Chicken is one of the most versatile meats out there. Decades ago, it was considered the height of luxury but nowadays your weekly grocery trip wouldn’t be complete without some form of this poultry.
However, buying only chicken breasts, thighs or wings can really limit the number of dishes you’re able to create throughout the week. Nobody wants to eat the same food every day so why force yourself to stick to the same meals every week? That’s why we’re here to help!
We’ve got over 30 of the best ground chicken recipes you can make at home! They’re easy to make, delicious and don’t require any fancy meats or ingredients.
1. Chicken pesto meatballs
Every Italian food lover knows how delicious pesto is with everything. The herby, creamy flavor complements pretty much any pasta dish, with this one being no different. Form your ground chicken into meatballs and incorporate the pesto right into the meat to get the most enriched flavor.
You can pair it with a gorgeous tomato sauce but it will taste great whatever you pair it with!
2. Potsticker dumplings and soy-vinegar sauce
This Asian-inspired recipe from the legendary Martha Stewart’s website is guaranteed to impress dinner guests. All the flavors and textures you could ever want are packed into these bite-sized little dumplings, which go hand in hand with the simple soy-vinegar sauce.
A lot of people steer clear of dumplings because they seem difficult to make, but we promise you that these babies will be worth the effort!
3. Italian sausage, pepper, and potato skillet
The best thing about all-in-one skillet recipes is that they’re so easy to make and will rarely take up too much of your time. This one can be done in around 30 minutes!
Now, obviously, the recipe calls for Italian sausage, but you can easily substitute this for the ground chicken to give it a healthier twist and still maintain an exquisite flavor.
4. Cheesy chicken sloppy joes
Even reading the title of this recipe is probably enough to make you hungry. It has everything you could want in a meal: well-seasoned chicken, gooey cheese, and a rich sauce.
You can serve this recipe in a sandwich or on burger buns but be aware that things will definitely get messy!
5. Chicken wonton tacos
This particular fusion of Chinese and Mexican cuisines isn’t something a lot of people have come across before. However, once you’ve tried it, you’ll realize just what you’ve been missing out on all this time!
The crunch from the wonton taco shells, paired with the incredible combination of veggies and chicken is something you’ll want to tell everyone about.
5. Easy chicken parmesan burgers
One of the best things you can make with any ground meat is a burger. This recipe capitalizes on that fact and couples the wonderful flavor of chicken with hearty Italian ingredients. The mozzarella melts perfectly onto the surface of the chicken, making every bite taste magical.
Not to mention, placing some fresh basil leaves in the burger makes it look like it belongs on the set of a commercial!
6. Stuffed shells with meat
Another great pasta recipe, this one uses conchiglie to create tiny pockets of powerful flavor. It’s the sort of meal that’s great fun for the whole family to get involved in.
Kids will love helping out with stuffing the pasta shells full of the delicious meaty stuffing and watching as the cheese melts and browns as it cooks in the oven.
8. Firecracker ground chicken
Made with healthy food in mind, this recipe uses low-calorie ingredients to miraculously produce a high-flavor dish. The secret to these great flavors is in the seasoning mix the recipe recommends.
Sure, you can buy premade seasoning packets at a grocery store but they’ll often contain some unhealthy ingredients or preservatives. With this recipe, you’ll have peace of mind knowing it’s good for your body.
9. Stuffed pepper with mushrooms, greens, and ground turkey
Again, this is a recipe that originally had turkey in mind but can easily be substituted with ground chicken. It’s definitely something you’ll want to try, as it’s easy to make and even easier to eat.
Each pepper gets stuffed with a gorgeous combination of ingredients that creates an immaculate flavor blend. Eat these with a knife and fork or just dig in with your hands and risk getting messy!
10. Chicken portobello stroganoff
This is one of the quickest and easiest recipes on our list, only taking around 40 minutes to complete. This twist on the classic Russian dish will have you wondering why you’ve never tried it before.
The creamy, light sauce goes well with the mellow flavor of ground chicken and you can serve it with whatever type of pasta you want.
11. Buffalo chicken meatball subs
This is another recipe where just the title says everything you need to know. Buffalo chicken is one of life’s greatest pleasures, so having it in a sub or sandwich is basically heaven!
It’s got a great sauce recipe to accompany the chicken meatballs but you can honestly top this dish with whatever sauce you want and it’ll still taste amazing!
12. Orzo salad with chicken meatballs
This is another chicken meatballs recipe but here, we pair them with an orzo salad. Orzo is a portion of rice-shaped pasta and the salad this recipe recommends has a gorgeous dressing that perfectly complements the garlic, feta, and explosive tomato flavors you’ll find in it.
It’s described as the ‘leaner version of spaghetti and meatballs, but it still packs just as much of a flavorful punch!
13. Greek chicken burgers
Returning to the theme of chicken burgers, this recipe utilizes some Mediterranean ingredients to liven up your palate.
The feta, mint, and yogurt combination can be found everywhere across Southern Europe so why not bring it into your kitchen too? You can serve these in regular old burger buns or branch out and put them in a pita pocket instead.
14. Buffalo chicken pockets
This ingenious recipe combines the powerful taste of buffalo chicken with the convenient and delicious aspects of a pastry pocket. These miniature chicken pies make a great snack to serve at parties or they can be made supersized to enjoy as a full meal on their own.
However you choose to make these, you’ll find that the flavors inside will keep you coming back to make more!
15. Crispy baked chicken flautas
This recipe calls for an alternative way to enjoy taco night at home, employing some rolled-up tortillas to house your ground chicken filling.
The filling itself is delicious enough on its own but why not try pairing it with pico de gallo, sour cream, or guacamole to cover every taste sensation imaginable?
16. Thai basil chicken
A popular dish across all of Southeast Asia, Thai basil chicken uses all of the best ingredients and flavors from Thai cooking to create one lovely bowl of food.
The oyster and fish sauce give the whole dish a great depth of flavor and, although it is a little spicy, the Thai bird’s eye chilis give the whole thing a really nice kick.
17. Ground orange chicken
If you’ve ever tried Panda Express’ orange chicken and wondered if you could recreate it at home, now you can! The whole recipe only uses one pan and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish.
Not only can you recreate the wonderful flavors of this fast food cuisine, but it literally is FAST food! We really could not recommend this recipe enough.
18. Salsa chicken meatloaf
For a lot of people, meatloaf brings back childhood memories of eating the same meal every night for a whole week. However, with this recipe, you won’t even mind doing that! Incorporating salsa and taco seasoning into a meatloaf is genius and keeps the dish tasting interesting with every bite.
You can always incorporate other meats into this dish, as well. In fact, the recipe recommends adding pork to prevent the loaf from getting too dry.
19. Herby chicken kofta meatballs
Another Middle Eastern-inspired recipe, this one calls for an interesting flavor combination, contained in a delightful pita wrap. The key to this recipe is getting the flavor balance right.
Follow the directions carefully to make sure the right amount of each seasoning is used and you’ll be left with a wonderful, versatile dish that you’ll never grow tired of.
20. Chicken lettuce wraps
For a healthy, chicken-based meal or snack, these lettuce wraps are just about the best thing you can make at home. This recipe calls for a delicious combination of Asian seasonings and sauces to create a powerful blend of flavors.
The beauty of these wraps is you can top them with pretty much anything you want! Sprinkle some cheese on top or maybe even a little sprinkle of fresh herbs.
21. Escarole chicken dumplings
If you’ve never tried this leafy vegetable with chicken before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the combination of textures and flavors that can fit inside these cute little dumplings. It’s a very Asian-style recipe that brings a taste of the orient to your home kitchen.
Don’t be put off by having to assemble the dumplings yourself, it’s a fun activity that the whole family can get involved in!
22. Chicken meatballs and vegetable soup
We haven’t looked at any chicken soup recipes on our list yet, but this veggie one is hearty and wholesome- great for a cold winter day.
