Females (mature hens and younger chickens, called pullets) are raised for meat and for their edible eggs. Farmers have developed numerous breeds and varieties to fulfill commercial requirements. Chickens breed in the spring and summer months. Egg laying is stimulated by the long stretches of daylight that occur during the warmer months; however, artificial lights placed in chicken coops can trigger a hen’s egg laying response throughout the year. The time between ovulation and egg-laying is approximately 23–26 hours.

Only in the early 20th century, however, did chicken meat and eggs become mass-production commodities. As of 2023, the global chicken population exceeds 26.5 billion, with more than 50 billion birds produced annually for consumption. Specialized breeds such as broilers and laying hens have been developed for meat and egg production, respectively.

They’re easy, filling, and take less than an hour to prepare from start to finish. Originally, meat production was a by-product of egg production. Only hens that could no longer produce enough eggs were killed and sold for meat. By the mid-20th century, however, meat production had outstripped egg production as a specialized industry. The market for chicken meat has grown dramatically since then, with worldwide exports reaching nearly 12.5 million metric tons (about 13.8 million tons) by the early 21st century. Modern high-volume poultry farms, with rows of cages stacked indoors for control of heat, light, and humidity, began to proliferate in Great Britain about 1920 and in the United States after World War II.

Our modern take keeps that comforting vibe but makes it foolproof for any home cook. This version brings perfectly tender chicken and a rich tomato sauce to your table every time. Arroz con pollo is the perfect weeknight dinner savior. It’s an easy one-pot meal that doesn’t taste like one (seriously, you just might be eating the rice straight out of the pan).

Flavored with soy sauce, ginger, lime, and garam masala – an Indian spice blend – this chicken recipe combines ingredients from all over Asia. Because of the sugar in the marinade, the chicken gets nicely caramelized on the grill. Adapted from the chef Curtis Stone, these quesadillas filled with melted cheddar and smoky chipotle chicken are truly exceptional.

Kids love them, grown ups love them…chicken tenders are hard to beat! Get the recipe for Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders. Has there ever been a combination more harmonious than pineapple and BBQ sauce? Sweet and tangy with just a hint of spice, this chicken dinner is practically guaranteed to make you everyone’s favorite person at the cookout.

Barbecue chicken and rice wraps

  • One of my favorite recipes from my Weeknight/Weekend cookbook, butter chicken is a staple item in most Indian restaurants.
  • Egg laying is stimulated by the long stretches of daylight that occur during the warmer months; however, artificial lights placed in chicken coops can trigger a hen’s egg laying response throughout the year.
  • An Italian-American dish of sautéed chicken breasts and mushrooms in a rich wine sauce, chicken Marsala is traditional restaurant dish that’s easy to make at home.
  • Our modern take keeps that comforting vibe but makes it foolproof for any home cook.
  • Our enchilada casserole, our baked chicken spaghetti, and our tater tot chicken pot pie are great places to start, then check out our best chicken casseroles for even more ideas.

Cane’s juicy, fried chicken strips dunked in tangy, peppery sauce is the kind of fast food meal I dream about. I tested and tested and retested this recipe so that I could confidently say, this copycat is as good as the real thing. If you just can’t get enough of the classic Panda Express dish, this copycat recipe will be a game-changer. Ready in under an hour with all of the same sweet and savory flavors you love, staying in for weeknight dinner has never been easier. When the craving for satisfying comfort food meets the need for a straightforward dinner, chicken enchiladas are a guaranteed winner.

Chicken is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of what’s for dinner, and that train of thought has never let us down. Chicken in all its many forms—from breasts to thighs, or grilled to fried—has long been considered the dinner winner winner, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, that can mean falling into a dinner rut much too easily for our liking. If you’re like us and just can’t bear to make your (or your family’s) old standbys for the umpteenth time, we’ve got you.

Easy chicken noodle soup

If you love Caprese but wish it could be more of a main course, then let us introduce this protein-filled, carb-forward skillet. In this recipe, we’re adding in pan-roasted chicken and store-bought gnocchi as Caprese’s newest co-stars.

It features super-tender chicken in a creamy, rich spice-infused tomato sauce. Tender chicken thighs are coated in a fragrant mix of ginger, garlic, and soy-based stir-fry sauce, perfectly charred alongside vibrant broccoli, crisp snow peas, and scallions. Toss in the springy ramen noodles, give it one last broil to crisp everything up, and you’ve got a golden, caramelized masterpiece. Chicken domestication likely occurred more than once in Southeast Asia and possibly India over the most recent 7,400 years, and the first domestications may have been for religious reasons or for the raising of fighting birds. Descendants of those domestications have spread throughout the world in several waves for at least the last 2,000 years. For most of that period, chickens were a common part of the livestock complement of farms and ranches throughout Eurasia and Africa.

Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean there’s not still room for comforting casseroles on the menu. Our enchilada casserole, our baked chicken spaghetti, and our tater tot chicken pot pie are great places to start, then check out our best chicken casseroles for even more ideas. Don’t worry, we’ve got tons of sides for chicken too, and all the springy salads you’ll need too. There is some debate about what the chicken’s scientific name should be.

Easy Chinese chicken curry

Subsequent ovulations may occur within an hour after the previous egg was laid, allowing some hens to produce as many as 300 eggs per year. This is a jerk chicken recipe, adapted from Food & Wine, is a huge family-pleaser. Native to Jamaica, jerk is a perfect example of Caribbean cooking, which is a delicious blend of African, European, Indian, and Asian flavors. Pollo a la Brasa, or Peruvian chicken, is made by marinating a whole chicken in olive, lime juice, garlic and spices, and then roasting until the bird is juicy and crisp-skinned. Don’t skip the creamy green sauce – it’s addictively good and delicious on just about anything. We’ve included our green goddess grilled chicken, our chicken pesto pasta, our Caprese chicken road chicken gnocchi skillet, and more that are full of bright, fresh flavors guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing.

  • We’ve got something here for everyone, whether you’re looking for tried-and-true classics, creative recipes the whole family will love, or even fast-food copycats like our copycat Raising Cane’s chicken and sauce.
  • Rooted in Italian tradition, chicken cacciatore—meaning “hunter-style”—was originally a rustic dish made with whatever was on hand.
  • Fertilized embryos develop quickly, and chicks hatch approximately 21 days later.
  • Pollo a la Brasa, or Peruvian chicken, is made by marinating a whole chicken in olive, lime juice, garlic and spices, and then roasting until the bird is juicy and crisp-skinned.
  • Get the recipe for Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders.

I love crispy chicken wings but not deep-frying them. Baking alone won’t give you that desirable crispy skin, but parboiling the wings before baking them renders any excess fat and guarantees the wings bake up super crispy. These chicken skewers are every bit as delicious as they look — and if you haven’t tried Sriracha, the Asian hot sauce named after the city of Si Racha in Thailand, this is the ideal recipe to taste just how good it is. Get the recipe for Honey & Lime Chicken Skewers. Marinated in buttermilk and fried to perfection, these chicken tenders are wonderful on their own, dipped in honey mustard, or served over a salad.

CHICKEN CURRY

The chicken is perhaps the most widely domesticated fowl, raised worldwide for its meat and eggs. Cashew chicken is a popular Chinese restaurant dish of stir-fried chicken and cashews in a rich garlic sauce. It’s easy to make at home, as the most of the ingredients for the sauce come out of bottles and jars. These sweet and spicy chicken thighs are family-friendly and super-easy to prepare. Rooted in Italian tradition, chicken cacciatore—meaning “hunter-style”—was originally a rustic dish made with whatever was on hand.

Get inspired with our list of 105 best chicken dinner recipes—you’ll be sure to find a new weeknight favorite. One of the most family-friendly chicken recipes in my repertoire, these grilled BBQ chicken breasts are always a crowdpleaser. They are tender, juicy, and loaded with smoky BBQ flavor.

It makes for incredible leftovers, so you can enjoy it all week long. A saucy glazed chicken thigh is typically pretty hard to beat, but this Hawaiian shoyu chicken is really something special. Featuring a ridiculously simple soy and brown sugar sauce, this easy one-pot meal will become your new go-to weeknight dinner. Summer cookouts call for food with bright herbs, creamy sauces, and tons of char, and this green goddess grilled chicken is bringing all that and more. Chicken thighs are tossed in a simple green goddess dressing and grilled immediately for a no-wait, no-fuss dinner that hits all those alfresco dinner vibes. Fertilized embryos develop quickly, and chicks hatch approximately 21 days later.

Quick sausage recipes

When you think of chicken recipes, you may not necessarily think of meatballs. They pair nicely with mashed potatoes, puréed cauliflower, or buttered noodles, and they also make a fun appetizer if you make them mini and spear them with toothpicks. In cooking, the simplest recipes are often the hardest to get right, and basic grilled chicken is a perfect example. Because chicken breasts are so lean, they often turn out dry, leathery, and bland.

Creamy egg and chicken rice bowls

A hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs per year. Chickens are social animals with complex vocalizations and behaviors, and feature prominently in folklore, religion, and literature across many societies. Their economic importance makes them a central component of global animal husbandry and agriculture. Chicken tikka masala, or yogurt-marinated and broiled chicken in a creamy, spice-infused tomato sauce, is seasoned with garam masala, a wonderful Indian spice blend typically made from peppercorns, mace, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg. You can find garam masala at most markets, but feel free to substitute curry powder for a different but equally delicious flavor.