Because no one needs more dishes to wash.
For many of us, getting a home-cooked dinner on the table after a long day is a tiny miracle, so choosing a dish that doesn’t require a lot of clean-up is especially important. These 11 one-pot (or -pan) chicken dishes are here to save you from the sink. Full disclosure: Some of these recipes require an additional bowl or two for prep, but the complete meal is finished in a single vessel, so you can serve right from the stove. Since we know many of you will ask, yes, several of the recipes that call for bone-in chicken can be made with boneless chicken thighs or breasts: Just reduce your cook time accordingly.
1. Skillet Chicken Thighs With Broccoli and Orzo
Aaron Hutcherson devised this brilliant recipe for cooking bone-in chicken, broccoli and orzo all at once — a true one-pot wonder. Olive oil and butter provide plenty of richness, while white wine and lemon keep it lively. This dish is very lemony, so if that’s not your thing, reduce the amount of lemon slices by half.
This super-simple 30-minute recipe from Yasmin Fahr is a reader favorite with more than 1,500 five-star ratings (and counting). Searing onions in a hot, dry pan with no oil, makes them release their moisture and cook down quickly.
Recipe: Skillet Chicken With Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions
3. One-Pot Braised Chicken With Coconut Milk, Tomato and Ginger
Colu Henry’s braise of coconut milk, tomato, ginger, garlic, cumin and cinnamon is a warming winter meal. Before serving, hit it with a splash of lime juice for brightness. It goes great with rice or a hunk of crusty bread (or both).
Recipe: One-Pot Braised Chicken With Coconut Milk, Tomato and Ginger
4. One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Ginger and Cumin
This rice and chicken pilaf from Kay Chun is inspired by Indian flavors, and uses mustard seeds, cumin and cardamom. Double the spices if you’re feeling it. For a richer version, use half coconut milk and half chicken stock instead of straight stock.
“Trying not to hyperbolize, but this may be the single most delicious recipe from this site I’ve ever cooked,” one reader wrote. In this vibrant recipe, Yewande Komolafe pairs chicken, butternut squash and turnips with a fiery sauce of gochujang, soy sauce and ginger. Quick-pickled radishes add a pop of freshness. (And, to save time, mix the chicken, vegetables and sauce ingredients right on the sheet pan instead of in a separate bowl.)
Recipe: Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
6. Quick-Braised Chicken With Greens
Not only is this soupy braise from Ali Slagle a one-pot delight, it also skips the all-too-common, though not-always-necessary step of searing the chicken first, so it’s speedy, too. Tomato, cumin and onions make it comforting, while pickled peppers and their brine provide tangy heat.
Recipe: Quick-Braised Chicken With Greens
7. Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken With Radishes and Lime
If you’ve never eaten a roasted radish, you’re in for a real treat. The typically bitter and crunchy vegetable softens and sweetens in the oven’s heat. Here, Yasmin Fahr combines them with bone-in chicken and miso butter, then roasts them together for a meal that’s as lovely to look at as it is to eat.
Recipe: Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken With Radishes and Lime
8. Skillet Chicken and Rice With Anchovies and Olives
Pasta con le Sarde, a classic Sicilian dish made with sardines and fennel, inspired this savory-sweet recipe from Lidey Heuck. Briny olives and anchovies balance the sweetness of fennel, orange juice and golden raisins. Add a pile of peppery greens to the plate for color.
Recipe: Skillet Chicken and Rice With Anchovies and Olives
9. Creamy One-Pot Pasta With Chicken and Mushrooms
Many pasta purists believe chicken and pasta don’t go together, but with 3,673 five-star ratings (and rising!), lovers of this dish from Mark Bittman couldn’t care less. Here, the pasta is cooked like risotto: Chicken or vegetable stock is gradually added to the pasta, which absorbs it and retains its starch, so the dish is creamy and rich with nary a drop of cream.
Recipe: Creamy One-Pot Pasta With Chicken and Mushrooms
10. Skillet Chicken and Pearl Couscous With Moroccan Spices
Inspired by North African tagines, Colu Henry combines chicken, pearl couscous (or orzo) and toasty spices and seasonings like harissa, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon in this cozy recipe. Take a tip from one reader, and add chickpeas and raisins to the couscous in the last few minutes of cooking.
Recipe: Skillet Chicken and Pearl Couscous With Moroccan Spices
11. One-Pot Japanese Curry Chicken and Rice
Japanese curry, a thick beef stew served over rice, is typically milder and sweeter than Indian curries. This weeknight variation from Kay Chun relies on chicken, onions, potatoes, carrots and rice, while curry powder, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce and butter create the rich and layered sauce.
