Ramadan is right around the corner and it’s time to start planning Iftar meals. Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or an experienced chef, I have just the thing for you – delicious chicken recipes for Iftar celebrations!
Not only are these easy-to-make dishes sure to please everyone at the dinner table, but they won’t take too long to prepare either.
So if you’re looking for Ramadan recipes that are tasty and easy to create, look no further than these mouthwatering recipes tailored specifically for busy home chefs.
Time to get cooking so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying delicious food with your family this Ramadan season.
Is Chicken a Good Food to Break Your Fast?
While eating dates is the most common way to breakfast, eating chicken can also be a great way to break fast during Ramadan to rebuild your energy!
Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein, which helps repair muscle tissue after a long day of fasting. The high-quality proteins found in chicken also help maintain healthy body weight and help regulate hunger.
Chicken contains other essential nutrients, such as vitamin B and iron, which are important for energy production, not to mention, chicken is low in fat and cholesterol, making it an ideal ingredient for those looking to eat healthily during Ramadan.
What is typically served at an Iftar meal?
A typical Iftar meal includes a variety of nutritious dishes, such as dates, salads, stews, soups and curries, along with finger foods and desserts.
Traditional Iftar foods are quite sumptuous, and recipes from around the world include dishes made with fava beans, salads with bulgur & tomatoes, various meats mixed with spices, and loads of desserts, like baklava and qatayef (deep-fried pancakes stuffed with cream).
Chicken is a great lean protein to incorporate into many of the dishes served at iftars, whether the meat is used in appetizers, salads, or served as the main protein source of the night.
13 Delicious Chicken Recipes for Iftar
13 Delicious Chicken Recipes for Iftar
This dish is prepared in the slow cooker, saving you time and hassle. Shwarma in the slow cooker is delicious and won’t make you sweat all day tending the spit. An ideal main dish if you’re out of the house all day long during Ramadan.
The Fattet Djaj (or Fatti Dajaj) is a layered chicken platter that consists of fried (or toasted) pita bread, rice and chicken with a delicious garlic-yogurt-lime sauce and topped with some toasted nuts. Use a rotisserie chicken to make this crowd-pleasing appetizer or main dish in less than 30 minutes and skip the whole order of roasting a chicken!
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kofta | The Mediterranean Dish
Using ground chicken, some spices and an egg, these kofta patties come together quickly. Chill, grill, then serve! They make an easy dish alongside hummus, salad and pita.
Sheet pan nachos are an amazingly simple meal or snack to throw together at the last minute. If you cook and freeze your chicken ahead of time, these flavorful nachos will be on the table in under 20 minutes!
If you have an air-fryer, this recipe is for you! I LOVE meals that are super fast to toss together and this one did not let me down. Eat it as is or throw it in a pita or bread for a sandwich.
This is another great recipe for those who want to set it and forget it. Savory shredded cesar chicken, served on little slider buns with lettuce and avocado make the perfect finger food at Iftar!
Tostadas are a fun party food that you can load up with healthy ingredients. Feel free to make these tostadas as easy or as complicated as you’d like. With a pre-bought rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked shredded chicken, canned refried beans and store bought guacamole they come together in a flash. Of course, you can make them more fancy if you have an awesome guac or refried bean recipe up your sleeve!
Chicken Club Sandwiches are great finger food for parties and the tandoori marinade on these take the flavor up a notch. The chicken can be marinated and cooked ahead of time and frozen, so all you need to do on the day of is thaw the meat and build the sandwich!
These homemade mini pizzas are a fun Iftar dish, and they can be par-baked ahead of time, frozen, then quickly thrown in the oven on the day of your celebration. This recipe is definitely for the spice lovers with hot peri peri chicken as the main topping, but feel free to experiment with other chicken marinades for a less spicy version!
These homemade mini quiche are loaded with flavor and freeze beautifully. Make a big batch of these ahead of time, freeze, then simply pop them in the oven right before you eat.
These chicken bites are easy to prep and cook the day you serve them, but can also be made ahead of time and frozen. Stick toothpicks in if you want to serve them as chicken bite appetizers or plate them on top of rice or salad for a full meal.
Another tasty, crow-pleasing version of chicken bites uses harissa as a marinating base. Be sure to marinate this recipe overnight - you’ll be happy to have the prepwork done ahead of time, and the flavor of the chicken will be so much more robust.
Bring the warm scents of Indian food to your Iftar table with these meatballs. You can make the meatballs and sauce fresh in 30 minutes on the day you serve them, or make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them (do not make the sauce ahead of time as it has coconut milk). Make the sauce fresh on the day you serve.
Do I need a meat thermometer when cooking chicken?
To determine if chicken is fully cooked, the best method truly is to use a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone or fat, until it reads 165 °F.
Reasons to use a meat thermometer:
- Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to ensure that chicken and other meats are cooked properly
- Eating undercooked chicken can lead to serious foodborne illnesses
- Since different cuts and shapes of chicken vary in thickness, you can insert a thermometer in various locations, making sure that all parts of the chicken reach the correct temperature for doneness
Where can I buy a meat thermometer?
There are many great meat thermometers on the market now. Here are some of my recommendations if you are ready to add this gadget in your kitchen collection:
Budget Pick: Lavatools PT12 Javelin Digital Instant Read Thermometer
Compact, inexpensive, with a fold-out probe, this model makes for a great start meat thermometer. The digital read-out can be set to Celsius or Fahrenheit, a magnet on the back allows for easy storage on your fridge, and the temperature displays both accurately and quickly.
Upgraded Pick: Original MEATER – Smart Meat Thermometer
For a completely hands-free experience, consider the Original MEATER. This smart meat thermometer is a small probe that connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet, eliminating wires entirely. Use the device app to monitor the temperature of your meat in real-time, up to distances of 30+ feet away. You can extend your distance by connecting to WiFi and Alexa, allowing you to roam your house while cooking the perfect piece of meat.
Chicken makes a great Iftar protein because it’s lean and versatile – you can grill it, fry it, bake it, or even turn it into kabobs. And should you find yourself in a time crunch, the recipes shared can be made in 30 minutes or less.
Whether you’re looking for something traditional or want to try something new, there’s sure to be a recipe here that will please everyone at your table. So tell us, which one will you try first?
More Ramadan Food Ideas For Busy Nights
If you’re looking for inspiration or ideas for your family for Ramadan, look no further! Try some of these ideas!