Food and Recipes Meat Chicken 25 Fancy Chicken Recipes The Family Will Love By Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell is a Southern Living fellow who is starting her career in lifestyle journalism. Primarily focused on social media and digital production, Mary Alice is excited to hone her skills and dedicate her professional life to beautiful things, from homes to hearts.A recent graduate of Washington and Lee University, Mary Alice majored in journalism and art history. At W&L, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school paper, The Ring-tum Phi, with her best friend and interned for The Welcome Home Podcast. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, Mary Alice is a Virginia native who is proud to hail from the land of ham and peanuts. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on April 9, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez Don’t get us wrong, here at Southern Living our Test Kitchen takes pride in each and every recipe, from the quick weeknight meals to potluck sides, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t appreciate a beautiful, elegant meal every once in a while. It can make your average weeknight dinner or lunch feel extra special. Maybe you need a recipe that marks a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday. Or maybe you want something out of the ordinary for a date night at home. From a flavorful chicken salad with grapes and pecans to French-inspired dishes, we’re here to show you that the humble chicken can be a true star. Also, let’s not confuse fancy with complicated. While these recipes may look fit for royalty, most of them aren’t as intricate as they seem. We’ve got several that come together in just minutes. 01 of 25 Orange-Rosemary Roast Chicken Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This sheet pan supper is full of refined flavors that are sure to impress your dinner party guests. It's vibrant colors will make it stand out on a plate, too. 02 of 25 Chicken Salad With Grapes and Pecans Will Dickey Yes, we've even given chicken salad an unexpected flourish. Just the thing for a Garden Club luncheon, everyone will be impressed with this classic take on the favorite Southern staple. 03 of 25 Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata Greg Dupree Break out the cast-iron for a dish that's just the thing to serve company. Plate with angel hair pasta. 04 of 25 Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke Asparagus, bell pepper, and Gruyere cheese are just a few of the ingredients that turn your average boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a delicious meal. 05 of 25 Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas We reinvented the classic Caesar Salad by roasting romaine to give it a char-grilled touch. Store-bought dressing also gets a makeover in this fun recipe. 06 of 25 Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole Becky Luigart-Stayner If you've ever had the pleasure of attending a Southern holiday or party, you already know this famous dish belongs on this list. 07 of 25 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Recipe Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Everyone's favorite Chicken Pot Pie starts with a store-bought puff pastry sheet. For this recipe, you bake a whole chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic, and onion to add a depth of flavor that's too delicious to pass up. 08 of 25 Chicken Caprese Pasta Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Freshness and sophistication meet in this light pasta dish. Depth of flavor is added through pesto, tomatoes, and other bright flourishes. 09 of 25 Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken And Potatoes Becky Luigart Stayner A few sprigs of rosemary, two sliced lemons, and 10 cloves of smashed garlic turn your everyday chicken and potatoes into a refined dinner-party-ready dish. Did we mention this recipe has only three steps? 10 of 25 Buttermilk Alfredo Chicken Spinach Pasta Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Once again, we're making rotisserie chicken the star of the show. With the added vibrant flavor of buttermilk, we love this Southern take on a weeknight favorite. 11 of 25 Chicken Scallopini Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners A creamy, decadent sauce is paired with tender chicken in this tried-and-true recipe. Choose a white wine you love to drink to toss in the recipe and enjoy the rest of the bottle with your meal. 12 of 25 Cajun Chicken Cassoulet Iain Bagwell Try this Southern spin on a French classic. To add flavor, we added Cajun smoked sausage, seasonings, and sliced okra. 13 of 25 Chicken Thighs With Tomato-Caper Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Make this oh-so-easy recipe with Chicken Thighs and a simple yet powerful Tomato-Caper Sauce. 14 of 25 Chicken Risotto with Spring Vegetables Jennifer Davick Risotto is a restaurant staple that's worth trying at home. We make this the main dish by adding fresh vegetables, chicken, and herbs. 15 of 25 Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Apples Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Serving an entire roast chicken might be one of the most daunting yet satisfying things a home cook ever whips up. For a unique touch, we added sweet potatoes and Granny Smith apples. 16 of 25 Crispy Chicken Thighs With Roasted Radishes Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely We've transformed your everyday fried chicken into a dish that you'll be proud to serve family and friends. Not a fan of radishes? Replace with greens of your choice. 17 of 25 Crispy Onions and Parmesan Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis The ingredients in this casserole might not seem very interesting at first glance. However, combine the precooked microwaveable brown rice with rotisserie chicken and fried onions to make a wow-worthy casserole. 18 of 25 Chicken Alouette Hector Manuel Sanchez Anything's elaborate when it's wrapped in puff pastry. Serve with a side of green beans or a light side salad. 19 of 25 Chicken Cutlets With Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Melissa Gray / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman Elevate your average dinner by tossing chicken cutlets in a flavorful sauce. The total time to make this dish is a mere 25 minutes, which makes this recipe easy for any night of the week. 20 of 25 Baked Chicken Roulade Photo: Jennifer Davick The beauty of this recipe will have everyone thinking you spent hours in the kitchen cooking. In reality, this beautiful dish is a flash in the pan. 21 of 25 Chicken Lombardy Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners Prop Stylist: Christina Daley This cheesy chicken recipe is an elevated version of the crowd-favorite Chicken Marsala. Make sure to pound the chicken to ensure the perfect, tender bite every time. 22 of 25 Lemon Chicken Thighs Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Melissa Gray / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman Lemon adds extra flavor to these bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs that makes this recipe worthy of any event you may have coming up. The skin acts as a sponge to soak up all that lemony goodness. 23 of 25 One-Pan Chicken with Lemon, Olives, and Artichokes Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer A Mediterranean medley, this beautifully bright dish brings flavor to the table in a refreshing way. We love serving this with pearl couscous. 24 of 25 Chicken-and-Quinoa Salad with Pepper Jelly Dressing Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This dish only takes 15 minutes to assemble and is perfect for serving for lunch or on a warm summer night. 25 of 25 Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore with Spaghetti Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham We love a slow cooker dinner for a cozy night in, and this recipe feels a little more dressed up than your average weeknight supper. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit