10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (2024)

Why spend a fortune taking the family out for dinner every night when you can make dinner for the entire family for just $7? Here are 10 delicious and easy chicken dinner recipes you can make for $7 or less and they’re quick and easy!

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (1)

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less

These easy chicken dinner recipes are some of our favorite recipes to help give you an easier start to dinner. For me just thinking of what to make is the hardest part of dinner, so picking the recipe is a major step to done! These recipes are cheap, easy and fast so pick one and have it for dinner tomorrow!

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Easy Roast Chicken Recipe

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (3)

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This easy roast chicken recipe is a tasty chicken dinner recipe you can make with just 5 minutes prep time! Add sliced veggies like potatoes, carrots, peppers and onions for a complete one-pan meal!

  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

Chicken pieces
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Lay the chicken pieces in a greased pan, uncovered.
  3. Sprinkle with spices.
  4. Bake at 300 – 350° for 30 minutes to an hour or 8-10 hours at 170°, until the meat falls away from the bone easily or the juices run clear.

The cooking time for this chicken recipe depends on how big the pieces are, the temperature you use, and your oven. Sometimes, halfway through the cooking I will place a small dab of butter on each piece or brush with butter.

Notes

  • You can also add your favorite veggies like carrots, potatoes, onions or peppers to this recipe for an easy one-pan meal!
  • You can use whatever kind of chicken you like for this recipe. It works well with boneless or bone-in chicken, so if you find something on sale, this recipe will work great!

(This roast chicken recipe is from Dining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1.)

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Garlic Roasted Chicken Recipe

3-5 lb. chicken
salt
pepper
paprika
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
about 1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup chicken broth

Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika. Rub the bird inside and out with garlic. Place in the crockpot. Lay a couple of pats of butter on top of the breast and pour in broth. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours. Serve with the garlic butter sauce.

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (5)

Maple Glazed Chicken Recipe (from Dining On A Dime)

1/4 cup maple syrup
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Salt and pepper (to taste)
4 pieces chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix maple syrup, lemon juice, and butter together in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spray a baking dish and place chicken in it. Add salt and pepper to the chicken. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and pour on glaze. Bake 15 minutes more or until juices run clear.

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Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe

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Make this warm and comforting soup withyour chicken leftovers. The roasted chicken adds a little different and yummy flavor. Don’t be frightened by all the ingredients. You can chop a lot of it the day before you make it and just dump and add the rest.

  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

Units

1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. olive oil or canola oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
2 cups chicken, cooked and diced
2 cups wide egg noodles
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Instructions

  1. Sauté* the first 4 ingredients in oil in a large Dutch oven (big pot or pan).
  2. Stir in flour, oregano and thyme.
  3. Gradually add chicken broth, potatoes and salt.
  4. Bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
  6. Add chicken and noodles and simmer 10 more minutes.
  7. Reduce heat and add milk. Do not boil.

Notes

*Saute means to stir and cook until tender, usually about 3-5 minutes.

You can change this recipe to suit your taste:

  • Add other veggies like peas, corn or broccoli.
  • You can leave out the potatoes or substitute them with something like sweet potatoes or squash.
  • You can leave out the milk (but the milk makes a nice creamy soup) and/or add more or less broth.
  • You can also adjust the spices, for example you might add a little Tabasco sauce to give it a little kick.

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3 Ingredient Chicken Tacos

4 bonelessskinless chicken breasts
taco seasoning to taste (homemade or 1 packet)
1 can Rotel tomatoes*

Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred and use in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or in a salad. You can also serveit hot or cold so it would be great as leftovers to take in a lunch.

*Rotel tomatoes are canned tomatoes with chopped green peppers or jalapenos.Any brand that is labeled “tomatoes and green chilies” should be OK or just used canned tomatoes and add the kind of peppers you would like.

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Parmesan Chicken Tenders Recipe

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This easy 3 ingredient parmesan chicken tenders recipe makes light and crispy fried chicken tenders perfect for families! This is a quick and easy chicken dinner recipe you can make fast. Our teenagers love this recipe and often request that I make it for dinner!

  • Author: Tawra Kellam

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken, cut into strips
1 egg, beaten
Parmesan cheese (the stuff that is already grated in the green can)
Oil for frying (I usually use canola or vegetable oil.)

Instructions

  1. Cut boneless, skinless chicken into strips.
  2. In a bowl, beat the egg.
  3. Place the Parmesan cheese into a separate bowl.
  4. Place about 2 Tbsp. oil into a frying pan.
  5. Dip each strip of boneless, skinless chicken into the beaten egg. Turn to coat.
  6. Then dip it into the Parmesan cheese and turn to coat the other side.
  7. Fry in your favorite oil.

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You can adjust this next recipe to your taste. Cut back on the cheese, add a cooked pasta for a more substantial meal or add a few black olives. Salt and/or season to taste.

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe (fromDining On A Dime Cookbook, Volume 1)

2-3 lbs. chicken pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cans (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes
2 cups mushrooms sliced
1 cup zucchini, sliced
1 tsp. fresh basil, crushed or 1/4 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups pasta, cooked

Brown chicken in oil, 10 minutes, turning occasionally; drain. Add the rest of the ingredients except pasta. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Serve over pasta.

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (10)

Apricot Chicken Recipe

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. oil, olive or vegetable
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. onion soup mix

Cook chicken in garlic and oil until brown. Place in an 8 inch baking dish. Combine everything else and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until juices run clear. Serve over rice.

