This is one of those weeknight dinners that I make regularly. It is healthy, simple and perfectly balanced between light and filling. Grilled chicken seasoned generously for loads of flavor served with wilted zucchini cooked right in the same skillet. Protein, veggies and only one pan to clean after dinner. What could be better?
Let’s get started…
Begin by gathering your seasoning 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in a small dish.
Slice 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin chicken cutlets. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil on both sides and seasoned generously with your spice blend.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted and the skillet is nice and warm, place the chicken in to the skillet in a single layer.
One of the best ways to get a great sear on your boneless skinless chicken breasts is to let them cook undisturbed for a good 4-5 minutes on the first side before flipping them. The amount of time you’ll need to cook them on the other side will depend on how hot your skillet gets and how thick your chicken breasts are. I recommend using a kitchen thermometer to help determine when your chicken is cooked through.
A kitchen thermometer will help you prevent over cooking the chicken. Overcooking is the number one reason that people think boneless skinless chicken breasts are “dry”, but if you pull the chicken off the heat when it reaches 165 degrees internally, it will be nice and juicy.
Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it onto a cutting board to rest while you cook the zucchini.
Add a tablespoon of butter into the same skillet along with 2 finely minced cloves of garlic. Cook over medium heat until all of the butter has melted and the garlic is quite fragrant and then add your zucchini.
Toss the zucchini in the butter and garlic and generously season with your remaining spice blend. I also add a big pinch of red pepper flakes to the zucchini for a little pop of heat.
Cook the zucchini for a few minutes or until it is lightly softened.
If you want to reheat your chicken, push the wilted zucchini off to the side of the skillet and add the chicken onto the other side. Cover the skillet for a minute or two and dinner is ready to go…
This meal is healthy, filling and oh so easy to make. My husband loves this one and if we want to bulk it up a bit, we just add some brown rice and voila dinner is served.
Grilled Chicken with Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
- 4 small zucchini, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts in half length wise to create thin cutlets
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season generously with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, seasoned salt, cumin, dried mustard, salt and black pepper
- Add a tablespoon of butter into a large skillet over medium heat
- Once the skillet is warm and the butter has melted, add the chicken in a single layer and cook without disturbing until the underside is golden brown
- Flip the chicken, add a tablespoon of butter and cook until the chicken is cooked through with no pink and an internal temperature of 165 degrees
- Transfer the cooked chicken onto a plate and set aside
- Add your last tablespoon of butter into the skillet along with 2 cloves of finely minced garlic
- Cook the garlic for about 60 seconds, stirring consistently
- Add the sliced zucchini and generously season with the spice blend we used on the chicken
- Cook until the zucchini is tender
- Push the zucchini off to the side of the skillet and return the chicken into the skillet to rewarm for a few minutes before serving
