Spring is the time for renewal. The weather starts to warm, new crops get planted, and you get the opportunity to swap out those stodgy kitchen winter warmers in favor of more upbeat dishes. While of course, there are some foods that are made to be enjoyed all year round, spring is a great time to get adventurous with mealtime.
Check out this awesome collection of yummy spring chicken dinners that will slough off any winter sluggishness.
1. Baked Chicken Peach Salad
A Chicken Peach Salad is a great early spring dinner that adds the elements of fruit and crunch to a casserole-style dish.
The peach and chicken compliment each other perfectly, while the crunchy noodles offer a terrific crunchy component that helps offset the creaminess of some of the other ingredients.
I find it an excellent set-and-forget dish that helps get your taste buds excited for more exciting warmer weather!
2. Southwest Sheet Pan Chicken
My wife bought me a couple of sheet pans and it’s transformed a lot of mealtimes. The sheet pans often make recipes simpler and less time-consuming on those huge days when I’m trying to balance working from home with keeping the wild bunch from destroying the house.
This Southwest Sheet Pan Chicken offers a mix of much-loved flavors, along with enough scope to tinker with the elements – I’ll add the cayenne I love to my own dish, for example – depending on the spice levels or supporting vegetables you want to incorporate.
It’s a great, hands-on springtime dish that can impress those harshest critics (small children).
3. Classic Chicken Piccata
To be perfectly honest, a Classic Chicken Piccata is one I try to utilize all year round, especially when I have guests around for dinner, but it’s perfect for spring dinners.
Chicken piccata sounds, looks, and tastes like a luxurious meal, yet it is simple to execute and suits a range of different palates. I love being able to make a tremendously tasty dish with flavor and style that takes less time and effort than many would think.
4. Air Fryer Coconut Chilli Chicken
A staple of my air fryer efforts, Air Fryer Coconut Chilli Chicken is perfect for a simple, yet healthier fried chicken dish.
The crunch and flavor of the chicken coating contrast well with the subtle chili notes and can be amended to suit any type of spices that you prefer. Great on its own with some dipping sauces, or in a more extravagant meal, the versatility of the chicken is brilliant.
5. Chicken Pesto Bowls
Chicken Pesto Bowls are brilliant springtime meals you van utilize for a range of purposes. You can make them as dinners on the go, or as make-ahead/backup bowls you keep handy for when a busy day gets the best of you.
Whether you make the pesto yourself or use a store-bought sauce, combining rich flavor and healthy ingredients with time-saving elements is fantastic for making smart meal choices.
6. Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken
Winter for my family is usually stuffed with cheese, so a bit of melted brie and fresh apple, wrapped in delicious chicken, is a great bridge to fun spring dinners.
Apple Brie-Stuffed Chicken is rich and luscious in flavor and can be paired with almost anything. Whether you’re a fan of light salads or greens, or more traditional mixes of carbs and veggies, it’s the perfect match.
7. Sheet Pan Orange and Chicken Broccoli
Another tasty sheet pan recipe, this Chinese stir fry favorite Sheet Pan Orange Chicken and Broccoli, works just fine when sent into the oven for quick baking.
Cheaper, healthier, and arguably more delicious than your favorite takeout meal, orange chicken and broccoli come together quickly enough that you’re much less likely to pick up the phone (or log on) and order.
8. Spicy Piri Piri Chicken
The perfect spring dish for the spice lover in your life, our Piri Piri Chicken recipe is a great foundation for quick and easy springtime meals. Chili, lemon, and vinegar combine for a tangy and warm sauce, that toes the line between traditionally hot sauce and chutney. Yet, if you want to heat Piri Piri up or tamp it down, it’s a simple matter of adjusting the spice level.
While I prefer it served with rice and green veggies, you can easily adapt Piri Piri chicken to suit the fresh ingredients at your disposal.
9. Lemon Butter Chicken
This could be my favorite springtime chicken recipe of all. Lemon Butter Chicken has a bright and exciting sauce that keeps the chicken moist and the flavor is delicious. Again, while the dish carries an air of difficulty, lemon butter chicken is simple and efficient, so you can create this masterpiece with just a few fresh ingredients and a small window of time.
I like to accompany mine with air-fried potatoes, but anything veg goes well. Somewhat surprisingly, I’ve also found that my three children love it as well, even in their most critical moods they will get sucked in!
10. Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs are versatile and interesting. You can serve it as a main dish with rice and a plate of greens (baby bok choy, celery, and beans) and it’s equally useful as a tapas bowl alongside dips and small platters.
The teriyaki flavor soaks seamlessly up in the chicken, allowing you to enjoy each bite with a rich, salty taste. The dish comes together quickly, and you can make a whole bunch ahead of time for quick reheating when you’re in a rush.
Conclusion
The key to chicken dinners during springtime is creating versatile dishes full of flavor, that can be whipped up in a quick fashion to allow for maximum time spent enjoying the changes in weather and wider activity.
What are some of your favorite chicken dishes that help you put winter aside for something sunnier?