Mexican Chicken and Zucchini cooked in one skillet with black beans, corn, fresh herbs, taco seasoning and melted cheese on top. One pan, low carb and 30 minute dinner.
Mexican Zucchini and Chicken
This Tex Mex chicken and zucchini is a variation of my black bean quinoa casserole with added chicken for a protein boost and quinoa replaced by zucchini. Everything is cooked within 30 minutes, right in one pan.
Tender chicken breast, soft black beans, sweet corn and squash, which is added at the very end to preserve the crunchiness.
This Mexican zucchini and chicken was delicious! Cooked with diced tomatoes, cumin, taco seasoning, topped with cheese and fresh herbs. I added just a cup of shredded organic Colby Jack cheese and a few handfuls of cilantro and green onions. Fresh herbs are a great way to add flavour to any dish without extra calories.
Enjoy! Also make sure to try my chicken zucchini with garlic corn and zucchini bake.
How to Make Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini
- Preheat large deep skillet on low – medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper; saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Move vegetables to the side of the skillet and add chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tsp cumin, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add corn, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, taco seasoning and remaining cumin. Stir, cover and cook on low-medium for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook for a few minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with green onion and cilantro. Serve hot, on its own or with brown rice or quinoa.
Tips for Best Chicken and Zucchini
- Do not over cook zucchini – Follow the recipe and do not cook until zucchini appear soft and cooked.
- Watery skillet? Means overcooked zucchini. They comprise of 95% water and the longer you cook squash, the more water it releases.
- No need to drain diced tomatoes – Its juices add flavor.
- Use very large skillet – This recipe makes a lot and not overcrowded skillet results in more firm zucchini.
- Chicken -You can use raw chicken breasts, thighs, tenders or even shredded cooked chicken.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Do not freeze – zucchini will become a total mush once thawed. Again, 95% water content issue.
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 again zucchini will release water.
More Low Carb Dinner Ideas
- Garlic chicken, zucchini and corn
- Caprese chicken and zucchini
- Ground turkey and pesto skillet
- Chicken zucchini casserole
- Zucchini lasagna
- Mexican cauliflower rice
- Also check out my other 45 quick and healthy dinner ideas.
Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini
Mexican Chicken and Zucchini cooked in one skillet with black beans, corn, fresh herbs, taco seasoning and melted cheese on top. One pan, low carb and 30 minutes dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium bell peppers, chopped
- 1 lb boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 cup corn, frozen or fresh
- 2 large zucchini, diced
- 14 oz can low sodium black beans, drained & rinsed
- 14 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1 tsp store bought or homemade taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp cumin, divided
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Tex Mex or Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat large deep skillet on low – medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper; saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Move vegetables to the side of the skillet and add chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tsp cumin, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add corn, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, taco seasoning and remaining cumin. Stir, cover and cook on low-medium for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook for a few minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with green onion and cilantro. Serve hot, on its own or with 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 again zucchini will release water.
Notes
Do not over cook zucchini. Follow the recipe and do not cook until zucchini appear soft and cooked. They comprise of 95% water and the longer you cook squash, the more water it releases.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Just made this with zucchini, cilantro and chives (in place of green onion) from my garden. It is delicious!!!
Yay! So happy to hear, Doris!
We loved it! Hubby even ate three helpings! I read the comments and added the zucchini part way through the 10 minute cooking. It was perfect! I didn’t have any cilantro, but would have liked the added flavor. Next time. We like things hot, so I added a little Sriracha sauce at the end. I served it with a side of brown rice and corn bread. Hubby said it was definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
I’m so happy your family loved the recipe. Thanks for sharing that with me, Judy!
I made it and it was delicious. My husband had seconds and left overs. I didnt have black beans but I added a can of diced green chili. yummmy. this is going into my recipe book:-) thank you for sharing
★★★★★
You are quite welcome Rebecca!
My family loved this! I only have a 12-inch skillet so I only used about 3/4 onion,1 and 1/2 zucchini, and one red bell pepper. It wouldn’t have all fit otherwise. But oh my, it was good. Some of us had some corn tortillas with it and the rest had tortilla chips. We will definitely make it again sometime. Great way to get the kids to eat veggies!
★★★★★
Yay! Glad this recipe was a hit with your family Delisa!
Dinner this week
Very tasty! I had to cook it a little more so that the zucchini was soft enough for relatives with dentures, but it turned out like stew. We really liked it
★★★★★
Glad it was enjoyed Carol!
Tastes amazing! Do you have a gas stove or electric stove? I’ve followed the recipe exactly 3 times now and it’s been watery every time. When I cover it and cook it for 10 minutes it hardly even cooks the zucchini and there’s still a bunch of water in it. Maybe I’ll try draining the canned tomatoes?
★★★★
Hi Brett. I have an electric stove. I am not sure why it is turning out so watery for you. If the zucchini is cooked too long it will release more water. I suppose you could try draining some of the liquid from the canned tomatoes. Let me know how that works out for you.
We really enjoyed this recipe! So quick, easy, delicious, and healthy too!
Does anyone know how many Weight Watchers Blue points a serving would be?
★★★★★
On blue, only the cheese would have points. You could portion out the cheese and add it once you have your portion in your bowl. It will still melt nicely.
So if beans were not used, this recipe could be low carb?
Pretty much.
Made this dish tonight and it was delicious!
★★★★★
Such an amazing, delicious, and fast recipe❤️.
