10 Chicken Dinners That Make Leftovers Exciting

If the word "leftovers" usually gets a collective groan from your dinner table, it’s time to change the narrative. These chicken dinners are stars in their own right, but they truly shine when they get a makeover for lunch or dinner the next day. By focusing on big flavors, these meals ensure your family never feels like they’re eating the same thing twice! It’s the ultimate hack for a busy mom who wants delicious, home-cooked variety without spending every waking hour at the stove.

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken

close up image of baked hawaiian chicken with vegetables and pineapple on a sheet pan with a wooden spoon — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Tender, juicy bites of chicken and vegetables coated in a sticky, sweet sauce and ready in under 40 minutes. This sheet pan Hawaiian chicken makes for a delicious weeknight dinner. With multiple ways to serve it, these Hawaiian chicken thighs are just as delicious the night of as they are for meal prep.

Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

Cooked teriyaki chicken thighs in sauce in a glass baking tray with green onions on top and a spoon holding one chicken thigh up from the tray — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Super tender, this baked teriyaki chicken is coated in a sweet, gluten-free teriyaki sauce. This gluten-free dinner recipe uses boneless chicken thighs to make for easy weeknights! To learn more: Teriyaki Baked Thighs

Meal-Prep Spicy Chicken Bites

Spicy chicken bites in a cast iron skillet with green onions on top and a wooden spoon in the pan and a bowl of sauce in the middle. — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

The best meal prep recipe you didn’t know you needed. If you’re looking for a flavorful and satisfying snack, appetizer, or dinner base, spicy chicken bites will surely hit the spot! To learn more: Spicy Chicken Bite

Orange Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Seasoned chicken breasts on a baking tray lined with tin foil and roasted brussels sprouts around them — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Made with an orange garlic sauce, this one pan chicken and potatoes is a 30-minute dinner recipe that's tasty for the whole family. The juicy chicken and soft brussels in a sweet orange drizzle that's a sure-fire way to light up your taste buds. To learn more: One Pan Chicken and Potatoes

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

White bowl with rice and teriyaki chicken topped with green onions with chop sticks on the bowl and more green onions behind it — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

A tender, slow cooker teriyaki chicken recipe that takes under ten minutes to prep! This easy teriyaki chicken recipe is sweetened with honey to give you a sweet but healthy teriyaki sauce.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

Dairy-Free Chicken Alfredo

white bowl with chicken pasta with sundried tomatoes and peas and garlic and a light linen around the bowl — Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Save time in the kitchen and enjoy a classic comfort with this slow cooker chicken alfredo! Made with a creamy, dairy-free alfredo sauce this crockpot chicken recipe is a staple for busy weeknights.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

BBQ Chicken Thighs

Tender, juicy, and simmered in a gluten-free, homemade BBQ sauce! Skip the grill and save your oven space, these slow cooker BBQ chicken thighs make the easiest weeknight dinner.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

Wooden spoon scooping our dairy-free chicken pot pie from a slow cooker. — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Thick, creamy, comfort food made all in just one slow cooker. This dairy-free chicken pot pie has all the traditional pot pie flavors but with a healthy gluten-free twist. And because it’s made in a slow cooker, it’s a great option for chilly, busy weeknights.

Get the recipe: Chicken Pot Pie In The Slow Cooker

Gluten-Free Chicken Pesto

Creamy pesto pasta in a white bowl with ingredients around it — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

An easy, flavorful dinner recipe made in just 15-minutes. Made with homemade pesto and gluten-free noodles, this creamy chicken pesto pasta makes the perfect weeknight meal.

Get the recipe:Chicken Pesto Pasta

Easy Chicken Fajita Bowls

Featured image: chicken fajita bowl on rice with corn, peppers and tomatoes — Photo Credit: Fit as a Mama Bear

Packed with flavor from homemade fajita seasoning, these gluten-free chicken fajita bowls make a wicked meal prep recipe! Topped with juicy chicken and seasoned veggies, these bowls are an awesome 30-minute, gluten-free, weeknight dinner recipe

Get the recipe: Chicken Fajita Bowls