Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Parmesan

Written by Katie of GoodLife Eats.

This time of year I start looking for foods that are a little more comforting and a little less just something quick to get on the table. But it still feels like summer as it hasn’t quite cooled down much yet so I don’t want to turn on the oven very often.

Skillet dinners are perfect for that. This Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Parmesan doesn’t require very much babysitting at the stove. It cooks, for the most part, unattended and doesn’t make my kitchen as hot as turning the oven on.

I’ve been craving the flavors of Chicken Parmesan and a delicious tomato sauce to sop up with crusty bread or pour over pasta.

Right now things are still feeling a little hectic as we settle into our new school and work routines so I’ve adapted a more time consuming Chicken Parmesan into a skillet meal to cut down the time.

All photos by Katie of GoodLife Eats.

In this version, the chicken doesn’t need to be pounded super thin, just pounded a bit to tenderize it. There’s no dredging in flour and frying in butter or oil which cuts down again on prep time and also on calories. And the chicken breasts are cut in half so they cook faster (really a full breast is usually too large for me anyway).

I rely on Aimee’s fabulous and easy 4-Ingredient Tomato Sauce which can be made ahead and stored in the freezer rather than preparing a more time consuming Sundried Tomato Sauce like I usually do. Being that it is the end of summer, I threw in some sliced zucchini for good measure.

My favorite pan for cooking one-dish skillet style dinners is hands down the Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3.5 -Quart Round Braiser. It is the perfect size for our family of four. I love that it is deeper than a traditional skillet and has a lid that fits just right. Not to mention that it moves seamlessly from stove to oven if you have a dish that needs both methods of cooking.

 

Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Parmesan

A simplified version of chicken parm, bulked up with delicious zucchini and served up over pasta. It's a one-pan recipe that's perfect weeknight comfort food.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 229kcal
Author: Katie Goodman

Ingredients

  • 1/2 batch Tomato Sauce found here on Simple Bites
  • 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • Salt, Pepper, and Dried Italian Seasoning to taste
  • 2 - 3 teaspoons Olive Oil
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 medium-sized zucchini sliced in rounds about 1/3 of an inch thick
  • 8 slices Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
  • Fresh Parsley and/or Fresh Basil Chopped, for garnish
  • Pasta for serving, if desired

Instructions

  • Prepare 1/2 of a batch of Aimee's wonderful 4-Ingredient Tomato Sauce - this can be done in advance and refrigerated for a day or two or stored in the freezer.
  • Cut each chicken breast in half. Using a meat tenderizer, pound each side of the breast. It isn't necessary to pound them until very thin, just a few whacks per side to help tenderize them.
  • Sprinkle each side of the breast with salt, pepper, and dried Italian seasoning according to your preferences.
  • Heat the oil over medium heat in a 3.5 quart stove top safe pan that has a lid. I love my Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 3.5 -Quart Round Braiser for jobs like this.
  • Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. After browning the chicken, sprinkle them with freshly grated Parmesan. Pour the sauce over and cook covered on low to medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
  • Remove the lid and arrange the zucchini on top in between the chicken pieces. At this time also layer a slice of fresh mozzarella on top of each piece of chicken. Replace lid and cook for another 15 minutes on low heat.
  • Sprinkle with fresh parsley and basil, if desired, for a garnish and serve alongside pasta.

Notes

-If desired, add the mozzarella after the final 15 minute cook time and place under the broiler for a few minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
-If you like, get creative and add additional vegetables to the sauce such as: sauteed fresh mushrooms, grated carrots, red bell peppers, chopped fresh spinach.

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 7.7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 0.7mg

More Skillet Dinners to Try

What are you enjoying for dinner now that the summer months are coming to a close?

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Recipe Rating




38 Comments

  1. This looks delicious! I make a lot of skillet meals, but they more often than not involve eggs and rice 🙂 I will have to try this one!

  2. 5 stars
    We just had friends give a bunch of huge zucchinis from their garden. We have been wondering what new recipes we could try. This one looks delicious. It will be the first one on our list. Thanks!

  3. I just whipped this up for a meal for 2. I made the sauce in the skillet from a can of diced tomatoes, some garlic, basil, and olive oil. Then I poured that into a bowl, rinse out the skillet, and used it for the chicken. I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs so I didn’t even bother with pounding, and half a slice of mozzarella on each piece. Before I flipped the chicken over, I sprinkled the uncooked side with the cheese, then I did it on the cooked side as well. That seemed to have given it a little crust. So…tada! 😀

  4. This looks so great – easy and melty and delicious! I covet your Le Creuset … I’ve wanted a braiser or dutch oven for ages and ages. I think I just need to campaign really, really hard for one this holiday season.

  5. This looks terrific and what a wonderful way to use zucchini! I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution as always). Thanks for always inspiring me with your creations…

  6. 5 stars
    I made this last night. Soooo gooooood! I was actually surprised by how good it was and wished I’d made more; there were no leftovers. LOL! Even my picky son liked it.

  7. I’m excited to try this recipe – just picked up what seem like the last of the season’s zucchini’s at the grocery store!
    Aimee, have you heard of pepperplate.com? It’s a meal-planning, recipe-keeping website that you can also use on the iPhone or iPad, and you can import recipes from the web if the sites are linked to pepperplate. Websites like Food Network, The Pioneer Woman, and Tasty Kitchen are available to link to. They stay cited as that person’s recipe. I’d love to use your recipes in Pepperplate without having to retype them. You should look into it!

  8. I made this tonight and it was a major hit with the hubs. I am sure it would have been a hit with the child as well, you know, if he ate anything other than chicken nuggets and fries -___-

  9. Just wondering how much 1/2 batch of Aimee’s Tomatoe Sauce equals? 1 cup?2? I have some leftover sauce I would like to use up…Thanks!

  10. 5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was excellent!! I served it with sauteed spinach and garlic and crusty whole grain Italian bread. I will definitely make this again!

  11. Mmm Mmm…good! Just saw this and can’t wait to get to the grocery store to get the ingredients, have some but not all. I’m going to make it this original way first, which I’m sure Ill love! Then I’m going to experiment too…spinach is a great idea, I’ll prob use mushrooms too! So glad you came up with this recipe. Everyone, eat up and enjoy this creation, as I’m sure I will! Thanks for the recipe and your imagination! I can’t do that, although I love to cook…but have to use others’ recipes, no imagination of my own! Except when I daydream about winning the lottery…then I have a great imagination of what that money is going to do!!! lol

  12. 5 stars
    I cooked this last night and served it with salad and toasted French bread. It was a easy yet healthy and delicious meal. Thanks for sharing your recipe and picture.

  13. 5 stars
    A super dish. I don’t cook much but used this as a guide and it was really satisfying. Who knows how great it would taste if we had prepared the sauce!

  14. Do you know the calories, carbs and protein in a serving? It is very good. I’ve made it several times.

  15. 5 stars
    This was a big hit with the family and a much simpler, yet just as delicious (if not more so), version of chicken parm! I threw it under the broiler before serving, which was a nice addition. Thank you for the great recipe!