★★★★★
I have zucchini coming out of my ears, or rather my garden, and your recipe is one of the best ways to use some of it! It’s VERY tasty and my husband and I love it. (We’re empty nesters) We are both of Ukrainian descent (first generation in US) and my mom used to cook the way you have described your style of cooking – fresh and healthy. I still make a lot of her recipes. Love your salads as well! Dyakou!!
★★★★★
I love hearing this Vicky! Thanks for sharing.
This was so good Olena. We love dinners like this all in one pan, just without cilantro (can’t stand it).
★★★★★
This was amazing! I forgot to add the cilantro which most likely would have enhanced but I did add slices of avocado on top when I served and my family of four gobbled it up.
★★★★★
So happy you enjoyed it! Next time you make it I am sure you will remember the cilantro!
Will make again! I didn’t have cumin and just added some more paprika and chili powder to the homemade taco seasoning. Absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Ive made this recipe twice now. My husband and I love it! Can’t wait to explore the rest of your recipes!
★★★★★
Love to hear this Tracy!
I used chili ready tomatoes, need alittle more spice. I loved it!
★★★★★
Great dish. I added an extra teaspoon of the taco seasoning. My husband and I enjoyed this dish. We eat a lot of Tex-Mex meals and will definitely add this to our recipe book. Thank you for dharing
★★★★★
You are welcome Dee!
This recipe is so amazing!! I am not a leftover person, but with this recipe I look forward to the leftovers. I tweaked it slightly by adding a can of corn instead of a cup, and also by using an entire packet of McCormick taco seasoning. I also diced up two jalapeños and added that for some spice! We also made it into tacos and it was amazing! I have some picky eaters in my house, so healthy tacos satisfied everyone’s cravings! I had to send this recipe to my mom to try for herself! I will definitely be making this again and again!
★★★★★
Thanks for the positive feedback Courtney!
If I could rate this higher, I would. I am a very picky eater – BUT this is amazingly delicious. Thank you Olena.
★★★★★
You’re welcome Sherri!
I’m trying to get my family to eat healthy. This dish was everything! My husband and kids loved it.
★★★★★
So happy to hear this LaToya!
I like to freeze the leftovers in single-size quantities. I then re-heat them over a skillet and add some egg whites for a super-easy, healthy breakfast scramble!
Great idea Callan!
Loved it! I followed the recipe and it was delicious. Served it over rice as suggested and then served it separately with taco chip. Both ways were great.
I’ll definitely make it again.
So happy to heat this Lynn!
Has anyone used this with ground chicken?
I was wondering the same or ground turkey. Did you end up trying the ground chicken? How was it and how much did you use?
Really delicious! I used more chicken than the recipe called for and used the whole bag of frozen corn. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as given. Hubby loved it and I’m sure we will be making it again. Thank you!
★★★★★
That’s fantastic Monna!
This is so good !! I added a package of Mexican street corn!
★★★★★
Awesome recipe! I am diabetic and this is a great use of veggies!!!!!!
★★★★★
Awesome!
I love trying new food ideas, and my fiance was very impressed with this one. The kids loved the cheese hahaha. I will definitely be making it again.
★★★★★
Great!
I just made this dish and even my 11 year old niece agreed that it was yummy! Thank you and continue to inspire with your fabulous recipes.
★★★★★
So happy to hear this Willette!
I’m not a cook by any means, this was delicious even though mine didn’t end up looking like the picture. Only thing I think would change the next time is make it with shredded chicken. Very good!
★★★★★
Easy and delish! I used chicken tenders to save on time. My family and I loved it!
★★★★★
Amazing!! Easy and quick to make. Tasteful and filling. #cheesy
★★★★★
Whole family enjoyed this dish. The kids prepared it – easy, no fuss recipe! Thank you.👌
★★★★★
Love that your kids made this meal Adele. So happy your family liked it.
Really good. Left out the zucchini. Son-in-law does not like. Slow cooked the chicken and shredded. Cooked veggies together (added spices) then combine with the chicken in glass dish. Cooked in oven for 20 minutes then sprinkled pepper jack cheese on top. Will definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Fantastic!
We felt the need to add approx 1/2 more of the seasonings and added 1/4 tsp of crushed red peppers. We like chicken breasts & thighs, so I left the pieces whole while cooking (until almost done) and placed back on top the vegetables. Als, after I put the cheese on, I put it in the oven on broil for 3 minutes and sprinkled the cilantro on top. Delicious!!!
★★★★★
Everyone in the family enjoyed
★★★★★
Great recipe with fresh ingredients!
★★★★★
Based on the ingredients I knew it would be good, but I was shocked at how much I loved it.
★★★★★
Awe, love hearing this Britney!
This is a great low calorie, flavorful dinner. We ate it tonight and really enjoyed it. I used the recipe as it is and found it to be great! Thanks for this healthy, veggie filled recipe.
★★★★★
So happy that you enjoyed this recipe Karen 🙂
This dish is delicious. We made two batches one with the chicken and cheese and another vegan dish. We substituted the chicken with tofu and removed the cheese. My vegan kids loved it too! Looking forward to making more of your recipes
★★★★★
Makes me so happy to hear this Nancy!
This meal is AMAZING. Love all of Olena’s recipes 🙂
★★★★★
All of your recipes make me so hungry. I really appreciate how healthy they are. I plan to make several this coming week.
★★★★★
Awesome! Don’t hesitate to let me know what you think of the recipes 🙂
I work with I work with mentally challenged individuals the young man I work with really enjoys Hands-On cooking and very much enjoyed the recipe when it was done thank you so much
★★★★★
So happy to hear this Pat!
