Italian Chicken And Zucchini Recipe

If you are ready for a delicious and easy to make, one skillet dinner recipe you are going to love this Italian inspired Chicken and Zucchini recipe. Diced pieces of chicken seasoned with a blend of Italian seasonings and cooked with diced zucchini and fresh cherry tomatoes for a light, refreshing, yet filling meal.

Although this dish is great to make any time of the year, I most often make it in the middle of summer when my garden is overflowing with both zucchini and cherry tomatoes. It is a great way to use up the fresh produce that seems to multiply overnight.

Not to mention, because it is made entirely in one skillet, clean up is a breeze!

What Type of Chicken To Use

To keep things healthier, I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. However, if you would like even more flavor and super tender and juicy pieces of chicken, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Although you will need to adjust the cook time accordingly. Chicken thighs are much thinner than the breasts and therefore will cook faster.

You could also use chicken sausage as a good substitute. I have made this several times with spicy chicken sausage and the added flavor is outstanding!

How Many Zucchini Will You Need?

For this Italian Chicken and Zucchini recipe you will need 4 cups of zucchini that has been diced in approximately 1 inch sections. So how many actual zucchini do you need?

Unfortunately, the answer is the dreaded ‘it depends’. That is because zucchini comes in all different sizes.

Sometimes you can find thin squash that measures approximately 5-6 inches in length and 1 inch in circumference. However, we have all add that zucchini that either comes out of the garden or has been gifted to us from a friend that is double, if not triple in size.

All of them can be used in this recipe, although if there is a large seed core in the large zucchini, it is best to spoon the seeds out and use the flesh only. But as a general guideline, you will need 3-4 medium size zucchini to make this recipe.

And the choice of peeling the zucchini or not is totally up to your personal taste preference. The skin will actually keep the zucchini a little more firm during the cooking process.

However, if you are trying to hide the fact that zucchini is in the recipe for those that swear they dislike zucchini, it is best to peel them before adding them to the skillet.

Cherry Tomato Alternatives

As mentioned above, I love to make this recipe with the fresh ingredients that I have on hand in the middle of summer. And every August I always have a plethora of cherry tomatoes on my counter and in my refrigerator crisper drawer.

Although I use a lot of them in my summer salads and use them to make homemade salsa, pasta sauce, and pizza sauce, there is never a shortage of them until the last plant is pulled out in September. Luckily this recipe requires 2 cups of cherry tomatoes that have been sliced in half.

However, if you don’t have fresh tomatoes, there are 2 other options. First, you can purchase a pint of cherry tomatoes at the grocery store or Farmer’s market.

Or you can substitute a 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes in place of the fresh tomatoes. It is a great alternative when you have the remaining ingredients and don’t want to head to the grocery.

How To Serve Italian Chicken and Zucchini

Once all the ingredients have been added to the skillet it is time to serve dinner. There are several ways you enjoy this delicious meal with your family.

1. Stand Alone Meal – Enjoy this healthy and delicious dinner as a stand alone, one skillet meal.

2. Serve Over Pasta – Serve over cooked rotini, spaghetti or orzo pasta for an extra filling meal.

3. Serve over Rice – Not in the pasta mood? Serve the Italian Chicken and Zucchini over rice instead. I even eat this for a quick breakfast on the go!

4. With Bread – Soak up the delicious sauce with crusty Italian or French bread. Or add Texas Toast Garlic Cheese Bread for an extra special treat.

5. Pair With A Salad – Keep it simple with a side salad with a light vinaigrette dressing to light up the bold Italian flavors.

As you can see this is a very versatile dish and one that you will want to make over and over again.

Italian Chicken and Zucchini Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups diced zucchini (approximately 1 inch in size)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cherry tomato halves
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4-1/2 cup chicken stock

For Serving

• 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil, thinly sliced
• Parmesan cheese
• red pepper flakes, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the chicken breast into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and then place over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the chicken in a single layer. Season the top with Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.

Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes just until the chicken is cooked through. Once the chicken is ready, remove the pieces from the pan and place on a plate or shallow bowl. Set the chicken aside while you cook the zucchini.

Decrease the heat to medium and in the same skillet that you cooked the chicken heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the the diced zucchini in a single layer and then sprinkle the top with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until just slightly tender.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from browning.

Quickly add the chicken stock and then stir. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato place and stir until the tomato paste gets incorporated into the liquid.

Add the cooked chicken back to the pan, reduce the heat to medium low, and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced.

Turn off the heat and then stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving Suggestions

Then serve immediately with strips of basil, Parmesan cheese and/or red pepper flakes if desired.

Other Zucchini Dinner Recipes

Caprese Chicken and Zucchini

Zucchini and Ground Beef Skillet Recipe

Chicken and Zucchini Stuffing Recipe

Skillet Sausage & Zucchini

Enjoy! Mary

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