25 Easy Sunday Dinner Ideas Using Chicken That'll Kickstart Your Week

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
Southern Living

Nothing keeps the Sunday scaries away like digging into a comforting home-cooked meal with your family. Gathering around the table and enjoying a hearty Sunday supper kicks off the week on the right foot and provides some tasty leftovers to boot; and when it comes to picking an easy Sunday dinner, you can always count on chicken. Whether you’re using rotisserie chicken to make prep time a breeze, breaking out the slow cooker to free up your hands for the afternoon, or packing everything into your 13x9 casserole dish for ultimate ease, these Sunday dinner recipes make choosing chicken a no-brainer. The last few hours of the weekend shouldn’t cause you any stress, and these Sunday chicken dinner ideas guarantee smooth sailing until Monday rolls around.

 

 

 

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These Sunday Dinners With Chicken are Easy as Pot Pie

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Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

This classic dish combines resourceful Southern cuisine and the comfort of home cooking, all in one bowl. You'll be able to feed a crowd without breaking the bank or spending hours in prep! 

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Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken-Spaghetti Casserole

This vintage staple never fails at any Sunday supper, from casual gatherings to happy celebrations. It includes some essential big-batch casserole ingredients: chicken, butter, cheese, pasta, and a dash of hot sauce.

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Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-Andouille Gumbo with Roasted Potatoes

Roasted potatoes make the perfect side dish for this flavorful Cajun dish, and your family will love using them to sop up the delicious juices. This gumbo is perfect for freezing or using as leftovers for the week. Reheat, roast some more potatoes, and enjoy.

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Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie  

This vintage recipe is packed full with vegetables (including hearty potatoes) and chicken, but it's the perfectly golden, crispy crust that makes it the ultimate crowd-pleaser. 

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King Ranch Chicken

Southern Living

Recipe: King Ranch Chicken

Hailing from an era when casseroles were king, this Tex-Mex dish is one of our all-time favorite recipes for a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal that’ll start the week on a tasty note. 

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Chicken Chili

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken Chili

This warm, filling chicken chili goes all in with a base of delicious spices, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and vegetables. Using a rotisserie chicken makes this chili easy to prepare and lighter than a traditional beef version. 

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Snappy Smothered Chicken

Photo: William Dickey

Recipe: Snappy Smothered Chicken

This chicken is delightfully smothered with a savory sauce of paprika, thyme, garlic, butter, and cream of mushroom soup that's speckled with tender onions and mushrooms. Spoon over wide egg noodles for a satisfying meal. 

 

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Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

This casserole is loaded with fresh broccoli, chicken, and a crunchy pecan topping—and completely satisfying with cheese-filled tortellini. It's a Sunday staple that you'll hope leaves some leftovers! 

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BBQ Rub Roasted Chickens with Potatoes and Carrots

Greg DuPree

Recipe: BBQ Rub Roasted Chickens with Potatoes and Carrots

This sheet pan recipe doesn't disappoint in flavor with the barbecue chicken, crispy potatoes, and savory carrots. The rustic dinner gives a filling, leftover-friendly option for your Sunday supper that will leave your family full and happy. 

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Classic Chicken Tetrazzini

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Classic Chicken Tetrazzini

This classic pasta bake is pure comfort food gold, and—even better—it comes together in under an hour to feed your crowd. It provides great leftovers for the week and freezes beautifully, making it tempting to whip up a double batch! 

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Country Captain Chicken

Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Country Captain Chicken

This regional dish gets major flavor from browning chicken pieces (we prefer thighs) and then braising them in a tomato sauce that's been kicked up a notch with spices such as curry powder, nutmeg, and plenty of pepper. Spoon over rice, making sure to ladle on plenty of extra sauce! 

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White Lightning Chicken Chili

Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: White Lightning Chicken Chili

This chili lives up to its name, coming together lightning-quick in only 30 minutes. Green chiles, shredded chicken, and navy beans are the standout ingredients that make this recipe a family favorite. Serve with cornbread.

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This Tex-Mex casserole gets stacked with layers of corn tortillas, cheese, and chicken. Seasoned to smoky, spicy perfection, this flavor-packed supper is a favorite of kids and adults alike.

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Lighter Pan-Fried Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Photo: Stephen DeVries, Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Lighter Pan-Fried Chicken with Green Beans and Tomatoes

Get crispy, golden fried chicken with a quick pan-fry rather than a deep fry, popping in the oven to finish cooking and enhance the crispiness. Tangy green beans and blistered tomatoes cooked in the very same skillet make for an easy meal the whole family will enjoy. 

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Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

In less than an hour you can have this hot, cheesy, pasta-and-chicken dish ready. Add a tossed green salad and warm crusty bread, and your family will crowd around the table for Sunday dinner before you even say it's dinnertime!

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Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata

Greg Dupree

Recipe: Cast-Iron Chicken Piccata

Lemon juice, capers, and parsley give major flavor to this buttery pan-cooked chicken. Don't think this recipe looks too fancy or involved for Sunday supper—you can have it done in half an hour.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Braised Chicken Thighs with Slow-Cooked Marinara

Tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan rind, and basil meld together in the slow-cooker for a perfect summer pasta dish. Chicken thighs are braised in the sauce, getting perfectly tender and flavorful. 

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Chicken Bog

Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chicken Bog

This old-fashioned recipe has been filling up Southerners as long as time, making it a Sunday staple whenever the whole family is coming over. 

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Mama's Fried Chicken

Southern Living

Recipe: Mama's Fried Chicken

Nothing says Sunday quite like fried chicken, whether you're picking it up on the way home from church or frying your own batch. This crispy and juicy recipe won't make you want to venture back to that bucket-style fried chicken too often.

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Soulful Chicken Soup

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup

Nothing soothes the soul like homemade chicken soup, and this recipe will cure those Sunday blues with its seasoned broth and tender egg noodles. 

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Spicy Red Curry with Chicken

Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Spicy Red Curry with Chicken

Our simple slow-cooked chicken makes things easy when whipping up this rich, exotic dinner with a spicy red curry sauce and fluffy jasmine rice. You get a special creamy, spicy kick from coconut cream and sliced red Fresno chiles that perfectly balances the fresh blend of lemongrass, ginger, and garlic.

 

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Chicken Caprese Pasta

Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chicken Caprese Pasta

Serve up this summer supper using all things fresh: fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh herb pesto, and fresh mozzerella cheese. The shredded chicken keeps things light, yet filling enough for a Sunday meal. This dish makes for great leftovers for workday lunch!

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Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chicken-Broccoli Mac and Cheese with Bacon

Fresh broccoli, tender chicken, salty bacon, and tangy turmeric make up this indulgent main dish that will have your Sunday dinner plans covered in half an hour. 

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Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

A bold lemon-rosemary-garlic trio makes this recipe one of our favorite roasting-pan suppers of all time. With juicy chicken and hearty potatoes, you're set with a delicious Sunday dinner. 

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Classic Poppy Seed Chicken

Southern Living

Recipe: Classic Poppy Seed Chicken

This classic recipe is speedy, easy to prepare, loaded with rich flavor, and sure to please each and every hungry member of the family (including picky eaters). Serve with rice or egg noodles and rolls to complete the meal! 

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