This chicken and zucchini is sort of, well, miraculous.
It’s healthy, affordable, and takes 5 minutes of chopping. My favorite part? You get to throw everything in a bag for a short marinade, then dump it in a saute pan. With very little effort, you get well-seasoned, tender chicken and light, juicy zucchini.
Despite the simple preparation, the flavor of the zucchini and chicken are complex thanks to coriander, chile, scallions, and cumin. At the end of the sauté, things get finished with a few sprays of fresh lime juice, which also helps to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan that taste so good.
Zucchini
For the zucchini, you can use any variety you want – any size – any weight. I used 1 Mexican squash and 1 green zucchini, but you could also use the yellow variety. Just be sure to slice, then cut into quarter size chunks so everything is roughly the same size.
Best Chicken to Sauté
The best chicken will be chicken tenders or breast (preferably organic) that you pound on both sides with a meat mallet. Pounding ensures that your chicken will be tender because it helps the tight proteins to relax a bit. A relaxed chicken absorbs more flavor from the marinade – resulting in a tastier meal.
I like to cut the chicken into cubes, roughly the same size as the zucchini, because then everything cooks at the same rate.
Storing and Reusing Leftovers
Cooked chicken and zucchini can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated for a quick and easy lunch. I’m just dying to try this inside of a toasted lavash for a Mediterranean crunch wrap. It’s honestly great as-is though or served over spanokorizo – Greek spinach rice for a heartier dinner.
More Recipes with Chicken or Zucchini
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Yogurt Sauce
- Calabacitas Guacamole
- Healthy and Moist Carrot – Parsnip – Zucchini Bread
- Chicken Fusilli with Creamy Paprika Sauce
Chicken and Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenders or breast, pounded and cut into cubes 1-inch thick
- 2 whole zucchini or Mexican squash sliced 1/2-inch thick, then quartered
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chile powder such as chipotle, new mexico, or red chile flakes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- lime juice (from 1-2 small limes) for finishing
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bag or bowl and marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature.*
- Warm a large skillet over medium heat and coat the pan with a bit of olive oil. Dump the chicken and zucchini marinade into the hot pan and allow to cook, without moving for 7 minutes. Use a spatula to flip everything over and cook the other side about 6 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add fresh lime juice and taste. Season with more salt or lime to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- To marinade overnight, simply refrigerate and use the next day.
- Any size or variety of zucchini will work in this recipe.
- Pounding the chicken ensures that it has a more tender texture.
Nutrition
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So delicious and easy.