I was sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to come out of practice and trying to figure out what to make for dinner, when I realized, wait a minute, you write a food blog, silly girl. The answer to dinnertime happiness tonight is only a few clicks away! So I promptly went to my recipe index and scrolled down to Main Dishes-Chicken. Guys, do you know that in the last 3 years I have posted 100 chicken recipes!! Yikes! To say we've eaten a lot of chicken is the understatement of the century!! Anyway, as I was scrolling and strolling down poultry memory lane, it dawned on me that there are many terrific recipes that have gotten lost in the shuffle over the years, particularly ones I blogged about at the very beginning, many of which are family heirlooms. I figured if I was still excited by them, then maybe you would be too. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

And if you're new to the site, how would you know about the 100 chicken recipes anyway? How can I let you miss out on all these treasures?!! (Don't you love how I can justify the whole reposting thing?!)

Ok, so we've established that these dishes merit revisiting. Now let's talk about the criteria I used to whittle down that 100 and-still-going-strong list. Guys, I stand behind each and every recipe that I post on the site (nothing makes the page unless me or one of my home judges is absolutely ga ga over it--you should see some of the rejects) but for sanity's sake and because time seems to take my by surprise lately, I decided to focus on easy weeknight recipes featuring chicken in some capacity or another. Many of these dishes can be made in 30 minutes or less and even the ones that take longer, require a short prep and then a hands-free cooking period that allows you to multitask in whatever way your busy life demands. So without further ado and in no particular order, here are our top 20 favorite, easy Unwritten Recipes chicken dishes (although technically I guess they are written now, but...well...let's not get bogged down in semantics, we're hungry)!

Oh, and please excuse some of the early photos and don't hold it against the food--those were my newbie culinary photography days and I hadn't quite figured out the light thing. Will definitely do some updates soon!

Happy chicken dinner!!

20 EASY CHICKEN RECIPES

1.  Amish Chicken--one of my absolute favs! 

2.  Easy Baked Chicken Breasts--there were years where I made this at least once a week

3.  Easy Paprika Roast Chicken***this is one of my mom's specialties. One of the dishes that defines my childhood! Truly simple!

4.  Buttermilk Baked Chicken--tender chicken with a crunchy crust, the tang of buttermilk, plus a little kick.

5.  One Pan Roast Chicken Meal--what's easier than a meal where you only have to wash up one pan?!!

6.  Easy Chicken and Cashew Lettuce Wraps--light and flavorful

7.  Lemony Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad--a true family favorite!

8.  Mango Chicken and Peppers Stir-Fry--mangoes are really good right now and this dish is so colorful and flavorful. Brightens up a drab day!

9.  Weeknight Honey Mustard Chicken--even if you don't like mustard, you'll really like this and it's a snap to put together.

10.  One-Pan Chicken with Tomatoes and Red Wine Vinegar--tastes like you cooked it for hours but in reality the whole thing comes together in just about 60 minutes.

11.  Weeknight Pan Roasted Chicken and Gravy--forgot how truly yummy this was--making asap!

12.  Crunchy, Spicy Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken--when you want the crunch of chicken but not all that grease and messy frying time.

13.  Easy Chicken Pad Thai-- you can make this faster than waiting for a takeout delivery!

14.  Easy Chicken and Feta Sandwiches--great flavor and texture combo. Serve with a simple salad and you're good to go!

15.  One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Peas and Parmesan--supremely comforting. Like risotto but without all the work.

16.  Brown Sugar Chicken--truly just darn good!

17.  One-Pan Parmesan Roast Chicken with Cauliflower, Onion and Potatoes--I could eat roasted cauliflower every night!

18.  Cashew Chicken and Veggies--one of my daughter's favorites

19.  Easy Sauteed Chicken and Mushrooms--feels fancy but comes together in under 30 minutes

20.  Quick Chicken Soup--with all the frigid weather and awful flu season we're having, easy homemade liquid gold is nothing to sneeze at (pun intended!)

Well, those should keep you busy for a while. What are your favorite chicken dishes? I'd love to hear!!