This Chicken and Corn Recipe is a 20 minute low carb dinner that was inspired by my Ukrainian roots. Healthy, easy, garlicky and made in one pan!
We love similar skillets around here, like this chicken zucchini recipe, zucchini pizza skillet, ground turkey skillet and Caprese chicken with zucchini and tomatoes.
Table of Contents
This chicken and corn is a true representation of summer’s bounty. Low carb dinner with garlicky chicken pieces, charred corn and lots of zucchini.
And this chicken recipe is flavorful because of fresh ingredients, garlic and lots of naturally released juices from zucchini. Healthy meets delicious just like with chicken and tomatoes and zucchini noodles with chicken!
Have you ever tried to pan fry chicken breast until golden brown in a little bit of oil with salt, pepper and garlic? It is such a simple technique but one my favorite ways to cook chicken. That’s how my mom prepared cornish chicken when I was a kid. Entire apartment would fill with a smell of fried chicken and zesty garlic. So good, so Ukrainian!
Ingredients for Chicken and Corn
To make this delicious chicken and corn you will need just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Zucchini: Green or yellow zucchini cut into same size pieces for even cooking. I like half moon shapes but you can also dice the zucchini.
- Corn: Fresh corn or frozen corn kernels will taste great. If frozen, no need to thaw. If fresh, no need to pre-cook. Leftover cooked corn kernels from making corn on the cob in Instant Pot or crock pot corn on the cob will work too.
- Chicken: You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Also bone-in chicken like chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs can be used but will require more oil, longer cooking time and being covered.
- Garlic: This chicken and corn recipe truly relies on garlic flavor as there are no other seasonings. Make sure to use fresh garlic cloves and grate them. Not minced and no garlic powder substitute please.
How to Make Chicken and Corn with Zucchini
Here is a quick overview how to make chicken and corn with zucchini. For the most flavorful and browned chicken pieces and veggies, we will cook them separately.
- Cook chicken: Preheat cast iron skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds, it burns fast so keep stirring constantly. Then add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring a few times. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add zucchini and corn: Now add zucchini and corn (if frozen, do not thaw). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring about 2 times and not too often to allow veggies to get some nice char.
- Add chicken back to skillet and stir: Remove skillet from heat, sprinkle with fresh herbs and more freshly grated garlic if you wish (I do), and stir.
- Serve hot or cold: This chicken and corn recipe is a meal on its own. For boys or more hungry family members, I always cook a batch of brown rice, quinoa or pasta and pile up chicken and veggies on top.
Tips for Best Results
Here are my top tips for the best tasting chicken and corn dish!
- Add cheese, if you wish: Zucchini and corn is heavenly combo, no need for cheese, you’ve got garlic. But you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top after cooking because as these zucchini sticks prove, zucchini and Parmesan is another winning combination.
- For more browned chicken: Use cast iron skillet for more browned crispy garlic chicken.
- Cast iron skillet size: I love using 10″ wide cast iron skillet. When you add zucchini, skillet might look overflowing but squash will reduce in volume as it keeps cooking.
- Using different skillet: If you don’t have cast iron skillet or would like to cut back on oil, I recommend to use ceramic non-stick skillet. 12 ” would be even better and make sure its coating hasn’t worn off otherwise chicken will stick.
Need more dinner inspiration? Browse 65 quick healthy dinner ideas!
Variations
Here are a few simple add-ins you may enjoy with this chicken and corn depending on your fridge contents.
- Tomatoes: A handful of grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes chopped in half will complement zucchini and corn nicely, making skillet more juicy and colourful.
- Extra veggies: You can sauté some bell peppers or mushrooms with the chicken. Or you can wilt in some fresh spinach at the end.
- Bacon: I kept this chicken and corn recipe simple but I also love this dish with bacon. I think corn and bacon are amazing combo. I would recommend to cook about 3 bacon slices first, remove and crumble, then add back at the end. And you can fry chicken and veggies in bacon fat too. Or here is how to cook bacon in the oven.
- Yogurt or cream: Add a splash of heavy cream or about 1/4 cup of yogurt or sour cream at the end and with heat off. Healthier choice would be yogurt and higher fat %, tastier the corn chicken.
- Lemon or lime juice: As reviews show everyone loves lemon chicken with buttery sauce. I recommend to add 2 tablespoons or freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice for a zesty corn chicken.
How to Store and Make Ahead
This chicken and corn tastes both delicious cold or hot. Similar to cold chicken salad and cold grilled zucchini, especially on a hot summer day.
