What's the easiest way to change the color of your kitchen cabinets?

Painting is easier. You could do that over anything, with just a very light sanding before hand.

Staining? You have to sand it thoroughly, make sure every inch of it is raw wood, no previous finish or paint left on it first

I agree with Clair, definitely painting. You have so many more color choices and you won't have to strip everything down to the base wood. This is especially true if your current cabinets have veneer or are laminate. I personally would advise using a primer coat of paint so that your final color will stick better and I also recommend that you seal the paint so that it will last longer and things like finger prints will wash off easier. Wishing you the best!

Paint all the way. Just be sure to do all the prep work. Wash, dry, use a good primer so your paint sticks. Then a sealing top coat if necessary.

Definitely painting... paint will go over any current finish with just some light sanding, a primer coat and then paint..

Staining will require complete removal of whatever finish is on there now... and if the finish is Formica it won't work at all.

I like staining. You can actually do a process called "pickling" or "whitewashing" which allows the wood grain to show through...and it does not chip like paint does.

Here is a good explanation:

Brush on Pickling. Mix 1 part white latex primer-sealer with 3 parts water. Using a 4-inch brush, paint on a patch of the pickling solution. Tip: When pickling soft woods like pine, apply a water-based wood conditioner first, then sand lightly to allow thepickling to take evenly.

How to Create a Pickled Finish on Wood | This Old House

Painting is probably the easiest with all the amazing products like Dixie Belle Paint and such out there.