25 Quick and Easy Weeknight Meals with Chicken Broth

Have a box of chicken broth in your pantry? You're one step closer to dinner! From weeknight chicken ramen to Instant Pot chicken and dumplings, here are 25 quick and easy meals that'll make good use of that box of broth.

By
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash

Claudia has been a contributor for Simply Recipes 2017, writing numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.

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and
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
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Updated November 18, 2023
chicken broth meals

Sometimes you have a half-empty carton of chicken stock (or is it broth?) in the fridge. But if you look at it as a half-full opportunity, it's a nudge to make a saucy or soupy recipe on the fly. Other times, you just need a dinner you can cobble together with pantry ingredients, and that's when your stash of unopened cartons can save the day.

Either way, what ridiculously easy meals can be made with chicken broth? Let’s answer that question with 25 of our favorite dinner recipes from the site!

BYW, we taste tested popular store-bought brands of chicken broth and chicken stock so you would know which one is the best to buy. Click below to see our team picks!

  • Creamy Chicken Florentine

    Creamy chicken Florentine in skillet.

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Chicken, spinach, and mushrooms smothered in a creamy, tasty sauce are hard to resist. Fortunately, it cooks up in 30 minutes so you don't have to resist making it on a weeknight.

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  • Easy Weeknight Chicken Ramen

    Easy Chicken Ramen Recipe with Noodles and poached eggs in a round bowl
    Sally Vargas

    This recipe should be next to the word easy in the dictionary! It’s practically fuss-free and you’re able to boost store-bought chicken broth with some flavor enhancers and get your bowls on the table in under 30 minutes.

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  • Chop Suey

    Platter of Chop Suey at a Table Setting With Chopsticks on Napkins and Bowls of Rice, All on a Grey Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    Make this Chinese American classic dish with chicken, plenty of vegetables, and a sauce of low-sodium chicken broth, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. This dish, served over cooked rice, comes together in just about 35 minutes.

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  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

    Lemon Pepper Chicken in a Pan Garnished with Shredded Parsley and Lemon Slices

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    Here's a weeknight winner that's a breeze to make in a skillet. Deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken broth to make a lemony sauce. Serve heat-and-eat brown rice on the side and grab a salad kit at the store for a super simple, stress-free meal.

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    Continue to 5 of 25 below.

  • Microwave Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

    Microwave Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl) in a Microwavable Dish, and in the Background, a Small Plate With Cooked Rice and a Small Plate of Kimchi

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    If you have eggs, half a cup of chicken stock, and a little leftover cooked chicken, you're not far from making this comforting microwave meal, a super-quick version of a dish that's a fixture in Japanese home cooking. Serve with warm rice.

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  • Chicken Piccata Pasta

    Lemon Chicken Piccata Recipe
    Nick Evans

    This dish is super approachable and is a favorite amongst adults and kids. It has the best of chicken piccata but in a slightly easier-to-serve preparation. This recipe makes a ton of food, so you’ll have leftovers to freeze! If you’re looking to add just a little more flavor, we suggest adding in some buttery toasted breadcrumbs.

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  • Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

    A blue bowl on a pink cloth filled with chicken and dumplings with an instant pot in the background.
    Coco Morante

    When I think of easy weeknights, I automatically think of my Instant Pot. It basically does all the work, is easy to clean up, and has that fix-it-and-forget-it factor that wins us over every time. Now you can have old-fashioned, comforting chicken and dumplings in no time at all!

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  • Sopa Seca de Fideo (Mexican-style Angel Hair Nests)

    Sopa Seca de Fideo Angel Hair Nests
    Elise Bauer

    The noodles in this dish absorb all the rich flavors of the chicken broth, making the noodles taste better than anything you’ve ever imagined.

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    Continue to 9 of 25 below.

  • Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Shallots

    http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/edamame_dip/
    Elise Bauer

    Did you know that tarragon adds the best flavor to chicken and mushrooms and really elevates the whole dish? Well, it does! We only use a little bit in this recipe, but a little goes a long way. If you want to cut down on the cooking time even more, you can use skin-on chicken breasts.

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  • Balsamic Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil

    Balsamic Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil
    Elise Bauer

    If you’re looking to use up a lot of chicken broth, then this is the recipe for you! It uses up four cups and is perfect if you’re looking for something hearty, rich, and flavorful.