Super delicious & easy to make. My whole family enjoyed it (:
I actually wrapped it in a burrito & that was excellent. Healthy & didn’t feel heavy in my stomach
★★★★★
That’s great Aly!
Yummy and easy recipe. I served it over brown rice. My son who is a very picky eater gobbled it up. I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
That’s fantastic Crystal!
My family loved it!!
★★★★★
Unreal dish! Enjoyed cooking and eating it. 5 stars from me 🙂
★★★★★
Super easy, tasted great plus it’s healthy!
★★★★★
Tasted good. My daughter ate it right up with a little sour cream on top.
★★★★
Very good!!
★★★★★
My dad is not one to enjoy eating veggies, so he was very surprised at how much he liked it. My mom requested that I make it again less than 1 week later! I love how many different veggies are incorporated and how good it tastes while still being healthy. We used salsa instead of canned tomatoes for a little extra flavor. So good!
★★★★★
This was delicious! We topped it with a little fresh lime juice and it was awesome! We made one with chicken and one without (vegetarian I. The house too!). Both were great and a huge hit!! We served ours with whole wheat couscous.
★★★★★
It smelled wonderful, it tasted so good!
Both my toddlers Cleared their plates !
Thank you
★★★★★
Sounds like this recipe was a “win” for your family! So happy about that Marzieh!
Delicious! Just happened upon this recipe & it has become a favorite!
Love all the flavors & the wonderful aroma the food cooking has is so comforting….esp knowing what’s for dinner is knock your socks off yummy & nutritious too! Win-win! <3
Since it's just us empty nesting now, will try freezing some for later. Hope that it tastes as good on the backside, coz I KNOW it tastes as good or better the next day . 🙂
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback Jeanie!
I have made this recipe several times. Easy, used items in the pantry, makes plenty and leftovers are even better!!!
Love hearing this Kathy!
Not sure what happened to mine but it ended up being watery and was more so like a soup. Still tasty though!
★★★
Cooked zucchini too long so they released water. They are 90% water.
SO EASY AND DELICIOUS!
The family LOVED it!
★★★★★
Yay! That’s fantastic to hear Nanette 🙂
So yummy!! We added hot sauce for some extra flavor at the end. Definitely would eat over something like brown rice as the zucchini releases a bit of liquid. Will be making in the future for sure!!
★★★★★
Thanks for the positive feedback and the tip about the hot sauce Gina!
This was great and easy on the carbs. What’s the fiber grams per serving?
★★★★★
I turned it on, should show now.
So good and so easy!
★★★★★
The dish was absolutely amazing, everyone in the household loved it !
★★★★★
I’m excited to make this recipe, but I’m curious where all the sodium is coming from?! Can someone help me out here?
It should be low sodium beans and tomatoes, I just fixed the nutrition. Also can add less alt if you wish.
My whole family loved this dish! Thank you!!
★★★★★
You are very welcome Amy!
This is a great tasting, healthy recipe. We make it with a little more taco seasoning and use cauliflower rice to keep it low carb.
★★★★★
Lots of bold tastes all in one bite. Definitely a hit!
★★★★★
That’s what I like to hear Shannon 🙂
I made this recipe. It did turn out tasty! The family liked it. We like spicy so I added red chili flake. Serves this over brown rice with Taco sauce. To make it more individualized I didn’t melt cheese on top I let the family add there own cheese along with the green onions and cilantro.
★★★★
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback Lisa!
I added mushrooms and didn’t measure the taco seasoning. I just sprinkled it over it until it seemed about right. It was healthy and delicious.
★★★★
That’s fantastic Sandi!
This was a easy recipe to make my wife enjoyed it
★★★★
Would this freeze well?
Zucchini doesn’t freeze well and will get watery.
My husband is not a chicken fan, and rarely eats anything with chicken in it. He loved this dish! The whole family did. It was so full of flavor, and quick and easy to make. I will definitely be making this one again!
★★★★★
Hi Christy! Gotta love when the whole family loves the meal you cook. That’s a win!
This was such a great dinner! I used all my chicken for chicken pesto sandwiches but I had bought canned chicken as a backup. I’ve never used it before but we use canned tuna so I used it in this recipe. It worked great and saved a lot of time and prep work. We served this over brown rice! Delicious!
★★★★★
I’m just curious what makes the cholesterol so high? Asking for my mom because she has to watch hers. This recipe sounds amazing though!
Chicken mostly and a bit cheese.
My husband and I both thought this was very good and healthy.
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious
From Crosby Texas
★★★★★
Delicious! I added mushroom and used green peppers.
★★★★★
Amazing and very flavorful!
★★★★★
My favorite recipe. We mix in Spanish rice which might make it less healthy, but it is the bomb!
★★★★★
Awesome! Thanks for the positive feedback Madison!
My family fell in love with this recipe! Definitely will be making again.
★★★★★
That’s the best when a recipe is a hit with the whole family! Win!
I just made it and Oh MY!! It turned out better then I expected. The only thing I did different was add rotel instead of diced can of tomatoes, and I added some grape tomatoes. Everything else exact recipe. Thanks for this one
★★★★★
So welcome Marci!
This was easy and tasty. I didnt have the black beans and I only used one pepper but double the corn. I had salsa and sour cream on the side of mine. My husband by and granddaughter liked it. This is a keeper!
★★★★★
My family and I love this one.
★★★★★
So great to hear Corina!
This was easy and tasty. I didnt have the black beans and I only used one pepper but double the corn. I had salsa and sour cream on the side of mine. My husband by and granddaughter liked it. This is a keeper!
