Looking for one pot chicken dinner ideas that go beyond the same chicken and rice? Creamy noodles, colorful curries and bowls piled with toppings give you plenty to choose from.
I especially love the golden chicken with orzo and the tortilla soup with all those extras.
These pictures are dinner inspiration rather than complete recipes. Some show separate sides or a baking dish, so check your chosen recipe’s method if keeping everything in one pot is a must.
Chicken dinners worth saving
golden chicken and creamy rice
We’re starting off strong with this golden chicken and rice. I love the browned edges against that pale, creamy-looking sauce.
There’s a little chopped green garnish scattered right across the skillet.
If you want to follow the serving idea, keep the chicken pieces on top rather than hiding them beneath the rice.
lemon chicken and orzo
This lemon chicken and orzo may just be one of my favorites here. The browned chicken sits among little pieces of pasta, red tomatoes and wilted greens.
Save this one if you like a colorful skillet without a whole pile of toppings.
chicken alfredo ribbons
Who else is drawn straight to those wide pasta ribbons? This chicken Alfredo has sliced chicken across the top, with grated cheese and little green flecks over the pale sauce.
I’d keep that same generous sprinkle when serving.
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saucy chicken with a green salad
If you like plenty of sauce, this plate is for you. The chicken and broad noodles are covered in an orange-colored sauce, with chopped herbs over the top.
I love the big pile of leafy salad beside it. Try serving your salad alongside the noodles like this.
chicken and chickpea curry
There’s so much color in this chicken and chickpea curry! Golden sauce surrounds the chicken, chickpeas, red vegetable pieces and dark leafy greens.
The rice is served alongside rather than mixed through. Try lime wedges at the edge of your plate if you want to follow this presentation.
creamy wild rice soup
Looking for a soup idea instead of another skillet? This creamy-looking pot has dark rice grains, chicken pieces and little orange carrot chunks throughout.
The herb sprigs on top are such a pretty finishing touch.
chicken, sausage and rice
The browned sausage slices are my favorite part of this rice dish. They sit among chicken chunks, diced onion and green pepper, with sliced green onions scattered over everything.
If you want something other than a pale sauce, save this orange-tinted rice combination.
red sauce and mushrooms
I love this skillet with its red sauce and big chicken pieces. Sliced mushrooms and yellow pepper chunks fill the spaces between them, so there’s plenty to look forward to beyond the chicken.
I’d suggest some bread on the side for that sauce.
chicken penne and peppers
Don’t want long noodles winding around your fork? Go with a penne idea like this one.
The chicken strips, red and green peppers and pasta are all coated in an orange-colored sauce, with chopped herbs over the top.
yellow rice and browned onions
How gorgeous is that yellow-and-white rice? The chicken sits beneath browned onion strands and chopped herbs, with a white sauce spooned over part of the bowl.
For a similar serving style, leave some rice uncovered instead of spreading the sauce over everything.
chicken with mixed olives
Olive fans, this one is for you. Green and dark purple olives are tucked around the chicken in a pale sauce.
I especially love the generous scatter of leafy herbs.
There’s a separate bowl of small round pasta beside the skillet if you’re looking for a side idea too.
chicken gnocchi soup
Those little gnocchi make this bowl look so inviting. There are chicken pieces, thin carrot strips and leafy greens throughout the pale soup.
Try serving yours with bread like the slices shown above the bowl. I’d keep a little chopped herb garnish for the top too.
cheesy rice and black beans
That cheese pull! This skillet brings together rice and black beans beneath melted cheese.
The diced tomatoes and green onions on top make it even more colorful.
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Save this one if toppings are your favorite part of dinner.
pot pie noodle skillet
Don’t want a pastry topping? This chicken pot pie noodle skillet takes a different direction with wide, curled noodles. Chicken, peas and carrots are tucked throughout the pale sauce. I love how the little green peas stand out.
Read also: 20 Make Ahead Dinners to Inspire Your Weekly Meal Plan
red rice and lemon wedges
This chicken and rice idea has so much color. There are dark olives, red pepper strips and browned sausage slices mixed through the orange-red rice.
The lemon wedges are worth borrowing for your own serving. Leave them tucked around the edges like these.
mushrooms and curled noodles
I am drawn straight to those browned mushroom slices. They sit over wide noodles with chicken strips and curved pieces of onion, all surrounded by a pale sauce.
If you love mushrooms, this is a lovely direction to take your next chicken dinner.
a tray of chicken biryani
Here’s another rice idea to save: chicken biryani with yellow rice and scattered red and green pieces. This one is shown in a large rectangular baking dish. I love all that color across the top.
golden chicken and white beans
Want a change from pasta or rice? Take a look at this golden chicken over large white beans and dark leafy greens.
I love the browned skin against all that green.
Serve your chicken on top of the beans and greens if you want to follow this presentation.
pesto chicken penne
This pesto chicken pasta is such a colorful option. Penne and sliced chicken are mixed with red tomato pieces, little white cheese rounds and green herbs.
I’d choose this one when I wanted pasta without the thick blanket of pale sauce shown in some of the earlier ideas.
tortilla soup with all the toppings
Last but definitely not least, we have this chicken tortilla soup. I love the tortilla strips and avocado piled over the red broth!
Shredded chicken, black beans and corn are visible underneath.
Try setting out lime wedges and sliced jalapeños separately so you can finish your bowl just how you like it.
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