11 Old-School Chicken Dishes That Are Underrated

Simple and delicious old-school chicken dishes feel like a warm hug on cold fall and winter nights, or anytime you crave comfort food. Many of these recipes have been passed down through generations and are found today in vintage family cookbooks or on handwritten recipe cards in wooden boxes. They pleased crowds at potluck dinners, housewarming parties, and family gatherings, and are both nostalgic and comforting. There has been a decline in homemade dinners over the years as more households rely on grocery-prepared meals, takeout food, and frozen dinners due to time constraints and other factors. These vintage chicken dishes are underrated and deserve a comeback, though, and many can be made in a matter of minutes with ingredients you likely have on hand.

The beauty of these time-tested and beloved chicken dishes is that you can make them like people did generations ago, or you can tweak them a bit so that they're healthier, or to accommodate dietary concerns. For instance, substitute the meat for soy chicken, or use plant-based dairy instead of the real thing. Several of these recipes call for vegetables — either fresh, canned, or frozen — so they're a delicious way to encourage your family to eat more of the good stuff while taking a walk down memory lane.

Rich and creamy chicken à la king is both simple and elegant, making the perfect homemade dish to serve at a variety of different events, from weekend dinners to holiday soirees. Also referred to as king-style chicken, this recipe consists of diced chicken, peas, carrots, green peppers, and pimentos served over either some type of noodles or biscuits. Legend has it that the nostalgic dish was first served at The Brighton Beach Hotel in the early 1900s and has been adapted over the years. Although the recipe traditionally calls for sherry, you can use other types of wine, including Marsala or vermouth, if that's all you have. Due to its eye-catching red and green colors, chicken à la king would be fitting for a vintage-style Christmas meal, along with other old-school dishes, such as these Depression-era desserts that deserve a comeback. 

To make this recipe at home, start with cooked chicken, either dark or white meat depending on your preference. For convenience, you can even use rotisserie chicken or leftovers if you have them. Sauté the vegetables, and make a sauce using flour, milk, chicken broth, sherry or wine (if desired), and butter. Simmer the veggies, cooked chicken, and gravy together, and then pour over your favorite type of pasta, biscuits, or even toast. You can use a jar of chicken gravy if you don't want to make it from scratch. Here are the only two ingredients you need for quick biscuits.

Another classic chicken dish with a glamorous name is chicken cordon bleu, which consists of rolls of chicken breast, ham, and Swiss cheese in a crunchy coating. All of this goodness is topped with a savory cream-based sauce, and traditionally served alongside a vegetable side dish, such as peas or carrots. Cordon bleu is French for "blue ribbon," and it's said that the dish was given this name due to its award-winning flavor and presentation. Chicken cordon bleu began appearing in American households in the 1960s and remained popular throughout the 1970s. After that, grocery stores started selling frozen cordon bleu for convenience. While this beloved dish isn't as popular as it once was, you can still find it in some old-school restaurants or on family holiday tables.

Try making this elegant vintage comfort food yourself by cutting chicken breasts in half horizontally to create two pieces. Thin the cuts by placing them in plastic wrap and pounding them with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Then, roll the chicken up with slices of ham and cheese, tucking them into tight bundles. Dip the chicken rolls into butter or egg, coat with crushed cornflakes, and then bake until golden brown. Make a sauce using wine, chicken bouillon granules, whipping cream, cornstarch, and flour, and pour over the rolls as a finishing touch. For a quicker, easier sauce, you can top the chicken with a mayonnaise and mustard combination.

Tender chicken breasts, a buttery wine sauce, and sautéed almonds come together to create a timeless dish that is sure to please your family members or dinner guests. Even though it tastes complex, chicken almondine can be easily made using just a few basic pantry and refrigerated items, and is ready to serve in under an hour. This classic dish is typically served with white rice and broccoli, but you can substitute brown or wild rice, Brussels sprouts, or any other type of vegetable you desire. Although trout almondine is a traditional French dish, chicken almondine is ideal for those who don't like fish, or are just looking for a less-expensive version of the classic. Green bean almondine is another close cousin to this delicious chicken dish.

Whip up this tasty dinner at home by pounding chicken breasts with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they're thin, dip them into an egg wash, and then coat with flour. Pan-fry them until they're golden brown, and then top with sliced almonds that were sautéed in butter, shallots, garlic, and lemon sauce. You can get creative with your seasonings, flavoring the sauce with just salt and pepper, or a gourmet herbes de Provence blend. If you're feeling fancy, white wine is another optional sauce ingredient.

