Chicken Recipes for Big Families • Called to Life Coaching (2024)

I grew up the oldest of three children. I grew up in the age of Hamburger Helper, TV Dinners, the introduction of two-liter pop (or soda depending on how you say it). Microwave cooking was king; anyone remember microwave scrambled eggs??? I had no concept of recipes for big families growing up!

The average cookbook recipe was and is for 4-6 servings. Well, 4-6 servings does not satisfy my crew of seven children and two adults, and a box of Hamburger Helper only goes so far! Plus nutritionally…Yikes! So as my family grew and grew, I needed to find recipes for big familiesthat we could afford, filled us up, were nutritional and yummy. To save you the time and trouble of weeding through such Google searches as “Feeding a Crowd” or “Church Supper Recipes” I’m compiling a list of the best recipes for big families.

These recipes will be divided into categories such as crockpot, beef, venison, side dishes, desserts, soups, and lunch recipes for big families. I’ve already written a post on Breakfast Recipes for Big Families. Today I want to share a compilation of chicken recipes for big families.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering why a group of chicken recipes just made an appearance on a blog you are used to seeing posts written about Bible journaling, Book Club Time and Daily Affirmations, let me explain. I just do what I do. If I’m journaling in my Bible, I’ll share that. If I’m making a grocery list for my family, I’ll share that too!

I wasn’t born into a large family–shoot, I didn’t even know a big family! Because the care, feeding, loving, and learning in a big family is a normal part of my everyday, I forget it’s not a normal part of some people’s day. I’m reminded by the emails, comments online and in the grocery store or on the soccer field, when someone asks things like “How do feed them all?” or “So tell me about your laundry system.” One one of our favorites, “Where do they all sleep?” Obviously that individual needed to learn some tact! (By the way, they all sleep in their own beds) I thought I would expand, here on the blog, the hows, and whys, the tips and tricks I’ve learned or am learning as I live my vocation as a momma of a big family.

Along with the recipes I’m about to share, if I know of a way to make them Trim Healthy Mama friendly, I’ll offer those suggestions. Also, if you have any great chicken recipes for big families, please share them in the comments!

1. Baked Chicken Thighs
This first chicken recipe comes from one of my favorite online sources for recipes, especially because they are Trim Healthy Mama friendly. Briana calls this a non recipe because it’s so easy. I call it a fantastic example of recipes for big families. The ingredient list is inexpensive and flexible so you can purchase the chicken thighs on sale and then change out flavors your family may not like. This recipe is also low carb, sugar free, gluten, egg, dairy, and nut free.

2. Baked Ranch Chicken
Crystal at Crystal and Comp has an easy chicken recipe that uses ingredients we all have in our refrigerator and pantry. And here’s a great idea, instead of serving them as chicken breasts, how about cutting them into nugget sized pieces? Bam! Chicken Nuggets! (For Trim Healthy Mama’s, omit the cereal, it will still be yummy! Instead of store bought Ranch seasoning, use this one from Gwen’s Nest.)

3. White Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Michelle at Crafty Morning shares her recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas. This chicken recipe would be perfect for big families. A couple of suggestions: if you wanted to freeze these in large quantities, follow the directions until it’s time to pour the sauce over. Flash freeze the rolled enchiladas and then place in a freezer bag. When you’re ready for this meal, place the enchiladas in the refrigerator that morning or even the night before. When you’re ready for dinner, make the sauce according to the directions, pour over and bake.

4. Spicy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Don’t let the “spicy” throw you, Arlene’s chicken recipe is perfect for big families. First, you can easily adjust the heat in the recipe and second, it’s a creamy sauce served over noodles. We all know in every family, big or small, there will be at least one child who only wants the chicken, one who only wants the noodles and sauce and one who only wants noodles with butter. The adaptability of this recipe is what makes this one of the most perfect recipes for big families!

5. White Chicken Lasagna
Mmm, who doesn’t love a good lasagna! Especially one that is Low Carb, Gluten Free and Trim Healthy Mama friendly. Also mommas of big families, or anyone who doesn’t want a sink full of dishes after dinner, this recipe is one bowl one pot! Thanks for the great recipe Sarah at Mrs. Criddles Kitchen.

6.One-Pot Creamy Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole Recipe
Did someone say leftovers? This recipe that serves 10-12 may just be big enough to have for lunch the next day. This recipe is big enough to feed a house full using grocery staples–score! Pair it with a nice salad and some fresh fruit for another great addition to our recipes for big families…or smaller families who love leftovers. Oh, and did you catch the word, “One pot” in the title? Yay, me too!

7. Creamy White Chili
This Creamy White Chili recipe from Frugal Mom says it serves 7. Serve this chili with a nice thick piece of cornbread and I bet you could stretch it even further. The good thing about chili too is that if you add more beans–CHEAP– the recipe instantly serves more than recommended…a win for big families! For those who like their chili a little spicy, just add more cayenne pepper or for those with littles who don’t like any heat, leave out the cayenne pepper.

8. Slow Cooker Red Chicken
I shared recently how much we love this new to us recipe. This recipe is quick, easy, includes inexpensive ingredients and feeds a crowd. It is also Trim Healthy Mama friendly–an {E} meal which are sometimes hard to come up with. If you have little ones opposed to green food items, just serve it over rice, add a veggie of choice on the side plus some fruit. Easy peasy mommas of big families.

9. Roasted Broccoli with Chicken
Here’s the beauty of this recipe, you can season your chicken however you want. Shelly uses a pre-packaged saute starter in this recipe, but you could use any season mix or combination you choose. You could also just use salt and pepper. And the roaster broccoli–yummy! Again, this recipe is super flexible. You could roast the broccoli separately in some butter or coconut oil. You could add cauliflower, carrots, zucchini…any other vegetable you like, all to the roasting pan.

