One-Skillet Italian Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Whip up big Mediterranean flavor in minutes with this quick, no-fuss Italian Chicken and Vegetables Skillet that’s loaded with mushrooms and zucchini. Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is a breeze!
★★★★★
Darlene says –
“This was SO GOOD!! My husband and I added a yellow bell pepper and left out the mushrooms. We WILL fix this again. Thanks for the delicious recipe!”
The Chicken and Vegetable Skillet I Make When I’m Crunched for Time
This simple Italian Chicken with zucchini and mushrooms keeps popping up on our meal plan recently whenever I need something super quick and easy to prepare.
I love that it’s a veg-heavy dinner that still tastes warm and comforting despite being packed with the colors of the rainbow!
Here’s why you’ll love this skillet chicken recipe:
✔ Filling But Not Heavy: This recipe tastes nice and hearty thanks to the rich garlicky herb tomato sauce, despite being just a lean protein and tons of veggies.
✔ Easy One Pan Recipe: The chicken, zucchini, and mushrooms all cook in the same skillet. This minimizes the dirty dishes and also makes for a more flavorful meal overall.
✔ Flexible Ingredients: You can pair the chicken with pretty much any soft vegetable you like, it doesn’t have to be mushrooms and zucchini! Bell peppers, eggplant, or summer squash can all be subbed in.
Enjoy!
-Katie
The Ingredients You’ll Need
A full list of ingredients with their measurements can be found in the recipe card below. Here’s any overview of the key items used to make this one-pot Italian chicken with vegetables.
- Chicken — If your grocery store has chicken tenderloins on sale, grab them! They cook in just 10ish minutes and stay super juicy. Otherwise you can buy regular chicken breasts and cut them in half to shorten their cook time.
- Olive Oil + Butter — The oil raises the butter’s smoke point and prevents it from burning. This lets you enjoy the richness of the dairy without having to fret about it.
- Aromatics — Onion and garlic add tons of flavor to the skillet.
- Zucchini and Mushrooms — There’s no need to peel the zucchini or remove the stems from the mushrooms. We’re keeping this recipe no-fuss!
- Tomato Products — A blend of fire roasted tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil form the base of the sauce that coats each bite of chicken and vegetables.
- Italian Seasoning — I’ve made this recipe with a blend of individual spices like basil and oregano before, but Italian seasoning is just so quick and easy!
- Balsamic Vinegar — Just a splash adds depth to the sauce without overwhelming it.
How to Make Italian Chicken and Vegetables in One Skillet
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- Pat the chicken dry. This helps it brown well. Then, season it with salt and pepper.
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- Brown the chicken on both sides. I like using my cast iron skillet for this, because it distributes heat more evenly and creates a gorgeous sear on the chicken. After the chicken is browned, set it aside.
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- Cook the vegetables in the same skillet. This makes clean up so much easier, and the flavor of the vegetables will get an extra boost from all the browned bits and juices left behind in the pan from the chicken.
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- Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Then, stir in the vinegar. Then, taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. Return the chicken (and any juices – again FLAVOR!) to the pan. Spoon the sauce over top and pop the lid on top of the skillet. The chicken just needs to simmer over low heat for a few more minutes to finish cooking.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Recipe Variations
Don’t want to use mushrooms and zucchini? You can always swap in other vegetables depending on your preferences or just to use up what you have on hand.
For substitutes, I recommend the following as the best choices:
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- Yellow summer squash
- Patty pan squash
- Cubed eggplant
- Green beans
Katie’s Tip: I don’t recommend leaving out the diced or sun-dried tomatoes because they comprise the sauce in this recipe and it would be dry if they were eliminated. In a pinch, you can use jarred marinara sauce (or homemade marinara sauce if you have it in the freezer).
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this dish with a lot of different sides, the simplest being some al dente pasta in whatever shape you prefer. For an extra pop of flavor, drizzle some Chili Garlic Oil over top and add a sprinkling of parmesan.
Other side dish suggestions include:
More Quick and Easy Chicken Dinners
Looking for more lightning fast dinner recipes using chicken? Check out more of my chicken recipes here. Below are some of my all-time favorites!
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One-Skillet Italian Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Whip up big Mediterranean flavor in minutes with this quick, no-fuss Italian chicken and vegetables skillet that's loaded with mushrooms and zucchini. Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is a breeze!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. chicken breasts (cut in half) or tenderloins
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 zucchini, cut in bite-size chunks
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional Garnishes: Fresh Basil and Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet, melt the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until it begins to bubble.
- Pat the chicken dry on both sides. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the chicken and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, or until golden browned. Turn and cook the other side for an additional 3-5 minutes.
- While cooking, brush some of the the olive oil and butter from the pan on the side of the chicken facing up.
- Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Continue cooking on medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes.
- Then, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt to taste, and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, zucchini and sundried tomatoes and continue to sauté for 2 minutes.
- Then, stir in the the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the chicken back to the pan and spoon some of the sauce and vegetables over top of the chicken.
- Cook, covered, over the stovetop or in the oven at 350 degrees F until the chicken is heated through and the sauce is bubbling.
- Serve garnished with chopped fresh basil and parsley if desired!
Notes
Good substitutes for the zucchini and mushrooms include: bell peppers, yellow summer squash, patty pan squash, cubed eggplant, green beans. Do not substitute the sun-dried tomatoes or fire roasted tomatoes, as they create the sauce.
For a heartier meal, toss the chicken and vegetables with al dente pasta. (Pictured in the post above)
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 333Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 248mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 25g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Try Making This Quick and Easy One-Pot Chicken Dinner!
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Updated from the archives, originally published April 16, 2013.
sydney says
I am so making this tonight! Thank you…
Erin says
Love the contest items. Favorite one dish meal has to be Chicken Divan.
Carolyn says
This looks so light and fresh, it caught my eye on Foodgawker. Pinning!
Allison says
I would love to make a delicious Pork Shoulder Ragu with Saute Express! Makes me hungry just thinking about it.
Neiddy Ruiz says
I would use the Italian Herb Saute Express next time I make my one-pan Chicken Fillets and vegetable medley
Deon Sagers says
I love to make my Jiffy Jambalaya in my large skillet! One pan to clean up and it is super tasty too! Win, win!
april says
Definitely a lemon pepper shrimp pasta.
Emily Ruf says
I’d try a lemon pepper Tilapia.
Aimee @ Menus and Meals for Moms says
My favorite one pan dish is curried chicken with vegetables. Delish!
Heather @ Join Us, Pull up a Chair says
My favorite one dish is my chunky turkey chili.
Laura says
My favorite one pan dish is orzo with summer vegetables.
Laura C. says
I can never cook with one pan, I’ve tried. Even other people’s one pan recipes – they turn into 3 or 4 pans for my. Ask my husband, he’ll agree. Ha!
Mona says
My favorite one pan recipe is chicken kale pizza bake! Love how it turns out in a cast iron skillet!
Christy says
Favorite one dish meal is Chicken Cacciatore!
Lynda M. says
My favorite one pan recipe is chicken asparagus stir-fry. Just made it last night!
April says
My favorite one dish meal is taco pasta! So simple, but full of flavor! Can’t wait to try this one!