Serve up this easy cheesy chicken with zucchini and spinach using garden vegetables in under 30 minutes. Everyone will love it!
This Cheesy Chicken with Zucchini & Squash is a snap to cook up in and is one of my favorite things to serve for dinner midweek.
I am always looking for a new way to cook up chicken because chicken can get boring.
This easy recipe is by no means boring. In fact, the creamy sauce is deliciously cheesy and the juicy chicken breasts are full of flavor.
I am always looking for way to add fresh vegetables to the meals I make.
I can always count on having fresh spinach, and a large zucchini or squash in my fridge.
How to make Cheesy Chicken with Zucchini and Spinach
First, brown boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a large skillet on the stove top until they are cooked through.
Remove them to a baking dish or platter.
Next chop the vegetables or spiralize into squash and zucchini noodles.
Finally toss the zucchini mixture into the pan along with a handful of fresh spinach and sauté until the spinach has wilted and the squash has softened.
Sometimes I like to simply brown a lean chicken breast or two and sometimes I’ll coat the chicken in Panko bread crumbs with an Italian seasoning first.
Either way is delicious.
What makes this recipe so tasty is the cheesy cream sauce. Just add milk. No heavy cream needed!
I poured over the whole thing. It adds so much flavor to the chicken as well as the fresh vegetables.
I love a simple cheddar cheese sauce but sometimes love to spice things up by adding a hot pepper cheese blend instead.
Mix things up according to your taste preferences.
What vegetables can I substitute for zucchini and spinach
If these garden veggies aren’t your favorites, don’t despair. This recipe is ideal for substitutions if you have other veggie favorites. This variation is a great way to use up what you may have in the fridge.
Asparagus. This green veggie is available all season and tastes delicious paired with chicken.
Mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms with spinach or asparagus for an easy substitution.
Broccoli. Yes…this healthy green veggie is always delicious paired with a cheesy sauce. Just steam the broccoli first.
Cauliflower. Trying to eat your veggies? This steamed favorite is always welcome on my plate.
Brussels sprouts. Crisp the sprouts first in a large sauté pan with a little oil oil to soften first.
Green beans. Steam or sauté the beans first.
Bell peppers. Add a yellow or red pepper to a skillet to soften.
How do I make plain chicken breast better?
Add a creamy sauce, rub or add vegetables to make it taste better. Try these tasty ideas.
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Easy Cheesy Chicken with Zucchini, Spinach and Squash
Ingredients
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup squash, sliced
- 1/2 cup zucchini, sliced
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- Kosher salt & black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1.5 cups milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Chop the squash and zucchini into bit sized pieces. Set aside.
- Dredge each chicken breast in flour or use bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Over medium heat on the stovetop, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter for a couple of minutes and sauté each chicken breast for 5 minutes a side or until the chicken registers 165 degrees on a digital thermometer. Remove the chicken to a platter.
- While the pan is hot, add the vegetables and sauté until the spinach begins to wilt and the zucchini and squash soften. Transfer to the platter with the chicken.
- Next melt the remaining butter in the hot pan and add the 2 tablespoons of flour and stir for a minute until well incorporated. Then add the milk until creamy to create a roux. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add more milk in small amounts if necessary to thin the cheese sauce to your preference. Simmer slowly on the stove top.
- Add the chicken and squash and spinach mixture back to the pan and serve with plenty of the sauce.
Notes
If you make a recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate. I’d love to see what you cook!
Ali,
What a terrific meal–that looks like you plotted and planned for days to create the right blend of flavors, not that you just threw it together! Well done. My family is always more interested in eating up the veggies in the farm share when they are incorporated into the main dish, so I’m glad to have this recipe.
Thanks!
Thanks Kirsten. Anything with veggies is delicious especially picked fresh off the farm. This recipe won’t disappoint.
What a perfect blend of vegetables, and I love how quickly it comes together, too.
Thanks Christine…it does dress up plain chicken. Thanks for the love.
I wasn’t sure what a roux was… and the instructions leave out the flour. Here’s to winging it and hoping for the best!
Thanks Marlene for that omission. I edited the directions to make it clear. Hope you enjoy it.
According to the text above the recipe, you put the vegetables in the oven to bake while you are cooking the chicken in the skillet. However, according to the recipe instructions, the vegetables do not go in the oven until after you have cooked the chicken in the skillet–at which point you put the two in the oven together. I just want to clarify the proper procedure so I don’t mess this up. Thanks!
Thanks Jennifer for your inquiry. I will update my post so there are no questions. But do follow the actual recipe. The chicken will still need to cook a bit after browning in the skillet. The veggies can go in the oven with the chicken. They won’t take long to cook about 15 minutes or so until the veggies are tender. Thanks again for bringing this question to my attention. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I tried this recipe and it turned out really good. What else can I add to the recipe? Thanks for the recipe.
You can add cooked broccoli, sliced bell peppers or cooked carrots for a flavorful dish.:)