★★★★★
Yay! So glad to hear that Diane!
I just made this and apart from halving some of the ingredients because there are only two of us, this was really delicious. It will definitely go into my regular dinner menu ideas. Thank you.
★★★★★
That’s great Sibylle!
Great recipe, wish my zucchini was cooked a little more, and I would replace some of the tomatoes with a can of ROTEL for some extra flavor, but besides that awesome and SO filling!!
This was super easy to make and easy to make adjustments according to your tastes. It was yummy and everyone liked it!
★★★★★
So great to hear Brenda!
This was amazing! My whole family gave it two thumbs up! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Happy to hear the recipe was enjoyed by your family Toni!
I’ve made this a half dozen times and my family loves it. I did put the chicken in the pressure cooker once to see how it would turn out. I was told not to do that again. Haha. The flavor was still fantastic. It turned out to be a texture issue. This is one of our faves.
★★★★★
I made this last night and the whole family loved it!
I did make a few tweaks, but pretty minor ones. I doubled the garlic, and at *least* doubled the cumin and taco seasoning (I just kept adding more until it tasted “right”). Used a bit more salt than it called for too. We live in Texas though so we like things salty & spicy, haha!
This is a 5 star dish. Will be making it regularly from now on!
★★★★★
So glad your family loved this recipe!
I did tweak it a little bit by seasoning the chicken with my usual seasonings. But overall… WOW. This was a Great and simple recipe, the whole family loved it.
Thank you so much!
★★★★★
I’m so happy your family loved the recipe. Thanks for sharing that with me!
This is my favourite, go-to, healthy, tasty recipe, and love that it can be made in one pot! Thank you so much for sharing it. I also really appreciate that you shared the Nutrition facts.
★★★★★
You are so welcome Aditi! I am so happy that this recipe is one of your go-to meals!
This was delish! The cilantro sure made the flavours pop. I don’t really like zucchini- can omit and just add more peppers.
This is in my regular rotation now.
Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Marina! Thank you for the positive feedback!
Oh boy this was so delicious and easy I’m
Making it again.
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Angie!
I made this yesterday. It is delicious and so easy. My husband loved it!! We will have this often.
★★★★★
So happy to hear that you and your husband loved the recipe!
This recipe was great! Will this meal hold up if I freeze it?
★★★★★
Shelby! Glad you liked the recipe. The zucchini will become too watery if you freeze it. Hope that helps!
My husband, two adult housemates, and myself loved this recipe. Thank you for blogging these wonderful recipes.
★★★★★
You are very welcome, Mandy!
Loved this recipe
★★★★
I made this recipe in hopes that it would do it right but there was soooo much water in my skillet from the chicken/veggies. I don’t know if it turned out how it’s supposed to. I followed every step to the T!
Same here. Lots of liquid!
Maybe you overcooked the zucchini. That would release a lot of water.
Soooo delicious! I used olive oil, fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of plain and maybe a little extra taco seasoning, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It’s even great without cheese if you want to save a few calories. Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
I made this for my family and they all loved it. I will definitely make over and over. Thanks!
★★★★★
“1 tbsp avocado or coconut oil”
is olive oil instead okay?
★★★★★
Yes!
Hi, are the diced tomatoes getting drained first? Don’t want to make it soggy, but not seeing it say to drain, so just want to be sure before I attempt it. Thanks!
Not drained.
Recipe was a hit with family, I will be making it again.
★★★★★
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback, Amanda!
It was so easy! I had all the ingredients in my fridge so I didn’t even have to make a special trip! The food was delicious!!!! We ate it with a small serving of quinoa and sliced avocado!
★★★★★
Bomb recipe! my family loved it. Very light and yet fulfilling!
★★★★★
I love your recipes!!! This turned out great!!! I made a double recipe because we all love low carb. I added mushrooms and additional Mexican seasonings and it was awesome ??❤️
★★★★★
Wow- so full of flavor!! Love your recipes because you use lots of veggies and other healthy ingredients. This is a keeper, thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Excellent! We will be making this again soon.
★★★★★
I made this recipe and it was a HIT. My husband wanted me to make if for dinner the following night. Even my daughter that is not into eating veggies love it. I will be trying different recipes and will keep you posted how the turn out
★★★★★
This was amazing! I took out the chicken only because I was looking for a veggie side dish and it was phenomenal. I’ll be making it again and again!!
★★★★★
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I am restricting dairy for the time being – any suggesting for replacing the cheese? Thanks!
Maybe nutritional yeast or skip and just lime and cilantro it well.
We made it without cheese. Delicious!
Oh my goodness!!!! I didn’t have any cumin so I just doubled down on taco mix! This is absolutely the best healthy recipe I have ever had! OH YEAH! Thank You so much for posting this recipe! I’m not sure how it tastes with cumin, but if it is any better than this I would be surprised! Thanks Again!
Making now. I dont have any cumin what else would work? Thanks
I found this recipe recently. I wanted something quick and healthy to make for my boyfriend and we both loved it!!
★★★★★
Loved this recipe I made for my adult children. Did make a few changes to “UP” the Mexican flavors. I used about 1 Tablespoon of Taco seasoning – 1 tsp sprinkled on the chicken before sauteing it; and the other 2 tsps. added to the liquid with the diced tomatoes. I used Colby-jack cheese, one green and one red pepper to increase color interest, cut the raw chicken into long narrow strips, and sliced the zucchini into rounds on a mandolin; all to increase visual interest in the dish. The dis h was a hit with all! 🙂
Will make again for sure.