10. Salsa Verde Chicken Soup
Here’s another fantastic recipe from Briana Thomas. For Trim Healthy Mama’s, this soup makes a perfect {E} meal. Briana served it with Gwen’s bread, and made a batch of Tummy Tucking Ice Cream (recipe found in the book Trim Healthy Mama) for dessert.

11. Easy Chicken Stir Fry
Crystal has another great chicken recipe that can grow and stretch to feed a big family. Have you ever made a stir fry? After the birth of one of my babies my sister made a stir fry to clean out the refrigerator and pantry…yummy! Crystal’s is made with pre-packaged stir fry veggies, but you could use any vegetables you like, love or have left over. Serve over rice which is inexpensive and family friendly and we have another delicious recipe to add to our chicken recipes for big families. And remember I mentioned picky eaters without calling them picky eaters? Well, you could pull some of the chicken out before adding the veggies and you could serve the rice separately for those who don’t like all their food mixed together.

12. The Love Story Begins Chicken Stir Fry
Elizabeth Foss recently posted the recipe for a large chicken stir fry. If anyone knows how to feed a big family, it’s Elizabeth. Not only does she feed her own crew, she feeds their friends. She also doesn’t sacrifice presentation just because she feeds a crowd, “Transfer to serving platter and pile the iceberg wedges along the edge.” Sounds lovely doesn’t it. She’s reading and cooking through Dinner: A Love Story: It all begins at the family table I love it when she reads and cooks through a book because we benefit from her big family tweaks to the recipes.

13. Garlic Chicken
Gwen shares a Garlic Chicken Recipe that she serves with veggies on the side. Then the next day she chops the leftover chicken up and serves it on a salad. She also says you can serve this over rice, pasta or on sandwich rolls. She also includes notes for Trim Healthy Mama’s–this can be a deep {S}, a {FP} or even an {E}. (S stands for satisfying, FP for Fuel Pull and E for Energizing. Read about Trim Healthy Mama here.)

14. Chicken and Dumplings
This has been our favorite Chicken and Dumplings recipe for years. Actually, at the request of my husband and children who love the dumplings, it turns out more like dumplings with a little chicken. And, it’s from America’s Test Kitchen which means they’ve worked all the kinks out of any recipe. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you: swapped this ingredient for that or changed this or that–they’ve already thought of it, done it and will tell you how it affected the recipe. One of our family favorite cookbooks has been, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

15. Home-Style Chicken Pot Pie
Who doesn’t equate Chicken Pot Pie with a gathering? Who doesn’t equate yummy with Taste of Home? A pot pie recipe can stretch for days it seems…add a little of this a little of that, serve with fruit and you have a lovely, yummy meal to feed a big family. This recipe states it feeds 10-12.

16. Dump Chicken Recipes
A Cultivated Nest shares 8 “Dump and Go” chicken recipes. Sounds all kinds of big family fantastic to me! Even better, these can be used as freezer meals for that busy time in life…also known as every single day! Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes, alongside a salad, bread or fruit and you have a family friendly, quick and easy recipe for big families.

17. Chicken Stroganoff
Of course a Chicken Stroganoff would have to make the list of chicken recipes for big families. I first had this delicious meal after the birth of my first little boy. My husband’s cousin brought it over and my first thought was, “I don’t like Stroganoff, it has mushrooms.” Thankfully she knew that and left the mushrooms out and I devoured this meal. This is another one of those recipes that can be pieced out for children–one may only want the noodles and some butter, one may want just chicken and noodles–this recipe makes it easy to take individual portions out as needed. (For Trim Healthy Mama’s omit the flour and use another thickener like cornstarch, Xanthum Gum or Glucomannan.

18. Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
Can you say Thanksgiving in a casserole dish? Can you say comfort food at it’s finest? How about easy, inexpensive and crowd pleasing? This recipe brings all that to the table. I have not made it in a while and I must remedy that quick! Oh, one more great thing about this chicken recipe, it freezes well. On the night you make this yummy casserole for dinner, make two while you’re at it and freeze one for a later day. You’ll be glad you did.

19. Crockpot Italian Chicken and Potatoes
I have a couple of children who ask for this meal weekly. This recipe says it only serves 4, but you can easily adjust the recipe to feed a big family. I pretty much just eyeball how much chicken to potatoes based on how many I’m feeding. A big garden salad and some French bread and we’ll add this to our list of chicken recipes for big families.

20. Crockpot Chicken for Big Families
Finally I wanted to share two of my favorite non-recipes to feed my big family. Non-recipe because when I tell you how to make these meals, you’ll say, “Well that’s not even a recipe.” They both start with frozen, boneless, chicken breasts–I buy the giant bag at Sam’s. Place however many chicken breasts you need in your faithful crockpot. Sprinkle with a packet of Taco Seasoning or if you make your own, two tablespoons per about 4 breasts. Cover and turn your crockpot on high for about 4 hours or low for about 8 hours. Shred the chicken and serve over nachos, in tacos, in burritos, in quesadillas, over a salad, in chili; This non-recipe is ridiculously easy and versatile.

The second non-recipe begins like the first only instead of taco seasoning, pour about a cup per four breasts of barbecue sauce over your frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot. Depending on your family, you may want to top them with thinly sliced red onion or spicy banana peppers. Cover and cook like above. Shred the chicken and serve on hoagie rolls with potato salad and coleslaw on the side. Yum!

I hope you have found something you cannot wait to try in this collection of chicken recipes for big families. There are some of my family favorites listed above as well as some new to me recipes I cannot wait to make and serve my big family.