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    Home » Recipe Roundups

    Weeknight Wonders: 18 Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners You’ll Love

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on April 15, 2025, updated March 21, 2025 - Leave a Comment

    Busy weeknights can make dinner time a challenge, but these 18 dump-and-bake chicken dinners are here to save the day. With minimal prep and simple ingredients, you can whip up satisfying meals that the whole family will enjoy. From casseroles to one-pan dishes, these recipes make it easy to put a delicious dinner on the table without the fuss.

    Salsa Chicken

    Salsa Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Living Chirpy.

    Salsa Chicken is a simple and healthy dish that’s full of flavor. It’s an effortless dinner option that comes together with hardly any prep time, making it a hit for everyone.

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    Turkish Chicken and Potatoes

    Turkish Chicken and Potatoes.
    Photo Credit: Give Recipe.

    This baked Turkish chicken and potatoes recipe is a simple and tasty option for dinner. With just a handful of ingredients and easy steps, you can whip up a meal that everyone in the family will enjoy.

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    Chicken & Veggie Traybake

    Chicken & Veggie Traybake.
    Photo credit: Hungry Healthy Happy.

    This chicken traybake is simple to prepare and everything cooks together in one dish with a tasty Mediterranean dressing. With colorful vegetables and tender chicken thighs, it’s a flexible meal that you can easily customize.

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    Bruschetta Chicken Bake

    Bruschetta Chicken Bake.
    Photo Credit: The Recipe Well.

    Bruschetta Chicken Bake is a simple dish perfect for summer. Topped with fresh tomatoes and plenty of parmesan cheese, this chicken dinner is sure to please everyone at the table!

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    Baked Crack Chicken

    Baked Crack Chicken.
    Photo Credit: The Forked Spoon.

    This dish features baked chicken breasts covered in a tasty mix of bacon, cheese, and ranch seasoning. It's creamy, cheesy, and perfect for a comforting meal.

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    Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes

    Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes.
    Photo Credit: The Rustic Foodie.

    Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes is a healthy dinner option that cooks all in one pan. It features marinated artichokes and a hint of lemon zest for added flavor.

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    Oven Baked Chicken Breast

    Oven Baked Chicken Breast.
    Photo Credit: Cucina by Elena.

    This oven-baked chicken breast is packed with the comforting flavors of Thanksgiving, making it a great choice for your holiday meal. It's also perfect as a main dish for any weeknight dinner.

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    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs

    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies.
    Photo Credit The Feathered Nester.

    This dish features tender chicken thighs and fresh vegetables all cooked together on one pan. It's a healthy and easy meal that's great for busy weeknights.

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    Hot Honey Garlic Chicken

    Hot Honey Garlic Chicken.
    Photo Credit: Garlic All Day.

    Hot honey adds a sweet and spicy flavor to this chicken dish, making it a fun meal. You can prepare it easily in either an air fryer or the oven.

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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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    Tuscan Chicken Bake

    Tuscan Chicken Bake.
    Photo Credit: Heavenly Home Cooking.

    This Tuscan chicken bake is a creamy and cheesy dish loaded with flavor. Featuring chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach mixed with pasta in a rich coconut milk and cheese sauce, it’s a great choice for weeknight dinners or a cozy weekend meal.

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    Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken

    Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken.
    Photo credit: Food Meanderings.

    This chicken dish is quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes. It's a flavorful meal that everyone in the family will enjoy.

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    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies

    Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs and Veggies.
    Photo Credit: Chenee Today.

    This simple sheet pan dinner features juicy chicken thighs and roasted vegetables, all drizzled with a tasty mustard herb sauce. It's easy to customize with either boneless or bone-in chicken, making it perfect for any night.

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    No Boil Chicken Pasta Bake

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

    Make getting dinner on the table super easy with this no boil chicken pasta bake. It takes almost no prep work and results in a tasty and filling meal.

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    Cajun Chicken Pasta Casserole

    Cajun chicken pasta casserole.
    Photo credit: Practically Homemade.

    Cajun flavors are always a hit, and this casserole is super easy to prepare. You can skip boiling the pasta, and the creamy sauce that develops while it bakes is sure to impress.

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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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    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 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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    More Recipe Roundups

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      22 Stress-Free Chicken Recipes for the Exhausted Cook
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      22 Dump-and-Bake Dinners That Will Revolutionize Your Weeknight Meals

    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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