Prep time was more like 10 to 12 minutes – still relatively quick
★★★★★
Quick, easy, delicious!
★★★★★
Tasty and so filling!
★★★★★
Amazing! Although, I would cook the chicken separately and drain the tomatoes next time around ?
★★★★★
Me and my daughter cooked it this evening and typically when a healthy recipe says serves 6 it means 3 so I doubled it. thank goodness it was a hit with the wife and the other kids cause there’s plenty of leftovers. Now I just have to figure out how to heat me some up on the job site from the heat of the welding machine engine. ?
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Vincent! Thank you for the wonderful review! Bring in a stainless steel thermos? Place glass container nearby the heat? 🙂
Delicious! Family hit! Definitely keeping recipe
★★★★★
So happy to hear your family enjoyed a healthy dinner, Christine!
Trying to cut carbs in the New Year and thought it would be tough – but with recipes like this – it isn’t! We found this easy to make and super tasty. We didn’t have much for leftovers so that must be saying something about how much we liked it!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Sandra!
We made this the other night and it was delicious! We had plenty of leftovers so I ate it again the next day. Kids loved it too! This is one of our favorite new meals now 🙂
Ours turned out a little watery as well but it’s probably the extra zucchini I added, we love zucchini, after it cooled down it did thicken up more. We served over rice and it was delicious.
★★★★★
That is the best when kids (& the rest of the family) love what we moms make. That’s so great! Over rice that’s how we do as well. 🙂
This is a really good and relatively easy recipe! I’m not sure what I did wrong as I tried following the measurements by the dot but felt it came out a bit watery and not savoury enough? However we had it with some sriracha,fresh cilantro and spring onions,and yoghurt on the side and WE LOVED IT! IT IS A KEEPER RECIPE!
I randomly discovered your blog but I already love it! As a mom and wife, I can really appreciate ready meal recipes that can also be freezer for later. I’m just cooking the one pot enchiladas ATM actually and is already looking great! Thank you so much for sharing your lovely recipes! Yum!!
Ps. Have you got any recipe that could utilise green Thai chili paste, I have half a jar that don’t want to waste?
★★★★★
Hi Kristiana. Welcome and so happy to hear. If you are looking for more freezer meals, check out my 10 healthy freezer meals. And you can sub green chili paste for red or yellow in any recipe. Try my Thai chicken curry.
Loved it. Just made it tonight. Something healthy for the New Year. We made soft tacos out of it and had taco rice on the side. Brown rice would of been healthier but, out of that tonight Big portion with left overs. On the list to continue to make.
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Happy New Year!
Would avacodo be good to add in this recipe?
Yes but after cooking.
Mine turned out a bit soupy.. is this normal? Flavor is great!
Probably cooked zucchini too long so they released more water.
Became an instant favorite!
★★★★★
It was pretty good but the prep time needs to be adjusted to say 30-45 minutes. I was hoping to whip this up in a half hour and it took me an hour and a half to chop everything up and cook it.
★★★★
I had to chop the zucchini and garlic but, I opted for buying containers at walmart with already chopped red and green peppers and onions. I paid 2.78 for each container but, it did cut down the time and I didn’t have to cry chopping up that onion!
Just made this delicious recipe the whole family loved it there was nothing left! I could eat it with or without the chicken. Will definitely be adding it to our family menu!
★★★★★
Delicious! Boyfriend & cousin loved it. Enjoyed it with a side of salad!
★★★★★
Made this tonight! Amazing!
★★★★★
Great recipe! I made this once exactly as written and it was awesome. The second time I decided halfway through that I wanted to make it into a quick enchilada soup, so after cooking the onion, bell pepper, and chicken, I added the rest of the veggies plus about 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth, 6 oz of cream cheese and a couple tablespoons of tomato paste, let it boil to thicken up and then simmered for about 15 minutes, spooned into bowls and topped with the cheese and a little sour cream and fresh cilantro – it was delicious both ways!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kara.
This is a great low calorie recipe that tastes like comfort food! Thank you.
★★★★★
You are very welcome!
cooked this tonight and it was delicious. Very tasty
★★★★★
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from this site and it was DELICIOUS!! My wife and two young daughters loved it as well! So glad I stumbled across this site and am looking forward to trying more recipes from Olena ASAP!!
Cheers,
Travis
★★★★★
Yay! Thanks so much Travis for taking time and leaving a feedback. 🙂
This is one of the easiest most delicious recipes .. a must eat
★★★★★
My whole family loved this!! Even my picky 4 and 6-year-olds!!
★★★★★
LOVED this so much! Definitely will make again 🙂
★★★★★
Delicious! I added a jalapeno to a bit more spice
★★★★★
Delicious recipe for the family! Would do it again.
★★★★★
OMG. This recipe is amazing! My husband and I, along with our little 2.5 year old girl, are on a road to healthy eating, and to be honest , I dont know much about cooking healthy meals other than your usual salad. So today before I left work I quickly googled “healthy dinner ideas” and decided to click on this website. Best choice of my day! The recipe was easy to make since I had most of the ingredients at home already. My husband liked it so much that he asked me how I found out about it. Needless to say my little girl ate it without a problem as well. I’m so glad I stumbled into your website and will be sure to come back for more dinner ideas!
★★★★★
Awe, that’s awesome! Eating healthy is actually easy. Trust me. ALso look into my healthy Instant Pot recipes – they are a lifesaver when eating healthy.
Are the canned diced tomatoes supposed to be drained or is the liquid going in with them?
