11 Sautéed Chicken Breast Recipes for Quick Weeknight Meals

Combine a favorite cut of chicken and a favorite cooking technique, and the result is always a delicious, fast dinner.

Chicken cutlets with herb butter

Chicken's versatility makes it an ideal protein for every level of cook, and sautéing is an essential technique for getting dinner on the table fast. Put them together, and with these sautéed chicken recipes, you've got a winning combination for weeknight suppers. Even better, most of these recipes come with an array of healthy vegetables and a delicious pan sauce that begs for a crusty baguette. Dinner is served!

The recipes in this collection call for boneless chicken breasts, but you could easily swap in boneless chicken thighs in most cases if that's your preference. Breasts are leaner, but thighs have more flavor; just be aware that you may need to cook them longer.

01 of 11

Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

Sauteed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

A quick sauce made with white wine (or chicken stock), cream, mustard, and tarragon transforms sautéed chicken breasts into something that tastes worthy of a Saturday night dinner party.

02 of 11

Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms With Egg Noodles

creamy chicken and mushrooms with egg noodles
Credit:

Johnny Miller

Chicken breasts are pounded thin, sautéed, and cooked with mushrooms, shallots, broth, and cream cheese into a rich creamy sauce that pairs wonderfully with egg noodles. This is sure to become a weeknight favorite.

03 of 11

Creamy Lemon Chicken With Spinach and Artichokes

creamy lemon chicken with spinach and artichokes
Credit: Marcus Nilsson

First, sauté chicken; then, dunk it into a creamy, lemony sauce to finish cooking. This delectable dish is even better with some crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

04 of 11

Chicken Paillards With Lemon-Butter Sauce

grilled-chicken-paillards-med108164.jpg
Credit: Romulo Yanes

A chicken paillard is simply chicken breast that you've pounded. It cooks in a flash because it's thin, and it stays nice and juicy. This recipe has you top the paillards with a quick lemon-shallot sauce.

05 of 11

Chicken Saltimbocca With Sage

Chicken Saltimbocca With Sage
Credit: Marcus Nilsson

Wrapped in fresh sage and thin slices of prosciutto, this sautéed chicken is a salty and savory take on the Italian favorite.

06 of 11

Lighter Sesame Chicken

sesame chicken on green plate
Credit: Anna Williams

A Chinese-restaurant classic gets lightened without sacrificing flavor. Our chicken is sautéed in a little oil instead of deep-fried, and our less-sweet take on the classic sauce has fewer calories than a standard recipe.

07 of 11

Chicken Cutlets With Summer Squash and Feta

chicken-paillard-with-squash-spinach-feta-179-exp3-d113040-1.jpg
Credit: Bryan Gardner

A perfect quick summer evening dinner, chicken cutlets are sautéed, flavored with capers and broth, and topped with a Greek-inspired side of spinach and feta.

08 of 11

Chicken Alfredo With Fettuccine

chicken-fettucini-alfredo-mhlb2027.jpg

Chicken breasts are cut into strips and sautéed till golden. A garlic-infused cream sauce coats the fettuccine, along with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan.

09 of 11

Chicken Marsala

chicken-marsala-170-d111289.jpg
Credit: Bryan Gardner

Sautéed chicken breasts are covered with a heap of wine-infused garlicky mushrooms for a simple yet delicious main.

10 of 11

Chicken Schnitzel With Dill and Sesame

Chicken Schnitzel with Dill and Sesame
Credit: David Malosh

Sesame seeds add a nutty crunch to the coating for this chicken schnitzel, along with some unusual dill seasoning. Serve with a watercress-apple relish.

11 of 11

Chicken Piccata

martha-cooking-school-sauteing-chicken-piccata-cs2006-0169.jpg
Credit: David M. Russell

An Italian classic, chicken piccata is a dish of thin slices of meat tossed in flour and sautéed, then covered with a traditional caper sauce. Put it all together, and the result is one amazing dish.

Updated by
Lynn Andriani
Headshot image of Lynn Andriani.
Lynn Andriani is a New York City-based writer with 24 years of experience working in professional publishing and communication roles in addition to being a food writer for six years with decorvow.com.

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