This skillet dinner evokes all sorts of Julia Child. Basting chicken in copious amounts of butter and topping it with Herbes de Provence, it'll definitely make you feel like you're dining on the 'South of France.'

Recipe: Skillet Chicken with Garlic, Shallot, and Wine Sauce

64. Honey Mustard Chicken

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There's nothing fancy about this four-ingredient sauce — made with Dijon mustard, honey, rosemary, and garlic — but brushed onto skin-on chicken thighs and roasted until crispy, it tastes impossibly gourmet.

Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken

65. Chicken Zucchini Boats

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You can add extra seasonings, spices, herbs, or veggies to these veggie boats if you have the ingredients on hand, but all you really need is zucchini, shredded chicken, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Recipe: Chicken Zucchini Boats

66. Tomato, Soy, and Sesame Chicken

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Tangy, sweet, and savory, this simple tomato and soy sauce marinade would taste delicious on pretty much anything.

Recipe: Tomato, Soy, and Sesame Chicken

67. Moroccan Chicken Tagine Skillet

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This North African chicken dish is an irresistible flavor burst of salty, sweet, and savory thanks to Kalamata and Castelvetrano olives, preserved lemon, cinnamon, saffron, and paprika.

Recipe: Moroccan Chicken Tagine Skillet

68. Chicken Banh Mi

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These Vietnamese-inspired sandwiches are filled with pickled veggies and grilled chicken that have been marinated in a spicy and zesty mix of garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime, and Sriracha.

Recipe: Chicken Banh Mi

This article contains content previously curated by Hannah Loewentheil, Dave Stopera, Rebekah Shoemake, Ailbhe Malone, Christine Byrne, and Michael Drummonds. It was compiled by Lavanya Narayanan.