Need another quick and easy one-skillet dinner to add to your repertoire? This Sautéed Chicken and Zucchini Skillet is a great option for you. It’s easy to make with only a few ingredients. Plus, it can all be cooked in one pan. Yay, minimizing clean-up!
This recipe can pull double duty as an easy weeknight dinner OR an easy dinner party entrée. Just scale the recipe (using the slider in the recipe below) for the number of servings you need.
What You Need to Make a Sautéed Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Mandolin – Optional but suggested for slicing the zucchini and squash quickly and evenly. You want even slices for more consistent cooking.
- Measuring Spoons
- Meat Tenderizer – Optional
- 2 Zip top bags
- Large Sauté Pan or Skillet
- Rubber Scraper – Or other stirring utensil.
- Tongs – Optional
Ingredients
- Chicken Tenderloins – You can also use Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs as long as they are skinless and boneless. To speed things up, you can alternatively use pre-cooked chicken cubes or strips. In that case, just skip the chicken cooking step.
- Zucchini & Yellow Squash – While I call for 1 pound of each in the recipe, you can feel free to change the ratio however you like or based on what looks good at the store.
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Avocado Oil – This is just for cooking the spinach and the chicken. You can also use Regular Olive Oil if you prefer.
Getting Started with Making a Sautéed Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
Time Saver and Scaling Note
Before we get started, I want to call out a time saving option for this recipe. This tip applies whether you’re making this for a weeknight dinner or as an entrée for a dinner party.
- Use Pre-Cooked Chicken Cubes or Strips
- I usually get these in 2-pound bags at Sam’s or 22-ounce bags at the grocery store.
- I recommend ¼ pound per serving.
Mixing up the Seasonings
We’ll get started by mixing 1 tablespoon of Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoons of Ground Black Pepper, 1.5 teaspoons of Garlic Powder, and 1.5 teaspoons of Onion Powder in a small bowl (or bag). You’ll want to go ahead and divide this in half. Then you can set the 2 halves aside for a moment.
Preparing the Zucchini and Squash
Next, we’ll slice our zucchini and yellow squash. While you can slice all of this with a knife, I strongly suggest using a mandolin. First of all, it’s quicker to slice with a mandolin. Second (and most importantly), using one will ensure that your slices are as uniform as you can get them. This will help the zucchini and squash to cook evenly. To accompany the mandolin, I also recommend that you wear a kevlar glove and use the handguard. (I may have cut myself a few times and hope you learn from my mistakes.)
Once sliced, you can toss the sliced zucchini and squash into a zip top bag. Then you can sprinkle in one half of the seasoning mix, seal the bag, and shake until they’re coated. After that, you’ll set it aside while you move on to the chicken. If you’re doing advanced prep (like the night before your dinner party), you can stash this bag in the fridge.
Preparing the Chicken
After that, we’re moving on to the chicken prep. If you are cooking the chicken yourself, you’ll need to cut it into bite-sized pieces. I also like to use a meat tenderizer to flatten it a bit before cutting it up. To tenderize the chicken, I place my chicken tenderloins in a plastic zip top bag. Then, using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, I pound it flat. (Great for cathartic release.)
Then, you’ll just cube the chicken and toss it into another zip top bag. From there, you’ll sprinkle in the other half of the seasoning mix, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken bites are coated.
If you are using pre-cooked chicken cubes, you can just place them in a zip top bag and toss them with the seasoning mix.
Cooking the Sautéed Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
At this point, we’re ready to cook. I start by heating approximately 1 tablespoon of Avocado Oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Then I add in the chicken and allow it to cook. For me, this takes approximately 6 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through cooking.
Once the chicken is cooked, you’ll remove it from the pan and add another tablespoon of Avocado Oil if / as needed. Then you can toss in the sliced Zucchini and Yellow Squash and sauté until they are fork tender.
As soon as they’re ready, you’ll add the cooked chicken cubes back into the pan and stir until completely combined.
Serve immediately.
Related Recipes
Looking for some other easy dinners? You might like one of these:
- Caprese Chicken Skewers
- Caprese Chicken Spinach Skillet
- Chicken Italian Sausage with Zoodles
- Chilled Keto Shrimp Scampi with Shirataki Noodles
- Easy Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
- Lamb Lollipops
- Sausage and Shirataki Noodles
Sautéed Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1.5 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 pound Zucchini Sliced
- 1 pound Yellow Squash Sliced
- 1 pound Chicken Tenderloins Cubed and Cooked
- 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil Or Regular Olive Oil
Instructions
- Thoroughly combine 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, 1.5 teaspoons Garlic Powder, and 1.5 teaspoons Onion Powder. Divide it in half.1 tablespoon Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, 1.5 teaspoons Garlic Powder, 1.5 teaspoons Onion Powder
- Slice 1 pound Zucchini and 1 pound Yellow Squash. (You can change the ratio if you prefer.) Place in a zip top bag and toss with half of the seasoning mixture.1 pound Zucchini, 1 pound Yellow Squash
- Cube 1 pound Chicken Tenderloins. (You can tenderize them first if you like.) Place in a zip top bag and toss with the other half of the seasoning mixture. (If you buy pre-cooked chicken cubes, just skip to the toss-with-seasoning step.)1 pound Chicken Tenderloins
- Cook the Chicken cubes in a large sauté pan in ~1 tablespoon of Avocado Oil over medium high heat. About 6 minutes, turning halfway through. Once cooked, set aside.2 tablespoons Avocado Oil, 1 pound Chicken Tenderloins
- Add the sliced Zucchini & Squash to the same pan with another ~ 1 tablespoon of Avocado Oil and sauté until fork tender.1 pound Zucchini, 1 pound Yellow Squash, 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil
- Add the Chicken cubes back into the pan and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Mandolin Optional but suggested
- Measuring Spoons
- Meat Tenderizer Optional
- 2 Zip top bags
- Rubber Scraper Or other stirring utensil.
- Tongs Optional
Notes
- Time Saving Substitution
- Use Pre-cooked Chicken Cubes or Strips
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