There are few things more cozy and comforting than a cheesy chicken casserole, and this old-school version kicks it up a few notches with the addition of wild rice. While wild rice is actually a semi-aquatic grain harvested from a species of grass, despite what its name suggests, its nutty flavor and chewy texture make it a gourmet treat. If you're on a budget, you can use a wild rice blend containing white or brown rice, or a combination of all three types. White meat chicken and the wild rice provide the base of this vintage casserole, while a condensed soup and sour cream blend create a rich and flavorful sauce. Add vegetables such as diced onion and celery for an extra layer of flavor and texture, and plenty of cheese to add to the richness of the dish. Even though you're unlikely to have leftovers, this chicken and wild rice casserole heats up well the next day.

Treat yourself or your family to this tried-and-true chicken dish by sautéing your veggies in a skillet, and then blending them into a bowl of shredded or diced cooked chicken, cream of chicken or mushroom soup, sour cream, and chicken stock. Stir in cooked wild rice, and then pour the mixture into a greased baking dish. Top the casserole with shredded cheddar cheese and buttered breadcrumbs or crumbled crackers, and bake until it's golden brown.

Introduced at the Divan Parisienne Restaurant in Hotel Chatham in New York City in the 1950s, classic chicken divan tastes just as divine today as it did decades ago. Although the restaurant and hotel have long since closed down, this signature dish lives on in both memory and in kitchens across the country. While it was likely a gourmet dish back in the day, you can make it with simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry, such as cream of chicken soup, buttery crackers, and simple seasonings. If you feel like getting fancy with it, dress up the dish with a rich and creamy Gruyère cheese sauce. No matter how you mix and top it, chicken divan is another classic dish that is worthy of a delicious comeback.

The traditional recipe begins by sautéing diced chicken, onions, and celery in butter, and then adding in either fresh or frozen broccoli halfway through the cooking process. To make the creamy sauce, combine either cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir in the chicken and veggie mixture, spread into a casserole dish, top with buttered breadcrumbs or crushed crackers, and bake until golden brown. You can enjoy the chicken divan as is, or serve it over rice or biscuits.

Another creamy, cheesy, pasta-based dish that's been passed down and enjoyed through the decades, rich chicken tetrazzini should be added to your regular dinner rotation. This vintage dish was created in honor of Luisa Tetrazzini, an Italian opera singer, in San Francisco in the early 20th century. While traditional chicken tetrazzini recipes call for a gourmet béchamel or Mornay sauce, you can make this classic comfort food using pantry-friendly items such as canned condensed soup. Chicken tetrazzini is another old-school dish that works just as well as a weeknight dinner as a fancy holiday party main course. Another plus is that you can save time and money by using leftover chicken, or even a shredded rotisserie chicken from a grocery store.

Create this vintage dish by whisking together either cream of chicken or cream or mushroom soup, or a combination of both, sour cream, butter, and seasonings to taste in a bowl. Mix in sautéed peas and cooked chicken — either white or dark meat — and spaghetti, and stir until all of the ingredients are blended well. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with a blend of shredded Parmesan and cheddar cheese. Bake the chicken tetrazzini until the cheese is melted, and sprinkle a bit of fresh basil or parsley on top before serving.

Coronation chicken was created by Rosemary Hume of Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in 1953 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's crowning ceremony luncheon.  A crown jewel of curried chicken salads, coronation chicken was initially seasoned with a blend of Indian spices, but the recipe has since been tweaked many times over the decades. The rich chicken salad gets its creaminess from a blend of mayonnaise and sour cream, which blends harmoniously with the curry powder and a few unexpected ingredients, including mango, apricot, and/or raisins. The addition of these fruity flavors gives the coronation chicken salad a bright touch, as well as a hint of sweetness. You can serve this rich and creamy salad on bread as a sandwich or on a bed of lettuce.

Whip up this regal, fit-for-a-queen salad by either baking or simmering chicken breasts in broth and dicing them into bite-sized pieces when cooled. You can add layers of flavor by seasoning either the chicken or the broth with spices such as cinnamon and bay leaf during the cooking process. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, apricot or mango chutney, dried apricots or raisins, curry paste or powder, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, sliced almonds, and the cooked chicken. Allow all of the flavors to mix and mingle for 30 minutes before serving the salad.

