Chiricheș spent the first part of his senior career in Romania with Internațional Curtea de Argeș, Pandurii Târgu Jiu, and Steaua București.

Chiricheș relocated to Italy after two years in the Premier League, representing Serie A clubs Napoli, Sassuolo, and Cremonese over the course of eight seasons.

Chiricheș began his youth career in his hometown as a midfielder at LPS Bacău, and even played as a striker a few years later when he moved to Ardealul Cluj.

[4][5][6] Upon his return to Romania after twelve months spent in Lisbon, Chiricheș joined lower league club Internațional Curtea de Argeș and helped them achieve promotion to the top flight in 2009.

[11] On 25 October 2012, he scored an overhead volley from near the penalty spot in a 2–0 win against Molde in the Europa League, which put Steaua in control of Group E.[12] Chiricheș scored from long range against Ajax on 21 February 2013, canceling out a two-goal first-leg deficit as Steaua triumphed in the penalty shoot-out to set up a round of 16 meeting with 2012 Champions League winners Chelsea.

[20] Towards the end of the 2015 winter transfer window, Italian side Roma offered €500,000 to take Chiricheș on a six-month loan, which was deemed too low and rejected by Tottenham.

[28] FCSB announced the return of Chiricheș on 25 July 2023, roughly ten years after his record sale to Tottenham Hotspur.