To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It keeps well for healthy lunch ideas. I recommend to reheat in a microwave to prevent chicken from drying out, or enjoy cold (it’s good!!!).
To make ahead: Refrigerate cubed chicken and zucchini while covered and separately for up to 2 days. Then it’s as easy as pulling out ingredients from the fridge and start cooking within a minute, especially after busy day at work.
Can I freeze it? Unfortunately zucchini doesn’t freeze well.
Enjoy this chicken and corn!
More Favorite Chicken Recipes
- Ground chicken tacos
- Healthy white chicken chili
- Chicken street tacos recipe
- Baked chicken and peppers
- Chicken burrito skillet
- Chicken burrito recipe
- Mediterranean chicken skillet
- Cashew chicken
- Pesto chicken and vegetables
More Favorite Corn Recipes
Chicken and Corn with Zucchini
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Zucchini and Corn:
- 1.5 lbs 3 medium zucchini, cut into half moon shapes
- 2 cups corn frozen or fresh
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 1 large garlic clove crushed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Garnish:
- 1 garlic clove crushed (optional)
- 1/4 cup dill parsley or green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Chicken: Preheat cast iron skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Then add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 8-10 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Zucchini and Corn: Cook the same way as chicken but for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken back to skillet and stir. Remove from heat, sprinkle with herbs and more garlic if you wish, stir.
- Serve hot or cold (I know!) with any salad or brown rice, quinoa, potatoes etc.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in a glass airtight container for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.
- Make ahead: Refrigerate cubed chicken and zucchini while covered and separately for up to 2 days.
- Zucchini: Green or yellow squash, cut into same size pieces for even cooking. I like half moon shapes but you can also dice zucchini.
- Corn: Fresh or frozen corn kernels will taste great. If frozen, no need to thaw. If fresh, no need to pre-cook.
- Chicken: You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast. Also bone in chicken part like drumsticks and thighs can be used but will require more oil, longer cooking time and being covered.
- Garlic: Not minced and no garlic powder substitute.
- Using different skillet: If you don’t have cast iron skillet or would like to cut back on oil, I recommend to use ceramic non-stick skillet 12 “.
Made this for dinner last night and it was DELISH!!! I’m going to try subbing other spices for the salt next time due to my hubby’s blood pressure. This recipe is definitely going on our dinner rotation. Easy to cook, easy to clean up.
Made this dish for the first time night before last and it was awesome! I didn’t have dill, green onions, or fresh parsley so I improvised a bit. I had chopped and frozen some parsley in my ice cube tray last week so I added two cubes to the pan, a dash of red pepper flakes, a dash of dried oregano, and a dash of dried basil. So good that I didn’t need to add the salt.
Great improvisations! That is what real food cooking is.
Olena, thank you, I am learning to cook with zucchini, and this recipe perfect for me. Anything with chicken. I am cooking this tonight.
Hope you liked it.:)
Thank you for posting this recipe. It is delicious! Exactly what I crave when it’s 100 degrees outside! Can’t get enough garlic.
We farm in WA state and raise corn among other things. Absolutely no sweet corn grown for fresh, frozen or canned is GMO corn. Corn grown for grain, like tortilla chips, can be GMO corn.
It can be really hard to know and decipher what is and what isn’t GMO. Hopefully that helps!
That is interesting. Why is that? Is it sprayed with pesticides? I assume so…Where in WA do you farm?
GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Plant genes can be manipulated to produce certain traits not naturally occurring in them.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I didn’t had corn so substitute with button mushroom. Wonder if it taste just like yours
A bit different but I’m sure still good.:) Corn adds sweetness. But mushrooms and garlic go awesome together.
That was delish. I was looking for a quick n easy chicken and vegetable dish. Used coconut oil and garnished with the dill and green onions. Thank you!
Welcome!:)
This is so my kind of dinner – especially lately. It is seriously perfect. My kids can have it with rice, I’ll eat a big bowl on it’s own 😉
Unless I missed something, you left cooking the zucchini out of the recipe. I’d really like to know what to do with it, as this looks amazing!
It is in step 2. Cook zucchini with corn. I will fix that. Tx for catching.
I’m with you, bring on the garlic! This recipe looks delicious, like all your recipes. Thanks!
Thank you so much!
This looks so simple and delicious. I love chicken too, it is my favorite meat of all time, especially chicken breast. Garlic in most meals here too! 😉
I sometimes here people can’t take amount of garlic in my recipes. Bring it on, for me.:)