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  • One Pot Chicken and Orzo

    Skillet Chicken and Orzo
    Elise Bauer

    This dish cooks up in one skillet in about 35 minutes. While it’s incredibly easy to make and uses common household ingredients, the trick to pulling this dish off is to toast the orzo. It adds a warm, toasty, and nutty flavor that can’t be beat!

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  • Easy Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup

    Sally Vargas

    Using store-bought chicken stock is just one of the many shortcuts we take to make this soup easier than easy. Another shortcut? Use rotisserie chicken! Whatever you do, don’t forget the garnishes, because they really elevate the dish.

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    Continue to 13 of 25 below.

  • Rotisserie Chicken Stroganoff

    Chicken Stroganoff Recipe
    Nick Evans

    This satisfying recipe is easy, especially when you use both store-bought chicken broth and rotisserie chicken (instead of the beef that's used in the traditional recipe). The finished sauce is almost like chicken pot pie filling, but it's served over egg noodles.

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  • Weeknight Chicken Biryani

    Chicken Biryani
    Sheryl Julian

    This stovetop version of the well-known Indian rice dish is made with chicken and seasoned with turmeric and ginger. It can be ready for the table in under an hour!

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  • Quick Chicken Pho

    Quick Chicken Pho
    Emma Christensen

    This is another recipe that improves store-bought chicken broth, making homemade pho nice and easy. Simmer the broth with herbs and spices to boost the flavor. It’s a great recipe for those who have never made pho before!

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  • Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles

    Citrus Pork with Egg Noodles
    Elise Bauer

    This is sure to brighten your day! It’s perfect for busy weekdays because it's ready in about 35 minutes and has simple ingredients that are more than likely in your house right now!

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    Continue to 17 of 25 below.

  • Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry)

    Moo Goo Gai Pan Chicken on a white plate with rice
    Marta Rivera

    Our tip for making this dish easy to throw together is to arrange everything next to your skillet in order of when it gets added to the pan. This way, once you start to stir-fry everything, you won’t have to worry about grabbing ingredients or overcooking your chicken while prepping something else.

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  • Chicken and Apples in Honey Mustard Sauce

    Chicken Apples Honey Mustard
    Elise Bauer

    So simple and so flavorful. Dredge chicken breasts in a little flour, brown them along with apple slices in a little olive oil and add a simple honey mustard sauce. Make the side simple, too, by making rice or buttered noodles.

  • Skillet Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

    Sesame Chicken on top of Seared baby bok choy
    Coco Morante

    Seared, slightly peppery baby bok choy creates a bed for soy-sauced flavored chicken breasts sprinkled with sesame seeds. Cook up your favorite rice to serve on the side.

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  • Skillet Chicken with Cheesy Orzo and Zucchini

    Chicken in cheesy orzo with zucchini in a skillet
    Kerri Brewer

    Dinner is made in just one skillet. After you're done enjoying the chicken nestled in cheesy orzo studded with fresh zucchini, clean up is easy. Leftovers reheat easily, so pack up what's left to take for lunch at the office the next day.

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    Continue to 21 of 25 below.

  • Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

    Pressure Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole
    Coco Morante

    Dinner is on the table in under an hour when you make it in the Instant Pot. Sour cream and heavy cream create a rich creamy sauce for the classic, comforting chicken, rice, and mushrooms.

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  • Easy Chicken Pot Pie

    Homemade Chicken Pot Pie with a golden crust has a serving removed and set on a white plate to the right.
    Marta Rivera

    Is there anyone who likes chicken and doesn't consider chicken pot pie to be one of its most delicious uses? This recipe makes the comfort-food favorite by using rotisserie chicken, frozen vegetables, and puff pastry. It's on the table in under an hour.

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  • Stracciatella alla Romana

    Italian Egg Drop Soup
    Elise Bauer

    Sometimes called Italian egg drop soup, this super quick soup—you're slurping it up in 20 minutes—is so simple to make. Swirl Parmesan cheese, panko, spinach and egg into chicken broth. To make it part of a heartier meal, serve it with Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

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  • Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

    beef and broccoli stir-fry
    Elise Bauer

    Tender steak, crisp broccoli, and plenty of garlic are the classic ingredients to this stir-fry that's done in 30 minutes. What's chicken broth doing in a beef dish? It's in the stir-fry sauce.

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    Continue to 25 of 25 below.

  • Chicken Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers and Toasted Almonds

    Chicken Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers
    Elise Bauer

    We added a few twists to chicken salad by adding in roasted red peppers and toasted almonds! It’s fantastic served in lettuce cups, on bread for a sandwich, or if you’re feeling a little wild, just eat it plain.

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