Chicken And Zucchini Mexican Skillet Recipes

MEXICAN CHICKEN ZUCCHINI SKILLET

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion, peppers and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes.
• Add zucchini, corn and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
• Place the veggies in a bowl and set aside.
• Add chicken to the pan and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
• Cook for approximately 7-8 minutes or until no longer pink in the inside and a little brown.
• Once the chicken is cooked through add the veggies back to the pan and stir well to combine.
• Add the tomatoes, then cover and cook on low heat for a few minutes. (add cheese now too if desired)
• Top with cilantro
• ENJOY!!

CRISPY PAN-SEARED CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI WITH OLIVES AND LEMON

Steps:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Using the tip of your knife, deeply score cut sides in a crosshatch pattern, spacing about 1/2" apart. Toss zucchini and 1 tsp. salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels (discard any liquid in bowl).
• Meanwhile, coat a large cast-iron skillet with 1 Tbsp oil. Season chicken on all sides with 1/4 tsp. pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and arrange in cold skillet (skin side down) in a single layer. Heat over medium and cook, undisturbed, until skin is deep golden brown and chicken is almost cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Turn chicken and continue to cook just until cooked through and lightly browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter (skin side up).
• Arrange zucchini (cut side down) in hot chicken fat in skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until surfaces are charred, 6-8 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until skin side is browned, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to platter with chicken.
• Heat garlic and remaining 6 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium until garlic is sizzling and just barely beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add chile and olives and cook, stirring occasionally, until chile starts to sizzle and brown slightly, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in oregano and lemon zest.
• Spoon garlic oil over zucchini and chicken. Squeeze some lemon juice over and serve with additional wedges alongside.

GARLIC CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Toss chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken mixture, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes or until golden brown.* Remove chicken; set aside.
• In same skillet heat remaining oil and cook Recipe Ready Sliced Zucchini, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender and starting to brown. Add back chicken and toss to heat through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and, if desired, chopped parsley. Serve with hot cooked rice.

CHICKEN AND ZUCCHINI SKILLET

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup of the dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 10 min. or until browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm.
• Add remaining 1/4 cup dressing and beans. Top with chicken; cover. Reduce heat; cook 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is cooked through (180°F), stirring occasionally and mashing beans to thicken sauce as desired.
• Stir in zucchini; cook 10 min. or until tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon chicken mixture over rice on large serving platter. Sprinkle with cheese.

SKILLET GRATINATE OF ZUCCHINI AND CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preparing the Chicken and Zucchini
• Place a rack in the center or upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°.
• If the chicken breasts are whole, cut them in half. Trim off any bits of fat, skin, or tendon. Flatten each breast half with a mallet (or the flat bottom of a heavy pan) to an even thickness, about 3/4 inch.
• Trim the stem and blossom ends of the zucchini and wash well. Slice across the squash on a sharp angle, creating long ovals, 1/4 inch thick. You should have about twenty pieces at least 3 inches long, and a few shorter pieces from the ends.
• Put 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in the skillet, tilt to coat the bottom, and set it over medium heat.
• Toss about half the zucchini pieces in flour to coat well (set flour aside to use for chicken), pat off any excess, and lay them in the pan. Keep the heat moderate, and let the pieces caramelize slowly for about 4 minutes. Turn when the edges are nicely browned on the underside; fry for about 2 minutes on the second side. With a slotted spatula, lift the pieces to a plate or tray (no paper towels are needed here) and salt lightly. Fry the remaining zucchini ovals in the same way and salt them. While frying, monitor the heat, keeping it high enough to brown the zucchini but not let them burn.
• When the zucchini are done, turn off the heat but leave all the oil in the skillet.
• Starting on the Stovetop
• Have all of your gratinate and sauce ingredients handy to the stove.
• You should have at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet (add a bit if needed). Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and set the pan over medium-low heat.
• Salt the chicken pieces lightly, flop them in the dredging flour to coat on both sides, and pat off excess. When the butter is just beginning to sizzle, arrange all six cutlets in the pan. Cook them gently for 1 1/2 minutes, then turn them over; they should be very lightly colored, with no browning.
• Maintain the gentle cooking while you assemble the gratinate.
• Sprinkle the chicken again with salt (using 1/2 teaspoon total for the dish).
• Spread a heaping tablespoon of tomato sauce on top of each cutlet.
• Arrange the zucchini slices on top of the sauced chicken, overlapping the ovals so each portion is neatly covered. Use all the zucchini.
• Now raise the heat a bit and begin to develop the sauce:
• Sprinkle the peperoncino onto an open "hot spot" where it will sizzle and toast briefly.
• Drop the remaining butter, in small pieces, in between the layered cutlets.
• After a few seconds, pour in 2/3 cup of the wine around the cutlets and let it heat briefly, 10 to 20 seconds.
• Spoon the rest of the cup of tomato sauce into the pan (not on the chicken).
• Bring to a simmer, then drop the mint into the sauce all around the pan.
• Give the pan a gentle shake or two, to mix and emulsify the sauce ingredients.
• Finally, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated cheese evenly over each zucchini-topped mound.
• At this point, the sauce should be about 1/3 inch deep in your pan or even higher, coming well up the sides of the chicken cutlets. If not, pour in the rest of the wine and as much hot vegetable broth or stock as necessary. Raise the heat again to bring the pan sauce to an active simmer.
• Finishing in the Oven
• When the sauce is simmering, place the skillet in the oven. (Put the handle in front and the food in the back.)
• Bake for about 10 minutes-and have thick pot holders or dry towels in hand before you touch the handle or the skillet!-then open the oven and check the pan.
• Right on the rack, give the skillet another gentle shake. There should still be plenty of sauce, and the cheese should be lightly colored. If the sauce appears syrupy, or close to evaporating, add more vegetable broth, stock, tomato sauce, or wine to raise the level.
• Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender and the gratinate top is deeply and evenly browned. If the cheese layer still appears too light, raise the heat in the oven as high as possible (turn on the broiler if it is top-mounted) and bake briefly until it is as dark and crispy as you like.
• Carefully remove the skillet from the oven, handling it with plenty of thick cloths. I carry it right to the dining table, where it makes a beautiful presentation (see the photo on page 286). While it is on the table, leave the cloths covering the hot handle. With a large, angled spatula, lift one portion of chicken-and-zucchini gratinate onto a dinner plate, then spoon over it some of the sauce.