Southwest Chicken with Corn and Zucchini
Tender, spicy bites of chicken are tossed with fresh sauteed vegetables and plenty of Mexican spices to create this easy skillet meal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into ½-inch wide strips
- 2 teaspoons light olive oil divided
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons cumin
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon oregano leaves
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Vegetable Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Italian zucchini sliced very thin, approximately ⅛-inch, about 4 cups
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 large red pepper sliced into thin matchsticks, about 1 cup
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large lime about 2 tbsps fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons cotija cheese crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a medium-size bowl. Drizzle with 1 tsp of oil. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic, onion, and red pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil to the skillet. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring, until the chicken has browned and is cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the zucchini, peppers, corn, and garlic to the empty skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the zucchini and the peppers wilt just slightly and everything is warm, about 4 minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet. Add the lime juice and scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, stirring and mixing the juices over the chicken and vegetables. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle cilantro and cotija over the skillet, if desired.
Notes
The spices for the chicken may be substituted with 2 tablespoons of this taco seasoning. The spices for the vegetables may be substituted with 1½ teaspoons of the taco seasoning.
Store-bought taco seasoning may also be used. However, I recommend starting with a slightly lower amount, and tasting the dish before adding more, as the sodium content is often higher in commercial taco seasoning mixes.
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 1046mg | Potassium: 1107mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2580IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 4mg