Caprese Chicken and Zucchini cooked in fresh tomato sauce, with melted buffalo mozzarella cheese on top and garnished with basil. Serve on its own for easy low carb dinner or with spaghetti for a family meal.
In our house, everyone loves this Italian Ukrainian summer dinner. 🙂
Combining chicken and zucchini is one of my favorite summer dinners! If you are new here, you absolutely have to try the most popular Pinterest recipe of mine – Tex Mex chicken and zucchini.
Every year I come up with a different flavor profile. And this year we have Italian Ukrainian inspired low carb dinner.
First we make easy fresh tomato sauce with garlic, basil and balsamic vinegar. Then we simmer cubed chicken and zucchini in it. And then lay around slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, wait until it melts and top with more fresh basil and freshly cracked pepper. To die for!
Kids and husband gobbled it up with spaghetti. And I enjoyed probably 1.5 servings on its own.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken breasts or thighs: Boneless and skinless meat’s cook time is a perfect match for delicate zucchini.
- Zucchini or squash: Advice for summer – feel free to use dark green, light green or yellow zucchini or squash. Doesn’t matter.
- Fresh or canned tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes are the best as we cook them down into sauce. But you can also use 28 oz of canned diced tomatoes – please drain them.
- Fresh mozzarella cheese: Buffalo or fresh mozzarella cheese is soft log shaped white cheese in brine. It is traditional cheese used to make anything Caprese.
- Basil: Fresh basil adds incredible flavor to this dish and dried wouldn’t be the same. Use fresh parsley, if you wish.
How to Make Caprese Chicken and Zucchini
- Pick large 12″ – 14″ skillet to cook this dish comfortably. I am using this skillet in 14″ size I got from Costco but can’t seem to find it online.
- Cook chicken for about 10 minutes and push to the side – that’s why large skillet is handy. 🙂
- On empty side, cook tomatoes with garlic and spices – they will cook down into fresh and quick homemade sauce. Make sure this part is over the burner.
- Add zucchini, stir with chicken and sauce, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Do not peek in.
- Add cheese and cover to melt for 5 minutes. Again, do not peek in – let heat do its job.
Tips for Best Chicken and Zucchini Skillet
- Zucchini is ready when firm to the touch with a fork.
- Do not overcook zucchini as veggies will become soggy and dish watery.
- If you don’t have fresh mozzarella, use shredded regular mozzarella cheese.
- No fresh basil? Use fresh parsley but not dried basil.
- Tomato paste adds a depth of flavor. You can skip it – still tasty but a bit less. 🙂
How to Store, Serve and Reheat
Serve chicken and zucchini on its own for a light fare. As a mom, I eat less carbs for dinner than my husband and boys. For them, I cook spaghetti and it becomes a true Italian dinner. With Ukrainian twist. 🙂
Refrigerate leftovers in a glass airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Do not freeze. Once thawed, zucchini will “leak” all liquid and become a mushy mess. If this recipe is too many servings for you, cut recipe in half and leftovers will keep well for lunch/dinner next few days.
Reheat in a covered ceramic non-stick skillet on low-medium heat, for about 5-7 minutes. I wouldn’t add any liquid or oil to it at first and then “play it by ear”.
More Low Carb Zucchini Recipes
- Tex Mex chicken and zucchini
- Chicken, zucchini and corn
- Pesto turkey and zucchini
- Zucchini lasagna
- Chicken zucchini casserole
Caprese Chicken and Zucchini
Caprese Chicken and Zucchini cooked in fresh tomato sauce, with melted buffalo mozzarella cheese on top and garnished with basil. Serve on its own for easy low carb dinner or with spaghetti for a family meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian Ukrainian
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
- 2 lbs zucchini, cut in to 1″ cubes
- 9 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 lb tomatoes, sliced
- 6 oz can tomato paste, low sodium
- 2 tbsp oil, divided
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Handful fresh basil, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat large deep skillet on medium heat and swirl 1 tbsp oil to coat. Add chicken, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring once.
- Move chicken to the side of the skillet and keep empty part over the burner. Add 1 tbsp oil, garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, oregano, 1/4 tsp salt and a handful of basil. Cook this “tomato pile” for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add zucchini, stir everything together, cover and cook on low-medium for 12 minutes.