Not drained.
Made this tonight for dinner. I used RoTel tomatoes instead of just regular tomatoes. It turned out to be really good. Will definitely make it again!!
★★★★★
Awesome!!!
Yum!! I made this for dinner tonight and my mom wanted to know where I got this idea! I made some quinoa to go with it and it’s just a wonderful comforting meal. This will definitely go into our rotation, I love meals that give me plenty of leftovers!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
HUGE hit at our house. Definitely will be making again.
★★★★★
So happy to hear!!!
I made this for dinner a couple of nights ago & it was a big hit. Will definitely be making it again
★★★★★
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Karen!
I love this recipe with or without the chicken! Probably one of my new favorite recipes to make. My kids love it too! Delicious. I forgot to grab diced tomatoes at the store the first time I made it and I threw in some chopped up cherry tomatoes from the garden and it came out great.
★★★★★
Yay! So happy to hear! Thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to let me know you enjoyed my recipe. From the garden is the best!
Made this tonight and the whole family loved it! Thank you for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Mckenzie.
I made this tonight. It was great!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Great recipe! Easy and fast. Lots of flavor and full of veggies. Love!
★★★★★
Yay! Thanks for your feedback.
Making it now. It looks super delicious.
★★★★★
Hope was good!!!
Love love this recipe.
It’s a keeper and one of our family favourites for a quick healthy meal.
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa!
Love love this recipe.
It’s a keeper and one of our family favourites for a quick healthy meal.
★★★★★
Love it! Have made it twice for family. Everyone loved it. Served it over brown rice. Prep takes some time, but with so many healthy ingredients, totally worth it.
★★★★★
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Jo!
I’m trying this recipe tomorrow!! Super excited!! But I’m wondering, is this a dish that freezes well after being cooked?
NO. It will be so watery and limpy. Zucchini are good only for baking after freezing. Just cut recipe in half if it’s too much.
Thanks so much!! This is only my second recipe using zucchini…we are trying to switch out some things for a healthier alternative!! This was so yummy!!!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Paula!
Love how flavorful this was. And so easy. ??
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Linda!
This recipe is delicious And easy to
Make!! Absolutely one of my most favorite meals to prepare. Served it over quinoa cooked with chicken broth. Amazing.
★★★★★
That sounds amazing. Glad you liked this recipe, Mary.
I would love to try this. I don’t have any chicken in the house. Would ground turkey be a good substitute?
Sure!
Very tasty didnt take long to cook id try it if i were you
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Earl!
We love this recipe!! It is great on its own, or served over rice, potatoes or pasta. A great way to use zucchini. Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
You are very welcome, Karen.
This looks very interesting I will give it a try, you know you are very good, I love your blog style and set up very nice.
Chef Ernie.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, dear Chef Ernie! xxx
Is it supposed to come out with so much liquid? After doing the last step (covered for 10 min) there is so much liquid left. Almost soup like. I must have done something wrong if so.
★★★★
No, it’s not. I didn’t have that. I wonder if your skillet was smaller so zucchini was crowded and kind of steamed more…
I’m having the same problem right now. I can’t figure out what I did wrong.
This is a very tasty and healthy dish. By the time you cut everything up, it takes an hour to prepare and cook. I have made it twice now and each time have made it the day before. This means I don’t have to do much on the night guests come and the flavours have time to develop.
★★★★
I was just wondering what to do with the zucchini I have. Sounds great!
Delicious! My son and husband loved it. Great flavors. Love the cilantro!
★★★★★
Enjoyed this dish the first day, added more corn while reheating it the second and third days. Makes more than enough for three meals for two people. Used it as burrito filling with sour cream and taco sauce. Delish! Will definitely be making this again and again.
★★★★★
My family (and our neighbors) absolutely loved this meal! My husband loves spicy foods so I might add a little extra spice for him next time. 🙂
★★★★★
I love this recipe! I followed exactly as written and it turned out perfectly. I particularly like that it’s a one pot meal. The bonus is that it’s healthy! I will definitely make again and I look forward to more of your recipes.
★★★★★
I came across your site today and reviewed all of the recipes that you posted.
I made this one tonight, as the recipe was written, no changes or additions and it was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing.
I am looking forward to the next one of your recipes to make!
★★★★★
Awe, you are so welcome! So happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes! Please don’t be shy to leave me a comment with a star review once you make any recipe. Have a great weekend!
Do you drain the corn and tomatoes?
Canned corn – yes, canned tomatoes – no.
Very good. I didn’t have taco seasoning so I put in a couple jalapeños and Tapito hot sauce. That added a bit of a kick. Mi esposo liked it a lot. I will make it again for the rest of the family this next weekend.
I just found your website today.
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Welcome.:)
Please don’t be shy to leave me a comment with a star review once you make any recipe. Have a great week!
This is a keeper. I used stew meat. I also added mushrooms and jalapenos.
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The Skinny Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini was delicious!! We loved it!
★★★★★
Loved it. I only had yellow squash and used that. I also used rotel 2 cans drained. And since we like a little spice I doubled the taco seasoning. My meat and potato husband really liked it!
Can this be frozen and baked at a later date?
Unfortunately not. Zucchini can’t be frozen usually. It will be a watery mess.
Very good, lots more flavor than I expected. I had a humongous zucchini, so I used all of it, poured in a whole can of corn, two 10oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chili’s, and increased the seasoning a bit. Increased servings to 8 but it’s just me, so it’ll probably be more like 10! Thanks for great recipe! It easily takes care of my veggie needs!
