Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini (Printable Format)
Vibrant one-pan dish with juicy chicken, zucchini, black beans, and melted cheese, spiced to perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium zucchinis, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small red onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
09 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
→ Spices and Seasoning
10 - 2 tsp chili powder
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp ground coriander
14 - ½ tsp sea salt
15 - ¼ tsp black pepper
→ Dairy
16 - 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
→ Other
17 - 2 tbsp olive oil
18 - Juice of 1 lime
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with half the chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil. Sauté onion and bell pepper for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and jalapeño; cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes until zucchini is just tender.
04 - Return chicken to the pan. Add black beans and sprinkle with remaining spices. Mix to combine and cook for 2 more minutes to heat through.
05 - Remove from heat. Squeeze lime juice over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover for 2 minutes until cheese is melted.
06 - Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Everything happens in one pan so you spend less time washing dishes and more time actually eating dinner
- The spices hit that perfect balance where its flavorful enough for adults but not too intense for kids
- You can customize the heat level or add extra veggies based on whatever needs using up in your crisper drawer
02 -
- Dont skip searing the chicken first even though it adds an extra step because those browned bits are what makes the final dish taste restaurant-quality
- The lime juice absolutely must be added off the heat or the high temperature will cook off all that bright acidity you're trying to add
03 -
- Pat your chicken dry with paper towels before cutting it into pieces so it sears rather than steams in the pan
- If your zucchini feel especially watery, sprinkle the diced pieces with salt and let them drain in a colander for 15 minutes before cooking