The extensive list of ingredients combines to create an exquisite flavor and the variety of vegetables in the soup can be chopped and changed just how you like it, or just based on what you have in your kitchen!
23. Firecracker chicken meatballs
The firecracker chicken flavor is a favorite for many home cooks, so incorporating it into a meatball recipe is a surefire way to whip up a tasty meal. You can bake these meatballs to cut down on fatty oils that you’d use for deep frying or roasting.
Also, these can be paired with pretty much any sauce you desire, cut up and put into a sandwich, or just eaten on their own as a tasty little appetizer.
24. Buffalo chicken dip
This is yet another recipe that calls upon the universally loved flavor of buffalo chicken. Whilst it does recommend using shredded chicken, the ground will work just fine- if not, even better. It features a pretty simple list of ingredients and is friendly for home cooks of any ability.
25. Chicken bolognese with crispy oregano
Bolognese is an Italian sauce that people enjoy on just about every continent. Switching out ground beef for chicken makes this recipe a slightly healthier alternative to this European classic.
The crispy leaves of oregano provide another unique twist that conjures up some flavors and textures you’ve probably never had in a bolognese before. You can pair this with any pasta you have laying around, too.
26. One pot of ground chicken fajita pasta
The fusion of different cultural cuisines has never been better than with this Mexican and Italian recipe. Not to mention, the recipe only requires one pot, making it super easy to wash up and relax after cooking it.
This is one of the most comforting dishes we have on our list and is sure to be enjoyed by every member of the family- even the fussiest of eaters!
27. Mini chicken parm sliders
Sliders are like an adorable, bite-sized version of the messy burgers and sandwiches you see in a lot of recipes. We’re not saying this dish won’t get messy when you eat it, but it is a great one to serve at parties or as an appetizer for your meal.
Adjust the quantities to fit whatever sized pan you have and load up your sliders with as much or as little of the delicious chicken filling as you can handle!
28. Chicken calzone
If you didn’t already know, calzones are basically just a folded-over pizza that keeps all the toppings enclosed in a delightfully crispy crust. For this recipe, you can make the dough yourself, from scratch, or buy pre-made pizza dough from a store and still get top-quality results.
You can choose to follow the recipe exactly and enjoy the carefully crafted flavor combinations or experiment a little and come up with your own dish.
29. Butternut squash and chicken chili
This is another really hearty, comforting recipe that gives you a warm bowl of delicious flavor in every bite. Butternut squash is a classic fall/winter ingredient that pairs well with the chicken and other vegetables in this recipe. You can serve it with bread, or crackers, or just enjoy it on its own.
30. Chicken tikka masala meatballs
This is the first and only Indian dish on our list, but it’s probably the best you can get with ground chicken. Tikka masala is the UK’s national dish for a reason, and it’s all to do with the beautifully smooth blend of flavors and textures you get when you drench your chicken in the sauce.
Again, the key here is in the spices and seasonings, so make sure you follow the instructions and measurements carefully to get the tastiest possible meal out of it.
31. Chicken parm meatball skillet
Another convenient, one-pan recipe, this chicken parm dish requires minimal fuss to make and has all the components of a family favorite recipe.
The gooey, melted cheese on top of the whole dish is enough to make mouths water just by looking at it. However, once you delve inside, you’ll be met with a powerful blend of familiar flavors that can be served with bread, pasta, or just as it is.
32. Egg roll skillet
This is the last recipe on our list but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s the worst. It requests using ground pork but chicken definitely makes a tasty substitute and the flavors will still work well together.
It’s another one-pan wonder that doesn’t take long to make, requires minimal clean-up time, and has a great combination of plenty of different ingredients and flavors that everyone will enjoy.
Conclusion
Those were 32 of our favorite ground chicken recipes that you can easily make at home. Using chicken in these recipes means they’ll be healthier than alternative meats and most likely a little cheaper too.
Pretty much everything we’ve listed here can be experimented with so feel free to change out ingredients and cook with your own style.
Have fun cooking!