★★★★★
I love skillet meals, especially ones filled with lots of veggies, and this one was so good! Whole family enjoyed it, definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
O made this with “Impossible Beef”. Wow. I’m not a veggie-terian, but it was so delicious there was nothing left to take a pic of. My hubby didn’t even realize it was plant based. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Loved it!
Husband raved. This was a keeper for sure. Made it exactly as listed. Delicious! Didn’t need rice.
Was pleasantly surprised when I entered this in my Ww recipe calculator, it came to 4 points! When I just added the nutrition facts it was 9 – whew hew! Enough room for a dessert!
Oleana, not only do we share the same home town, but we also share the same heritage!
Keep the amazing recipes coming! Thank you thank you!
★★★★★
You are very welcome, Lisa!!!
Made this tonight, and it did not disappoint! Delish, easy to put together, and leftovers for work lunches – perfect! Will be making this again, thank you 🙂
★★★★★
You are very welcome!
I love this recipe and so do my kids! I have also made with ground beef (we buy grass fed from a local farm) and it is great this way as well!
★★★★★
Yes. Perfect. Grass fed beef is good.
We love this!!! Flavors are so good together. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks!
★★★★★
WOuld love to hear what else you try, Dana!:)
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe per serving? Calories? Fat? Carbs? Sodium?
Yes sorry missed this one. Will add in a few days.
I chose 3 recipes from your arsenal this week. This was 3/3 and did not disappoint (the others were chicken tostadas and peanut soba noodles). All recipes have simple ingredients, come together with minimal time and are full of flavor. I plan trying more next week. Thanks ?
★★★★★
Yay. That’s the goal. Enjoy!!!
This has become a staple in my family. Thanks so much for sharing.
★★★★★
REALLY good recipe, good for beginners and a really good meal health-wise too! Tastes really yummy in wraps
★★★★★
Oh my , good idea about wraps! Happy you liked!:)
THIS WAS FANTASTIC!!!! Hubby and kids LOVED IT!!! I used Trader Joe’s Chunky Salsa, instead of can diced tomatoes! Put it over riced cauliflower for Hubs and I, and Orzo pasta for the kids. So versatile, next time gonna throw in some broccoli florets, mushrooms, etc. ONE-POT WONDERS ARE THE BOMB!!!!
Wow, I’m so glad I found you!! I have an awesome pic, not sure where to post it!! Gonna do the ground turkey/zucchini next! Thanks so much! 🙂
You are so welcome, Kathy!!! The best place to post is on Instagram and tag me #ifoodreal or @ifoodreal. Glad you found me and are enjoying the healthy recipes.
Loved it. Thanks for sharing
★★★★★
You are very welcome, Jeannie!
Quick, healthy, easy, and tasty everything I look for in a weeknight meal. I sometimes use salsa in place of the diced tomatoes to round out the flavor and give it a little more spiciness.
★★★★★
Great idea. So happy you liked it, Christal!!!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I added yellow squash and may add mushrooms and/or spinach in the future. It will now be added as a go-to meal for my family.
★★★★★
Awesome. Those additions sound great. Anything goes really.
Tried it and easy to make (even for a novice in the kitchen). The whole family loved it.
★★★★★
Thinking of making this tonight for dinner but I don’t have any zucchini, would yellow squash work?
Yes. Sorry this is so late. I was away on vacation. Hope you figured it out.:)
I came across this recipe googling “healthy recipes”. Love it!!! And it was a hit with my husband, who thinks most healthy dinners are too bland. I added a little more TexMex cheese, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Can’t wait to have the leftovers (there was plenty)!
★★★★★
Yay! Healthy food is not bland. If we don’t go from one extreme of junk food that kills our taste buds to plain rice, chicken and broccoli in meal prep containers weighed in, we can eat all this healthy and delicious food that’s called real food and be healthy!:) Please pass my personal 2019 message to him.:) So happy you found me!
THIS WAS AWESOME!
★★★★★
Delicious! The whole family gobbled it up and asked for seconds. Made enough for leftovers as well. Will be part of our regular rotation.
★★★★★
This dish is tasty! I replaced the diced tomatoes with Rotel. I will be making this again. Thanks for posting.
★★★★★
Glad to hear.:)
It was delicious! Any idea how much fiber in each serving?
Not sure but should be lots.:)
Love this meal. Found it looking for a recipe to use up some chicken and zucchini. This is now a family favourite – so tasty, nutritious and filling! It’s also so easy to put together. A bonus for a busy Mum.
★★★★★
Awesome!!!
Healthy yummy cheap and easy!
★★★★★
Looks so freakin good!
★★★★★
Super good!
★★★★★
My sister made this last week and it was awesome! I want to make it tonight, can I do this in the crockpot? maybe by adding the fresh veggies in later and adding rice?
I’m sorry but no. It will be a mush, especially rice. It’s pretty quick on a stovetop, I promise.:)
This was so amazing. I had to use chili powder instead of cumin and while it was tasty, I am sure The original recipe with cumin is even better! My picky eaters loved it and I now have lunch for the next two days!
I don’t think your eaters are that picky, Anne.:) I’m sure it tasted amazing with chili powder, maybe 5% less flavourful than with cumin.:) Great job!
Im confused on the calories. Ive put it into myfitnesspal as a recipe and im coming up with 419 calories per serving (1/6). Why is my number almost double yours??
Hi Christy. I can’t answer this question. I put calories calculated in spark people calculator for general guideline only. I do not count calories myself.