With succulent pieces of browned chicken smothered in a rich, red wine-infused sauce, coq au vin is bursting with flavor. The old-fashioned recipe is a popular French chicken dish that was introduced to many households when Julia Child made it on her "The French Chef" cooking show in the 1960s. The dish combines the flavors of the roasted chicken and wine with vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, and onions to create a complex, earthy taste. The French stew is known to be even more delicious after all of its flavors steep, so you can prepare it a day in advance or enjoy it as leftovers. Coq au vin, which translates to "rooster in wine" in French, was created in France's farming regions, so it incorporates a savory mix of fresh ingredients.

To try this dish at home, start with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, as you want to use meat with a higher fat content. Marinate the chicken pieces in a robust red wine, such as Pinot Noir, and chicken stock, and then sear the meat to a golden brown in a skillet. Make the sauce by combining sautéed onions, mushrooms, garlic, and carrots with tomato paste and the red wine marinade. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce along with herbs and seasonings, and then thicken the sauce with a butter and flour blend. You can garnish the coq au vin with fresh parsley and crumbled bacon for extra flavor and color.

Chicken croquettes are crispy and juicy bites of deliciousness that need to make their way back into households and restaurants already. The word croquette is derived from the French term croquer, or crunch, and it's easy to see how this dish got its name. Croquettes, which first appeared in 19th-century cookbooks, consist of a flavorful blend of ground chicken and vegetables fried to a golden brown. These crispy delicacies were traditionally served at special events, such as weddings and holiday dinners. Croquettes are versatile nuggets of goodness, as you can grind the meat for the filling using a food processor or buy it pre-ground. You can also opt to bake the croquettes instead of frying them to reduce fat and calories.

Make your own old-school croquettes by combining ground chicken with cream of chicken soup, breadcrumbs, sautéed celery and onions, and seasonings to taste. Form the mixture into balls and allow them to chill in the refrigerator for an hour to firm. Roll the croquettes in breadcrumbs to coat, and then fry them in a skillet of oil until they're golden brown and crispy. If you want to cover the croquettes in a sauce, combine more cream of chicken soup with milk and seasonings in a saucepan, and pour over the nuggets. Serve the croquettes as an appetizer or alongside a vegetable, such as mashed potatoes.

During the 1980s, robust and earthy chicken marbella was the star of many dinner parties and potlucks. It's easy to see why, as the classic dish combines the flavor of prunes, olives, vinegar, garlic, and capers to create a delicious sweet-and-savory explosion in your mouth. The chicken dish burst onto the culinary scene after it appeared in the "Silver Palate Cookbook," which was published by New York City food shop owners Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins in 1982. One thing that makes this dish stand out among others is that the chicken pieces are allowed to marinate in the unique blend of ingredients overnight, until they're infused with full flavor. The dish is known to be an ideal dinner party menu item, as you can make it a day in advance and it complements a variety of side dishes, including mashed potatoes. 

Create this intensely flavored vintage dish yourself by combining olive oil, vinegar, olives, capers, prunes, bay leaves, oregano, and plenty of garlic in a large bowl. Place bone-in chicken pieces into the marinade and refrigerate overnight so that all of the flavors mix and mingle. The next day, place the chicken and marinade in a roasting pan, sprinkle brown sugar on top, and pour in some red wine. Bake until done, and serve with slices of crusty bread for soaking up all of the mouthwatering sauce. 

Classic chicken cacciatore is so flavorful and easy to prepare that it's a shame it went out of culinary style. The traditional dish features a warm and comforting blend of chicken, bell peppers, onions, and herbs in a robust tomato sauce. Cacciatore is Italian for the word "hunter," and the dish's name refers to it being made in a "hunter style."  The number one reason that this vintage chicken dish deserves a comeback is that it's tasty, but the fact that it's so easy to prepare is a close second. On a busy weekday, you can throw all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and come home to a fully cooked meal.

Start by placing chicken thighs into the slow cooker, and then cover them with a mixture of diced green peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, garlic, chicken broth, and red wine. Cook the chicken on low for up to 10 hours, and then thicken the sauce with cornstarch. Serve the chicken cacciatore with rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta. Here's a delicious way to cook polenta, a boring grain made exciting with the addition of other ingredients.