Kid-Friendly Chicken Recipes

Plan a quick and easy school-night meal that your kids are sure to love!

Easy Skillet Cordon Bleu























Ingredients
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
8 chicken tenders (about 1 lb.)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 Canadian bacon slices, cut into thin strips
4 Swiss cheese slices, halved

Preparation
Combine breadcrumbs, pepper, and salt in a large zip-top plastic bag. Rinse chicken tenders, and add to freezer bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat.

Melt butter with oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 3 1/2 to 4 minutes on each side or until done. Arrange Canadian bacon strips over chicken in skillet, and top each with 1 cheese slice. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Related: 29 Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes

Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta























Ingredients
1 quart water
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
8 oz. uncooked bow tie pasta
1 cup chicken broth
1 celery rib, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-oz.) package pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed

Preparation
Bring 1 quart salted water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add chicken, and cook 12 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from water with a slotted spoon. Add pasta to water in Dutch oven, and cook 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Keep warm.

Heat 1/4 cup broth over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven; add celery and onion, and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, soup, cheese, and remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth, stirring until cheese is melted. Toss with pasta; garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

Related: 29 Superfast Pasta Dishes

Grilled Chicken 'N' Cheese SandwichesPhoto: Tina Cornett
























Ingredients
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 (3/4-oz.) Monterey Jack cheese slices
12 whole wheat bread slices
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

Preparation
Stir together first 5 ingredients. Place 1 cheese slice on each of 6 bread slices; spread evenly with chicken mixture, and top with remaining cheese and bread slices. Spread half of butter evenly on 1 side of each sandwich.

Cook sandwiches, buttered side down, in a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spread remaining butter evenly on ungrilled sides; turn and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

Related: Cheesy and Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Photo: William Dickey























Ingredients
1 (2-lb.) skinned, boned, and shredded deli-roasted chicken
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Mexican-style chili powder
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
12 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add bell pepper and garlic, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, and next 5 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.

Layer half of chicken in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with half of soup mixture and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover with half of corn tortilla strips. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350° for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Related: Make-Ahead Casseroles for Hectic Weeknights

Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas























Ingredients
1 (32-oz.) container low-sodium chicken broth
3 cup shredded cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 (10.2-oz.) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced

Preparation
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; return to a low boil.

Place biscuits on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat each biscuit to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Drop strips, 1 at a time, into boiling broth mixture. Add carrots and celery. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking.

See 5 more kid-friendly recipes!

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