- Lay mozzarella slices on top, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle more basil and ground black pepper on top. Serve hot, on its own or with spaghetti, brown rice or quinoa.
Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 – 4 days. Do not freeze.
To reheat: Simmer on low heat in a skillet for 5 minutes covered. If you use non-stick skillet you should not need any water or oil to reheat the dish as zucchini will release water.
Notes
- Zucchini is ready when firm to the touch with a fork.
- Do not overcook zucchini as veggies will become soggy and entire dish watery.
- If you don’t have fresh mozzarella, use shredded regular mozzarella cheese.
- No fresh basil? Use fresh parsley but not dried basil.
- Tomato paste adds a depth of flavor. You can skip it – still tasty but a bit less. 🙂
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
This recipe is so good! The tomato paste really does add depth to the flavour. I added some chickpeas to make it a bit more filling without the pasta, and it was an absolute success! This will definitely be one of our go-to recipes at home from now on!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Louise! Thank you for the wonderful review!
I made this last night. Followed recipe exactly. Everyone loved it. I planned it around leftover angel hair pasta and we had it over some the pasta. Thank you!
You are welcome. I am so happy that your family enjoyed this recipe!
Made this last night…and I am eating the leftovers for breakfast! Yummmm! I made a fresh topping of diced mozzarella, diced cherry tomatoes, diced basil and diced avocados drizzled with a black garlic balsamic and served that over the top…oh, my, goodness! So yummy!
★★★★★
I am so happy to hear this Alysia!
Made this last night, followed the recipe exactly — just delicious!!! I served it over carrot spirals. This one is a keeper for sure, thank you!!!
★★★★★
You are so welcome. I love the idea of serving it with carrot spirals!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it was a big hit every time.
★★★★★
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback, Carol!
Made this last night….everyone loved it. I might try adding mushrooms next time also.
★★★★★
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Nancy!
This recipe was SO yummy and my entire family loved it!!! My only modification was to use italian tomato sauce instead of fresh tomatoes (only because I didn’t have enough on hand). I served with cauliflower gnocchi and it was really, really good. Definitely something we will make again.
★★★★★
That is the best when kids (& the rest of the family) love what we moms make. That’s so great!
My husband and son loved it, we had it with Penne Pasta it was very good and it was quick to make.
★★★★★
That is so amazing to hear! Glad everyone enjoyed my recipe.
This meal was so fun to make and the smell is amazing. My family ate 2nds and 3rds. I used squash instead of zucchini and I’m telling everyone about it.
★★★★★
Yay! I agree about the fun part. 😉 Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Andrea. And thanks so much for sharing.
Easy…delish…healthy! How can you go wrong with all that!!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly!
Yummy for me but my kid did not like texture of zucchini chunks in there. Next time I will shred the zucchini and make it disappear! 🙂
★★★★★
Sounds like a good idea to shred the zucchini for your kiddo!
My family loved this recipe and I have 2 picky eaters. Very easy to make and delicious.
★★★★★
Hi Debbie! So glad this recipe is a hit with your family!
Another amazing recipe! My girls who aren’t zucchini fans cleaned their plates. Thank you for continuing to come up with healthy and delicious recipes that my whole family loves.
★★★★★
You are so welcome Melissa!
This was a delicious. My family loved it!! I thought I would have leftovers “Nope”
Your site has made my meal planning so much easier…
Thank you
★★★★★
Thanks for making my day with your great feedback Carol 🙂 Next time you will have to double the recipe for leftovers!
AMAZING Recipe! Thank you for sharing. I followed the exact recipe with no changes – Delicious and healthy! My family loved it!
★★★★★
Thrilled to hear that your family enjoyed this meal Marie!
This recipe is amazing. The combination of chicken, zucchini, basil and fresh mozzarella made me feel like I was eating on a patio in Tuscany!
★★★★★
Enjoying all your recipes. Love the Ukrainian recipes. 🙂
★★★★★
Yum! Keeping this for later in the summer when we have more zucchini growing in the garden than we need. Can’t wait to try it with fresh basil from the garden!