21 Kid-Friendly Chicken Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight These winning chicken dinners will please everyone at your table, from kids to grown-ups. Close Credit: Bryan Gardner Just because a chicken dinner is kid-friendly doesn't mean grown-ups won't love it, too. The dependable weeknight protein can go in so many directions, and these recipes prove its appeal to all ages. And if you're stuck making the same old suppers every week, take heart: these ideas will help refresh your repertoire. Most are quick and can be prepared in under an hour. And if you've got a picky eater at your table, we've got you. Many of these recipes have elements you can add or leave out, depending on your diners' preferences, such as optional dipping sauces and customizable toppings. You're sure to find a winner! How to Pack a Planet-Friendly School Lunch That Your Kids Will Love 01 of 21 Chicken, Tomato and Bread Cubes With Lemon-Oregano Marinade Credit: Andrew Purcell Chicken kebabs are a fun way to freshen up your routine. And for this inventive take, you thread cubes of bread onto some of the skewers. The bread soaks up the marinade nicely, so they're like croutons on a stick. View Recipe 02 of 21 Pulled BBQ-Chicken Sandwiches For these delectable sandwiches, chicken thighs are seared and simmered with barbecue sauce until tender. The meat is served shredded on a soft bun, along with crunchy carrot and cabbage coleslaw. View Recipe 03 of 21 Baked Chicken Nuggets Credit: Marcus Nilsson Skip the store-bought frozen kind and make these MVP chicken nuggets at home in a flash. Chicken breasts are diced, coated in flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs, and baked until golden brown and crisp. Because they're not fried, you can enjoy guilt-free! View Recipe 04 of 21 Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken and Dumplings Credit: Justin Walker Kids will love this serve-yourself-style chicken dinner. To keep the chicken thighs super moist and prevent them from overcooking, start by poaching them lightly, then shred (but feel free to use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save prep time!). View Recipe 05 of 21 Lemon-Ginger Chicken and Green Beans Credit: Armando Rafael Bright with color and flavor, kids won't mind that this chicken dinner is secretly healthy. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are first pan-seared to get a golden brown exterior, then they finish poaching in water with garlic, ginger, and green beans. View Recipe 06 of 21 Oat-Crusted Chicken Cutlets Credit: Sidney Bensimon These kid-friendly chicken cutlets are super versatile. Serve them with mashed potatoes, salad, or roasted vegetables—either way, the extra crunchy, extra crispy oat coating is sure to delight. View Recipe 07 of 21 Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas Credit: Justin Walker Bake these low-key chicken tortillas for Taco Tuesday. Ground chicken seamlessly takes on the flavors of other ingredients, including tomato paste, chopped chile in adobo, cilantro, and lime juice. View Recipe 08 of 21 Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken Soup Credit: Armando Rafael This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is sure to become a new family favorite. Kids will love slurping on the warm, savory broth, and even the veggies are delicious, tender and sweet. View Recipe 09 of 21 Ground Chicken Tacos Credit: Julia Gartland Dark ground chicken comes to life with cumin, coriander, minced chipotle in adobo, and tomato paste. The mixture is sautéed in a cast-iron skillet, piled into warm tortillas, and topped with cheese and salsa. View Recipe 10 of 21 Quick Fried Chicken and Waffles Kids will adore the idea of breakfast for dinner. When you want to serve them a treat, make this sweet and savory combo with crisp chicken cutlets and warm, fluffy waffles. Don't forget the maple syrup! View Recipe 11 of 21 Crispy Chicken Cutlets Credit: Courtesy of Marcus Nilsson The whole family will love digging into these chicken cutlets. Serve them on their own, with a big crunchy salad, or as the base for chicken parmesan. No matter which way you choose, they'll disappear in a flash. View Recipe 12 of 21 Chicken Bolognese With Tagliatelle Credit: Sharon Radisch If you're looking for a way to give your children the satisfaction of a rich meat sauce that's just a little bit leaner, try this recipe that uses ground chicken in place of beef and pork. And it's quicker than a traditional Bolognese sauce—this whole dinner comes together in just 45 minutes. View Recipe 13 of 21 Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas Credit: Ren Fuller So easy and sure to please, serve these chicken fajitas any night of the week. Place all of the toppings in individual bowls on the dinner table so that kids can customize their meal exactly as they please. View Recipe 14 of 21 Chicken Parmesan Here's an absolute classic that family members both young and old will love. Crispy chicken, marinara sauce, and ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese is the ultimate trio. View Recipe 15 of 21 Individual Chicken Potpies Credit: Linda Pugliese This is a quick route to the family-favorite—chicken potpie. Rather than making pie crust for a big pie, use store-bought puff pastry to make individual pies in gratin dishes. Everyone gets their own—and it's easy on the cook. View Recipe 16 of 21 Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake With Broccolini Credit: Lennart Weibull Can't convince kids to eat their greens? Mix them into their favorite comfort food: cheesy pasta! This recipe uses Gruyère and parmesan cheeses for a rich sauce that pulls together gnocchi, shredded chicken, and broccolini into the ultimate cozy dinner. View Recipe 17 of 21 Cornflake-Crusted Baked Chicken Use crushed cornflakes to get a satisfying crunchy crust on chicken, without needing to fry it. This technique is simple and sure to please children. View Recipe 18 of 21 Chicken Burgers Ground dark-meat chicken makes a burger that's just as juicy and tasty as one made with beef. Sautéed onion, orange bell pepper, and celery add texture and savory-sweet flavor to the burgers. View Recipe 19 of 21 Chicken Soup With Rice Credit: Bryan Gardner Use a good-quality chicken broth—whether it be homemade or store-bought—to add big flavor to this classic comfort food soup. View Recipe 20 of 21 Brown-Sugar Barbecue Chicken Drumettes Combine ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and Worcestershire to make a quick barbecue sauce for roasted chicken wings. If you like more heat, add cayenne pepper to taste. View Recipe 18 Easy Dinner Recipes for When You Don't Feel Like Cooking 21 of 21 Crispy Chicken Tacos This easy dinner recipe has you quickly fry soft corn tortillas in hot oil just until their edges are crisp. This turns them into a crispy handheld treat filled with a hearty mix of shredded chicken thighs and a quick homemade tomato salsa for a perfectly kid-friendly meal. View Recipe Explore more: Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken