Food and Recipes Meat Chicken Dutch Oven Chicken Recipes For Your Easiest-Ever Weeknight Meals By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 10, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree A Dutch oven is one piece of kitchen equipment that we couldn't live without—especially in the winter months, when soups, stews, and hearty pastas are staples in our weeknight meal rotation. We're here to make the case that your Dutch oven deserves a crowning place on your stovetop year-round. From easy Chicken Bog, which makes use of rotisserie chicken to cut your cooking time in half, to elegant dinner-party-worthy dishes like Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons, these chicken dishes prove just how versatile your Dutch oven can be. And don't go thinking these recipes are only for the winter—a nice Chicken-Andouille Gumbo is a Cajun staple any time of year, and Chicken Caprese Pasta is a light, fresh, and herb-forward springtime meal. So what are you waiting for? It's time to break out that beloved piece of equipment and cook these warming, stick-to-your-bones Dutch oven chicken recipes. 01 of 32 Country Captain Chicken Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Country Captain Chicken This dish starts and finishes on your stovetop Dutch oven, making it a resounding mess-free weeknight favorite. 02 of 32 Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Let the golden-brown, puffed crust fold over the edges of your Dutch oven for maximum crispiness—and to seal in all that heat. 03 of 32 Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes Iain Bagwell Recipe: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes A gumbo packed with Cajun flavor, this meal is also super hearty thanks to the dual proteins of chicken and sausage. 04 of 32 Chicken Chili Hector M. Sanchez Recipe: Chicken Chili A chili that comes together in just 50 minutes, with only 15 minutes of active time? This recipe sure is a keeper. 05 of 32 Chicken Caprese Pasta Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chicken Caprese Pasta Cook the pasta in your Dutch oven, and make sure to save some of that starchy cooking water to help the sauce stick to the noodles when it all comes together. 06 of 32 Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Just like grandma used to make. If your childhood sick days were filled with big batches of Nana's chicken soup, this warm recipe will bring back a blast of nostalgia. 07 of 32 Green Chile-Chicken Stew Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Green Chile-Chicken Stew Nothing quite welcomes winter like a warming stew, and this version—heated up with green chile—puts a slightly spicy, Tex-Mex twist on the classic dish. 08 of 32 Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew Iain Bagwell Recipe: Chicken-and-Brisket Brunswick Stew Brunswick Stew is a storied Southern classic, and everyone's got their own opinions of the proper ingredients to add. With both chicken and brisket, our crowd-pleasing version has the best of both worlds. 09 of 32 Chicken Bog Greg DuPree Recipe: Chicken Bog Packed with protein from shredded rotisserie chicken, this dish is so convenient for busy weeknights. 10 of 32 White Lightening Chicken Chili Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: White Lightening Chicken Chili Navy beans, onion, and chicken form the base of this lightened-up white chili. The best part of all? It'll be ready in 30 minutes. 11 of 32 Mama's Fried Chicken Southern Living Recipe: Mama's Fried Chicken A Dutch oven may be the perfect vehicle for slow-cooking soups and stews, but it also works overtime as an at-home frying vessel. Homemade, crispy fried chicken, here we come! 12 of 32 Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Lemons This party-worthy dish may look extra impressive, but it's actually shockingly simple. Just brown the chicken skin and let your Dutch oven do the rest of the work. 13 of 32 Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs Pull your Dutch oven out of storage for this ultra-comforting dish. Perfectly crispy chicken, melty cheese, rich tomato sauce…there's really nothing like it, especially on a cozy evening. 14 of 32 Creamy Chicken Sausage-and-Kale Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Creamy Chicken Sausage-and-Kale Soup Chicken soup season calls for more than just the run-of-the-mill chicken noodle. Try adding sausage, kale, and cream instead. 15 of 32 Fried Chicken Wings JENNIFER DAVICK; STYLING: BUFFY HARGETT Recipe: Fried Chicken Wings Since the Dutch oven doubles as a great deep fryer, why not cook up a batch of chicken wings? Nothing beats one hot and fresh with a crisp, thick, golden brown crust. 16 of 32 Chicken Fricot Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Chicken Fricot Hiding behind the star power of gumbo and boudin is Chicken Fricot. While it might not have the same press, it's no less tasty. Our version features a whole chicken and sausage-filled dumplings. 17 of 32 Chicken Thighs with Tomato-Caper Sauce Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christina Daley Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Tomato-Caper Sauce This is a simple weeknight dinner you'll want to have on rotation. It's the sauce that really seals the deal—a classic reimagined with capers, which leave a briny, tangy note. 18 of 32 Mushroom and Thyme Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Mushroom and Thyme Chicken-Broccoli Casserole Fontina cheese, mushrooms, and fresh thyme are a tried-and-true combination. Bring this casserole to a potluck or make it a meal train contribution. You won't go wrong. 19 of 32 Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Sometimes, the usual chicken noodle needs a little oomph, and the cream gives it a decadent boost. 20 of 32 Cajun Fried Chicken Will Dickey Prop Stylist: Missie Crawford Food Stylist: Erin Merha Recipe: Cajun Fried Chicken Add a little kick to your standard fried chicken with the addition of some hot sauce and Cajun seasoning. The best part is that the spices are to your taste, so add as little or as much as you please. 21 of 32 Red Rice-Smoked Chicken Perloo Peter Frank Edwards; Prop Styling: Kendra Surface; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Red Rice-Smoked Chicken Perloo This one-pot rice dish is a Lowcountry staple. Here, we share James Beard-nominated Chef Ashleigh Shanti's recipe, which includes her own additions of bacon, smoked chicken, white wine, smoked paprika, and an abundance of bell peppers. 22 of 32 One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: One-Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo It's the pasta dish we all know and love—but make it Cajun. Boiling the pasta in the chicken broth mixture adds extra flavor and depth. 23 of 32 Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Courtesy Oxmoor House Recipe: Martina McBride's Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Be sure to use fresh corn, per McBride's advice. You can also control the spiciness by adding jalapeño and smokiness with chipotle chili powder. 24 of 32 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Serve with a tossed green salad or warm, homemade bread and cozy up next to the fireplace. 25 of 32 One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Recipe: One-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Rice Your Dutch oven will come in handy for the frying, sautéing, and baking this recipe requires. But don't worry; the effort is well worth it. 26 of 32 Chicken Spaghetti Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti For a quick dinner, cook and shred your chicken in advance so that you're ready to go day-of. You'll be adding this to your casserole lineup in no time. 27 of 32 Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Serving a crowd? Your Dutch oven will hold plenty of pot pie to serve them all. Be sure to have extra puff pastry on hand—that's the best part. 28 of 32 Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup Chicken soup and rice is one of the ultimate comfort dishes. We brighten up this version with a generous handful of collards, fresh thyme, and leeks. 29 of 32 Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Southern Living Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo If you need a gumbo recipe for your recipe box, make it this one. The key to success? Make sure to brown the chicken and sausage to caramelization for extra flavor. And, make sure your roux is a nice chocolate hue. 30 of 32 Smoked Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe: Smoked Chicken Corn Chowder Bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, and fresh corn all in one pot? This recipe is for the soup lovers. While it'd be a comforting meal all on its own, the addition of some smoked chicken makes it extra hearty. 31 of 32 Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo Recipe: Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo Simmering a pot of this gumbo in your Dutch oven on a cold day might be the definition of cozy. No andouille sausage? Replace with any smoked sausage or kielbasa. 32 of 32 Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Chicken Fricassee with Spring Vegetables Serve this bright, hearty stew on a cool, early spring evening. It'll be ready in 45 minutes and can be done in a single pot. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit