The 13 Best Fall Chicken Recipes

Chicken, Cheese, and Penne Pasta Bake — The Spruce

Fall's cooler temperatures bring on cravings for homey, warming dishes that make us feel cozy. These hearty chicken dishes showcase some of our favorite fall ingredients, such as mushrooms and root vegetables. With kids back in school and the holidays up ahead, it's a busy time of year, so we've chosen recipes that will help families get a delicious meal on the table without spending too much time in the kitchen. Whether you're craving the traditional comfort of chicken pot pie, need an easy weeknight dinner, or want to impress guests with little effort, here are some takes on chicken that'll do the trick.

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Easy Chicken Piccata

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Chicken cutlets in a delectable sauce make a great family dinner, but this dish is also fancy enough to serve to invited guests. Best of all, you can have this chicken piccata on the table in less than 30 minutes.
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Thai Chicken Stir-Fried With Coconut, Chili, and Lime

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Treat your family to the Southeast Asian flavors of a fragrant Thai chicken and vegetable stir-fry, with a foolproof sauce that pleases every palate. Green beans, mushrooms, and bell pepper strips are added to the pan with the coconut milk-based sauce. This is a one-bowl dish dinner your family will want in the weeknight rotation.
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Chicken, Cheese, and Penne Pasta Bake

The Spruce

Here's a great autumn dinner for the days you're craving something hearty and filling. This chicken, cheese, and penne pasta bake is a satisfying family meal, with artichokes and mushrooms adding extra texture. You can toss in any other favorite vegetables as well or add cheddar cheese in addition to the mozzarella, depending on your family's tastes.
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Chicken Marbella

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

This chicken Marbella dish is adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook, first published in 1982. It was a standout cookbook in its time, and this recipe was its standout dish. This one-pan meal features skin-on chicken marinated in a brine of vinegar, olives, capers, and prunes, and then baked in the same dish. This recipe is a little sweet, a little salty, and balanced with an acidic tang. Perfect with Spanish rice or mashed potatoes.

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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Diana Rattray

This Southern classic of chicken and dumplings is a welcome dish on a cool fall day, and the Instant Pot makes it quick and easy to prepare. Onions and garlic are sauteed, chicken broth, seasonings, vegetables, and chicken are added, the homemade dumpling dough is spooned on top. Then, the stew is pressure cooked for just a few minutes.
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Chicken Pot Pie

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

When you think about warming fall meals that make you feel cozy, doesn't classic American comfort food such as chicken pot pie come to mind? It's the ideal way to use up leftover roast chicken and whatever veggies are still sitting around in the fridge. This traditional recipe delivers fabulous flavor and is great to have in your repertoire.
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Easy Chicken and Mushrooms

Philippe Desnerck / Getty Images

There's something so wonderful and comforting about the combination of juicy chicken and earthy, tender mushrooms. This super easy recipe featuring both ingredients takes a shortcut with condensed cream of mushroom soup, so it's ready in just an hour. The chicken and sauce make a wholesome family meal with potatoes or noodles and a salad.
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Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

It doesn't get more elegant—or easier, in this case—than a roast chicken for dinner. This wonderful recipe for a lemon and herb roasted bird produces one that's tender, juicy, and crispy. Serve it when you're having company over or on fall weekends with the family. Leftovers mean soup making and stock simmering.

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Chicken Meatball Alfredo

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Rich, decadent chicken meatball alfredo is a fabulous recipe on those cool fall evenings when you want a dinner that will stick to your ribs. The pasta meal is a family favorite that's so easy to prepare, especially using store-bought chicken meatballs and prepared Alfredo sauce. Cream cheese is added to the sauce for extra tangy flavor, smoothness, and richness.
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Creamy Chicken Mushroom Soup

Diana Rattray

Warm and comforting chicken and mushroom soup is full of flavor and so rewarding on chillier days. Packed with diced chicken breasts, carrots, celery, and fresh sliced mushrooms, the soup gets its creamy, velvety texture thanks to some heavy cream added near the end. It makes a wonderful first course, lunch, or supper soup—just add a hearty sandwich or a green salad.
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Easy Skillet Chicken With Bacon

The Spruce

Chicken and bacon are a flavor combination that's surprisingly delicious and this one-skillet recipe takes just minutes to prepare and cook. Bacon infuses the breasts with plenty of great smoky flavor, while balancing out the sour cream sauce, making it a great choice for everyday fall dinners.
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Chicken and Bacon in Puff Pastry

The Spruce

Want to impress dinner guests, but don't want to blow your budget? This elegant and easy entree for chicken and bacon in puff pastry serves a group of six. The sophisticated combination of bacon, chicken, onion, and cream cheese in flaky frozen puff pastry is perfect for company, yet so easy to make. Prepare the filling ahead of time, then assemble the little bundles just before you're ready to eat.