Fall has a way of pulling us back into the kitchen. The cooler air practically begs for sheet pans sizzling in the oven, cozy family dinners, and meals that are as comforting as they are simple. And when it comes to chicken recipes—the kind that are easy enough for weeknights but still taste special—few people do it better than Katie Lee Biegel and her husband, Ryan Biegel.
On the latest episode of All on the Table, the couple sits down to talk about family, food, and of course, the chicken dishes that keep showing up on their dining table. Listeners flood them with questions about poultry—and for good reason. Katie has a way of making chicken feel anything but boring, and Ryan is more than happy to be the taste tester.
So, what makes their kitchen tick when fall rolls in? It’s all about recipes that are fuss-free, full of flavor, and easy to adapt, depending on what’s in the fridge.
Easy weeknight chicken recipes that never fail
When asked what dish tops the list of weeknight staples, Ryan doesn’t hesitate. “I got it. It is your oven-fried chicken. I’ve talked about that here on All on the Table probably a few times,” he says. Katie explains how simple it is: “You have a sheet pan that you put a half a stick of butter on, put it in the oven, let it heat up, dust your chicken in flour, and then you get out the melted butter pan. You put it in there.”
It’s crispy, buttery, and perfect for a family dinner after a busy day.
But oven-fried chicken isn’t the only go-to. Sheet pan meals are a lifesaver in the Biegel household. “Easiest weeknight chicken would also be any kind of sheet pan chicken recipe, like where it’s a full sheet pan meal. We love a sheet pan meal,” Katie explains.
Her trick is to use chicken thighs, so the timing works out with roasted vegetables. She adds, “My go-to is usually stone-ground mustard and honey. I do that on salmon, I do that on chicken, and then you can just cook everything all at once and be done.”
Why chicken recipes are the backbone of their kitchen
The love of chicken isn’t random—it’s central to how this family cooks and eats. Ryan admits, “When I make chicken, I have a lot of chicken. I had chicken two ways for lunch today, actually, two different ways. I had a chicken skewer, and I had a chicken salad.”
For the Biegels, chicken recipes are versatile. Whether skewered, tossed in a salad, oven-fried, or layered with veggies on a sheet pan, there’s always a way to reinvent it without getting bored.
And Katie makes it clear that the right tools matter too. “I also think having a rice cooker makes everything so easy, too, because you can have the rice as a side. Super easy. We love our rice cooker,” she shares. With hearty sides like rice or roasted vegetables, chicken transforms into a balanced meal without much fuss.
Cozy meals for fall nights at home
What makes these recipes resonate so much is that they’re not just about food—they’re about family. Ryan reflects on the moments that stick with him most. “Our best times are sitting down to a meal together, putting some good music on, and sitting down and just being present with the three of us,” he says, referring to their daughter Iris.
It’s the kind of reminder that while recipes matter, it’s the ritual of sitting down to eat that makes them memorable. Chicken recipes happen to be the vehicle, but the destination is always connection.
And for fall, that means crisp evenings where the oven warms up the kitchen, the smell of buttered chicken fills the air, and the family gathers at the table—no phones, no distractions. Just the way Katie likes it: “No phones. Never. No screen and no TV. Yeah. It’s like, we have to be together. We have to have that moment.”
Chicken doesn’t have to be complicated to be enjoyable
Chicken recipes don’t need to be complicated to feel special. Whether it’s oven-fried chicken bubbling in butter, honey-mustard thighs roasting alongside sweet potatoes, or skewers thrown together for a quick lunch, the Biegels prove that chicken is the backbone of a cozy fall menu.
For Katie and Ryan, it’s not just about getting dinner on the table—it’s about the togetherness that happens once it’s there. And that’s what makes their chicken recipes worth tucking into all season long.