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Summer Chicken Fruit Salad Recipe

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  • Author: Jill Cooper
  • Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Salad:

Spinach leaves

1 cup chicken chunks, cooked

1 cup mixed fruit (strawberries, grapes, oranges, kiwi, blueberries, apples), sliced

1/4 cup celery, sliced

1 Tbsp. nuts (walnuts, sliced almonds)

1 Tbsp. green onion, sliced

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

4 tsp. orange juice

Instructions

  1. Arrange spinach leaves on 2 plates.
  2. Layer the other ingredients in order.
  3. Mix the mayonnaise and orange juice.
  4. Drizzle over salad.

10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (12)

Oven Fried Chicken With Biscuits

4 -5 Tbsp. margarine (not butter)
4-6 pieces of chicken
1/2 cup baking mix
Salt and pepper
1 can refrigerator biscuits

Melt the margarine in a 9×13 pan. Pour the baking mix on a plate or in a plastic bag. Roll the chicken in the margarine, then into baking mix and place back into the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, until the juices run clear.

About 5-10 minutes before the chicken is done, push the pieces of chicken tightly against one side of the pan and lay the biscuits into the pan on the opposite side. Finish baking until the biscuits are brown.

Note: It’s okay to lay the biscuits in the margarine and all in the bottom of the pan. That makes the biscuits margarine soaked and crispy. Oh, yum!

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10 Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes for $7 or Less (2024)

FAQs

What is the cheapest thing to make for dinner? ›

68 Easy And Cheap Dinner Ideas That You'll Want To Make On Repeat
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May 3, 2024

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55 Lazy Dinner Ideas Using Our Easiest Recipes
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  • 05 of 55. Classic Beef Chili. ...
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May 21, 2024

What to make for dinner when you don't have much food? ›

15 Delicious Things to Throw Together When You're Pressed for Food Options
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  5. Scrambled eggs. ...
  6. Waffles. ...
  7. A Hagrid-size bowl of cereal. ...
  8. Spaghetti carbonara.
Apr 28, 2020

What can I cook with $4? ›

Today we're sharing 10 healthy dinners from That Clean Life that cost no more than $4 per serving.
  • Slow Cooker Black Beans & Rice. ...
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  • 10 Minute Cabbage Bowl. ...
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Jan 31, 2021

What to cook for dinner when lazy? ›

30 lazy dinners to make on weeknights
  1. Ramen carbonara. 4.75. 4.8. 30 Minute Cheesy Chicken Risoni. 4.3617. 4.4. ...
  2. Thai Green Curry Chicken Noodle Soup. 4.833335. 4.8. Family Friendly Fried Rice. 4.285715. 4.3. ...
  3. Sri Lankan Coconut & Cashew Chicken with Saffron Rice. 4.1938. 4.2. Potato Gems Shepherd's Pie. 4.2. 4.2.

What to make for dinner when you're broke? ›

  • Creamy pasta carbonara. A lovely, creamy version of a well-known favourite.
  • Best Spaghetti and Meatballs. ...
  • Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry. ...
  • Devilled sausages. ...
  • Potato and leek soup. ...
  • Lemon chicken. ...
  • Salt and pepper chicken. ...
  • Chicken and bacon carbonara.

How to cook on a tight budget? ›

If you can, cook in bulk – it's one of the simplest and most efficient ways to save money in the kitchen. Whether you're cooking for one person or the whole family, preparing and freezing multiple meals in advance will help you cut down on food waste and save time in the long run.

What to make when you have no time to cook? ›

I usually go with yoghourt and oats with banana slices, fried eggs on rice or just grilled cheese sandwiches when I don't have any energy for cooking. Or instant tomato soup with boiled eggs. Noodle wok, pasta salad with chicken, or oven baked vegetables and sausages is also pretty low effort.

How do you make $1 a serving meal? ›

Frugal Nutrition: $1 and Under Per Serving
  1. Cassava Flour Tortillas.
  2. Cast Iron Chicken Thighs.
  3. Best Black Bean Dip.
  4. How to Make Roasted Red Peppers.
  5. Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Sauce.
  6. Simple Sesame Cucumber Salad.
  7. Salmon Seaweed Rolls (Onigiri Rolls)
  8. Sausage Bolognese with Mushrooms.

How to survive a week on $20? ›

Your Shopping List
  1. 1 bag of dried beans: $1.49.
  2. 2 pounds of chicken breast: $3.76.
  3. 1 jar of peanut butter: $1.98.
  4. 1 jar of jelly: $1.79.
  5. 1 loaf of whole wheat bread: $1.63.
  6. 1 dozen eggs: $1.26.
  7. 1 container of oatmeal: $1.35.
  8. 1 bag of dried lentils: $1.39.

What to cook with $30? ›

30 dinners under under $30 the whole family will love
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  • Quick and delicious mushroom and thyme soup. ...
  • Cauliflower soup.

What is the cheapest meal you can live by? ›

Cheapest Foods to Live On:
  • Oatmeal.
  • Eggs.
  • Bread.
  • Rice.
  • Bananas.
  • Beans.
  • Apples.
  • Pasta.

What is the cheapest way to cook a meal? ›

Using slow cookers, microwaves and air fryers when you can, are all great options for low-maintenance, low-cost, low-carbon cooking. Microwaves: When it comes to cooking quickly and cheaply, microwaves are going to be your best friend.

How to make a low-cost meal? ›

Vegetables and fruit are less expensive when they're in season. Frozen and canned choices are also a good buy and can be just as nutritious. Plan to use leftovers. If you're cooking roast chicken with rice and vegetables for Sunday night's supper, then make chicken sandwiches for Monday's lunch.

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