Baked Chicken and Zucchini
This Chicken and Zucchini Bake is a 10 ingredient dinner recipe that will feed a crowd with minimal effort. This hearty and cheesy casserole is perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or anyone looking for a low-carb comforting dish full of flavor.
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Chicken Seasonings
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs
- 3 tablespoon Chipotles in Adobo Sauce pureed
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Zucchini Mixture
- 3 Zucchinis
- 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
- ½ Medium Onion diced
- 1 Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Lime zested and juiced
- 14 oz Can of Petite Diced Tomatoes drained
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Oregano
- 1 Stock Green Onion for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, and sprinkle with salt. Set it aside for 30 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients. Puree the chipotles, chop the bell pepper, onion, and green onion. Then zest and juice a lime. Drain the tomatoes and shred the cheese.3 Tbsp Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
- Season and Cook the Chicken: Season chicken thighs with pureed chipotles, salt, cumin, and garlic powder.Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. 1 lb Chicken Thighs 3 Tbsp Chipotles in Adobo Sauce1 Tsp Salt ½ Tsp Cumin 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Make the Chicken Mixture: In the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until tender. Add diced tomatoes, garlic powder, oregano, and lime juice. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the cooked chicken and lime zest. 2 Tsp Olive Oil ½ Medium Onion 1 Bell Pepper 14 oz Can of Petite Diced Tomatoes ½ Tsp Garlic Powder ½ Tsp Oregano 1 Lime
- Prepare the Zucchini: Pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Slice into half-moon pieces. 3 Zucchinis
- Assemble and Bake: Layer uncooked zucchini in the bottom of a baking dish, followed by the chicken mixture. Add another layer of zucchini and top with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until zucchini is slightly tender and cheese is melted. 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
- Finish and Serve: Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Top with green onions and enjoy! 1 Stock Green Onion
Notes
- Don't skip the salting of the zucchini step. Salting for 30 minutes draws out excess moisture so that your bake isn't watery.
- Shred the cheese yourself. It's best to avoid pre-shredded cheeses since they are tossed in an anti-caking agent that can make them gritty in texture.
- Cook the chicken until it's 165ºF on a meat thermometer. It's difficult to overcook boneless chicken thighs, which is one of the reasons why we find them foolproof for this chicken and zucchini bake.
- Swap chicken thighs for breast meat. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Just make sure they are on the smaller side when cooking so they don't become too dry. They will take longer to cook than thighs, but use your thermometer to know when they are done.
- For the quickest prep, use rotisserie chicken. As always, if you don't want to cook the chicken at all, you can toss shredded rotisserie chicken with the spices, and it's just as delicious. This cuts the prep time down by half!
Storage
Store leftover baked chicken and zucchini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool completely, and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot, or warm in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.Nutrition
Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 33gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 1026mgPotassium: 1107mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1656IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 282mgIron: 4mg
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