This was SO SO GOOD!!!!!! The leftovers were even better! The only thing wrong with it is that it’s already gone and I should have made double!
Hi Stacy. You must have many mouths to feed like me haha. Glad you liked it! Happy weekend!
I’m making this for dinner tonight. It looks delicious and the house smells amazing! Always looking for good, healthy dinners that i can make for my lunches as well. I’ve given up sugar so anything with so much yummy flavor is a godsend! ?
Yes. Me too! I always try to make large dinner for lunch leftovers since we barely eat sandwiches.
Good for you. I have given up sugar too lately. Trying to slim down. I made trail cookies today all naturally sweetened. I will post soon.
I was looking for some healthy recipe ideas and ran across your website. We LOVE this one and make it often; I have also shared it with friends. Thank you!
You are welcome, Marie.
This is my favorite meal that I make and my family loves it. This dish is satisfying and delicious.
Made this recipe tonight and it was a major hit! I left out the cilantro and used only one bell pepper, but it was still delicious. Thanks for sharing! I have it pinned so that I can make it again and share with my family and friends 🙂
Glad to hear that.:)
Kind of a silly question…But is the chicken already cooked before you add it to the pan? Or are you cooking it IN the skillet? Thanks!
Raw. Not a silly question.:) Many people are just learning to cook and I applaud to that.
I have a friend who just had surgery and her doctor is keeping her to a high protein, high veggie diet. I made this for her last night and it was exactly what she needed. Everyone else has been bringing her heavy dishes and she was so relieved when I brought this because it was clean and delicious! We fed 4 ladies and I still have enough for lunch today, it is perfect!
Thank you so very much for your recipes. I am making this again tonight. I’ve made it several times already these past few months. The family adores it! And they don’t think it’s “healthy” but little do they know, they are eating well. Thanks for sharing your marvelous creations with us!
You are very welcome! Thank you for such a nice comment from the bottom of your heart. I could tell.:)
This was amazing! Now I have lunch for the rest of the week. 🙂
Oh LOL. I know, my recipes are huge. 3 boys in the house. This is enough for not even two meals for us. Enjoy your lunches.
Its looks so good I am going to try it next month so I can get the stuff I need. Can you add sour cream and avocado with it also and the end when serving it.
Of course, why not?!
So excited to try this. I’m skipping the corn and beans to lower the carbs and adding avocado. So looking forward to this new recipe.
That works too! Enjoy!
This looks fantastic!
I am wondering though… Can this be frozen?
I would say no. Frozen zucchini doesn’t taste good, in my opinion. You can try though but the texture becomes like a cotton pad. Not good if you ask me.
Your instructions say to bring to a boil but there is no liquid in your ingredients. Do you drain the can of tomatoes or is that the liquid that you’d be boiling? I’m planning to make this for dinner tomorrow. Looking forward to trying it!
Yes, liquid from diced tomatoes. Do not drain them. Hope you like it!:)
I like to use avocado in place of cheese. It’s rich and creamyand balances out the spiciness.
That is a very good idea for a lighter version if you are on a strict nutrition plan too.:) Thanks!
I made this dish tonight and the 1 cup of cilantro ruined it. I was so looking forward to all the flavors but was disappointed with the overpowering taste of cilantro. 🙁
Feel free to adjust cilantro to your personal taste.:) I love fresh herbs. To me 1 cup for such a big casserole is perfect. But everyone is different. An easy fix.
Made this for dinner last night and loved it!! It was a hit! Thanks!
Making this for my carnivore boyfriend tonight! Hoping the cheese and chicken will distract him from all the healthy veggies 🙂
LOL. Men love Tex Mex cuisine. Just sprinkle more cheese on his plate.:)
This looks so amazing! I adore Tex Mex flavors. The colors in this are just beautiful. I’ll be so sad when summer is over! I love me some fresh produce 🙂
I will cry with you!:( Can’t believe summer is over soon.:(
I recently found your blog and LOVE it. Your recipes are wonderful. Simple, delicious, without all the added crap we don’t need and really don’t miss. 🙂 I completely agree with your view on dairy. Moderation is key. I learned this lesson when my babies had mild allergies, yep both of them, and I was breastfeeding so I couldn’t have ANY dairy. And I was HEAVY dairy prior to that. The only thing I truly missed was… CHEESE. There are no good replacements. I no longer haphazardly add it to everything though. Now, I make it count. If there is cheese in my dish it truly needs to add something. Thank you for your recipes. They have made several great additions to my supper table and my husband loves them too!
Hi Debbie. Well, thank you! I’m blushing. I agree with you – there are no good replacements for cheese. All that vegan cheese is not good either, full of [email protected], unfortunately. I tried, nope. I realized what dairy is when I started drinking whey protein and my skin would go nuts. I googled and I learnt a lot about dairy. Nope, thanks. Just a little bit and organic. Glad you enjoy my stupidly simple recipes.:)
We used to stock up on cheese too when we lived in Canada – it’s half the price in the US! I love anything Tex-Mex and this looks great!
Thanks, Kari. Yes, many things are cheaper in the US. I guess there must be a reason.:)
Such a gorgeously colorful dish – so much flavor! I am not a big cheese person, but my daughter loves it – she tries to get me to buy those humongous pkgs at Costco, but I haven’t yet!
Thanks, Shashi! What kids do not love cheese?! I know. I used to buy those humongous bags of cheese and freeze it. My kids love cheese strings and Baby Bel. I wish it didn’t exist or at least was available in organic variation. I truly hate Baby Bel LOL. I buy it occasionally but waaaaaaay less than even a year ago.