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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    20 Effortless Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners for Busy Nights

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on March 22, 2025, updated March 21, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Finding time to cook during busy nights can be a challenge, but these 20 dump-and-bake chicken dinners make it easy. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, you can have a satisfying meal ready in no time. These recipes are perfect for those evenings when you want something delicious without spending hours in the kitchen.

    Monterey Chicken Casserole

    Monterey Chicken Casserole.
    Photo credit: Zona's Lazy Recipes.

    This casserole is quick and simple to prepare. With tangy BBQ sauce, tender chicken, smoky bacon, and creamy Monterey Jack cheese, it's a meal that everyone in the family will enjoy!

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    Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

    A serving of Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    This chicken enchilada casserole combines all the delicious flavors of enchiladas in a simple layered dish. With corn tortillas, lots of cheese, and red enchilada sauce, it's a satisfying meal that's easy to prepare.

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    Baked Apricot Chicken

    Easy Baked Apricot Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Casual Foodist.

    Baked Apricot Chicken is an easy chicken dinner that features a sweet and savory glaze everyone will enjoy. With just a few ingredients, this dish comes together in 30 minutes, making it great for weeknight meals.

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    Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

    Melt in Your Mouth Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Cookin' Chicks.

    This chicken dish is super easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients. Boneless chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy Parmesan sauce and baked until they're juicy and tender, making it a great choice for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends.

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    Chicken Broccoli Casserole

    Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Dutch Oven Daddy.

    This is a simple and satisfying meal that you can prepare in under 30 minutes. It combines the creamy goodness of mac and cheese with the flavors of broccoli and chicken alfredo.

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    Breaded Parmesan Chicken

    Breaded Parmesan Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Living Chirpy.

    Breaded Parmesan Chicken is a tasty and easy way to enjoy lean chicken with great flavors. With just 4 ingredients and 30 minutes of your time, this dish is perfect for a simple Sunday dinner or a quick weeknight meal.

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    Shake and Bake Chicken

    Shake and Bake Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Forked Spoon.

    Shake and Bake Chicken is a simple and tasty dinner featuring juicy chicken covered in a crunchy homemade seasoning. Once you try this, you'll forget about the store-bought versions.

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    Baked Chicken Drumsticks & Veggies

    Drumsticks and veggies.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This sheet-pan dinner is perfect for quick weeknight meals. With just a little chopping to begin, you end up with a delicious mix of chicken, veggies, and sauce all cooked together in one pan.

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    Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

    sun-dried tomato pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features cheesy chicken and pasta packed with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach, creating a hearty meal that's simple to prepare. It's perfect for a cozy dinner without much effort.

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    No Boil Chicken Pasta Bake

    No Boil Chicken Pasta Bake.
    Photo credit: Cooking With Carlee.

    This chicken pasta bake is a simple way to get dinner ready without much effort. It requires very little prep and delivers a satisfying and hearty meal.

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    Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

    A spoonful of Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Quiche My Grits.

    This casserole has creamy chicken, mixed veggies, and a crunchy layer of tater tots on top. You can prepare it in advance and freeze it for later, or bake it right away for a meal that everyone will enjoy.

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    Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole

    Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole.
    Photo Credit: Thrifty Jinxy.

    This dish features juicy chicken thighs seasoned with herbs, baked right on top of brown rice. It's simple to prepare and clean up, making it a great option for busy weeknights.

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    Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs

    Baked Apricot Chicken Thighs.
    Photo Credit: Beyond the Chicken Coop.

    This Apricot Chicken recipe combines sweet and savory flavors in a delicious way. Juicy chicken thighs are covered in a tasty sauce made from apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, and soy sauce, creating a dish that's quick and easy to prepare.

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    Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

    Buffalo chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is quick to prepare and ready in under an hour. Packed with spicy buffalo sauce, hidden spinach, and plenty of cheese, it's a tasty option for a weeknight dinner.

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    Chicken Thigh Tray Bake

    Chicken thigh tray bake.
    Photo credit: Living Lou.

    This chicken thigh tray bake is fuss-free and perfect for a speedy weeknight family dinner, and all done in under 45 minutes. Simply roast chicken thighs, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and carrots in a flavorful marinade.

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    Keto Crack Chicken

    Keto Crack Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Like Hot Keto.

    This dish features juicy chicken breasts filled with melted cheddar, crispy bacon, and ranch dressing, creating a comforting meal. It's perfect for a cozy dinner that doesn't require much effort.

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    Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Chicken pasta bake.
    Photo credit: always use butter.

    This dish features plenty of chicken and broccoli, making it a hearty meal that will definitely provide leftovers. It's a simple and satisfying option for dinner.

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    Garlic Parmesan Sheet Pan Drumsticks

    Garlic Parmesan Sheet Pan Chicken Drumsticks.
    Photo credit: xoxoBella.

    Oven baked chicken drumsticks are a tasty option for dinner, especially when you can cook them all on one sheet pan to make cleanup easier. This recipe features the great flavors of garlic, parmesan, red pepper, and parsley.

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    Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

    Chicken fajitas.
    Photo Credit: Midwest Foodie.

    Sheet pan chicken fajitas are packed with flavor and are super easy to prepare. You can have a satisfying dinner ready in under 30 minutes with this simple dish.

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    Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs

    Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs.
    Photo Credit: The Forked Spoon.

    Garlic Mushroom Chicken Thighs are a simple and tasty dish featuring crispy chicken thighs cooked in a delicious garlic and white wine sauce with juicy mushrooms. This is a great weeknight dinner that everyone in the family will love.

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has more than 20 years of experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN  and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, Daily Kos, The Grio, The Asian Parent, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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