Chicken, Zucchini & Rice Casserole | The perfect summer weeknight recipe!

cream of mushroom soup

🥗Healthier: homemade mushroom sauce

💰Cheaper: cream of chicken soup

Homemade sauce can reduce preservatives, while cream of chicken is often cheaper.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: colby jack cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories, while colby jack is often less expensive.

Start by preparing the brine for the chicken using the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Whisk the brine together until the salt is dissolved and the herbs are evenly distributed.

Trim any fat from 2 chicken breasts and cut them into irregular bite-sized pieces.

Add the chicken pieces to the brine, ensuring they are well coated, and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to marinate.

Heat a skillet over medium heat without adding extra oil since the marinade contains oil.

Once hot, add the marinated chicken to the skillet and cook until fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes, allowing it to brown slightly due to the honey.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside, leaving the residual marinade in the pan.

Prepare 2 zucchinis by quartering and dicing them, removing the center if they are large and pithy.

Add the diced zucchini to the skillet and cook until they start to take on color, about 3-4 minutes.

Chop 2 cloves of garlic and add them to the skillet with the zucchini, cooking briefly to avoid burning the garlic.

Once the zucchini is cooked and has some color, remove from heat.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens