Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken Zucchini and Squash

Published July 29, 2017. Updated July 24, 2023

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A healthy Chicken recipe! This Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini and Squash is a super easy, super flavorful, one pan chicken and veggie recipe everyone in the family will love! It’s a hearty, bright and lemony dinner that makes great leftovers.

lemon parmesan chicken in skillet with lemon wedges and sliced squash

Lemon Parmesan Chicken With Zucchini and Squash

Chances are if you’re growing a garden or live by someone growing a garden, then right about now you have a bunch of zucchini and squash you need to use up. This healthy chicken recipe is the perfect use for it!

My brother, sister and mother-in-law all have gardens (I’m failing this year, someday I need to make time a grow a real deal garden. Last year I had one small box garden, I felt pretty cool) but they are are all generously sharing so much from their gardens (thank you!).

My brother was just telling me how quickly the zucchini and squash grow and he said he planted way too many, so lucky for me I get a bunch of them too. This skillet chicken recipe will be a new go-to use for all the summer squash and zucchini for me.

This lemon Parmesan chicken recipe is about as easy as it gets! Just some quick dicing for prep, then the chicken cooks in about 6 minutes and you set that aside and in the same skillet saute the zucchini and squash for about 4 minutes.

This is how you do simple weeknight dinners! Just be careful not to overcook the veggies as they will go from perfectly tender to mush in what seems like the blink of an eye.

I just can’t get enough of these buttery-herb and lemony, garlic-Parmesan flavors! Make it soon, you’ll be glad you did!

Watch the Video!

 

Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini and Squash garnished with Parmesan and parsley

Lemon Parmesan Chicken Ingredients

For the chicken and zucchini skillet, you’ll need:

  • Chicken breasts
  • Olive oil
  • Butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Herbs and spices (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder)
  • Lemon zest and juice
  • Zucchini
  • Yellow squash
  • Shredded Parmesan
  • Fresh parsley

How to Cook Chicken in a Skillet

  • Season diced chicken with herbs, spices and lemon zest, then cook in hot skillet with olive oil and butter.
  • Transfer cooked chicken to plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • Sauté zucchini and squash in that same skillet, seasoning with the same blend of herbs and spices.
  • Return chicken to pan and drizzle in lemon juice. Sprinkle on Parmesan and garnish with fresh parsley, then toss to combine.
  • Serve with your choice of rice, orzo, pasta, and more!

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts?

Yes, you can use any cut of chicken you’d like here. I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever you see fit.

Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the cook time slightly depending on how large you dice the chicken and what cut of meat you use.

Can I Add More Veggies to This Chicken Skillet?

Of course! Lemon Parmesan chicken pairs well with almost any vegetable. I recommend using seasonal produce that cooks at roughly the same rate as the zucchini and squash (that way you’re not having to take ingredients in and out of the skillet to accommodate different cook times).

lemon parmesan chicken in skillet with sliced zucchini and squash garnished with parsley

Tips for the Best Skillet Chicken and Veggies

  • Before cooking the chicken, dab it dry — preferably on both sides — and use a hot skillet. Try to give the pieces some space so you can get that nice golden brown sear for added flavor.
  • Use shredded Parmesan cheese for the best texture and flavor, and not the cheese that comes in a shaker can.
  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the brightest, freshest flavor.

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Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken Zucchini and Squash
4.97 from 65 votes

Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini and Squash

This is a super easy, super flavorful, one pan chicken and veggie recipe everyone in the family will love! It's a healthy and hearty, bright and lemony dinner that makes great leftovers.
Servings: 4
Prep15 minutes
Cook15 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Dab chicken dry with paper towels. Season with a fair amount of salt and pepper, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, onion powder and lemon zest then toss to coat (I just added the seasonings to the chicken on the cutting board). Melt butter in pan with olive oil then add chicken and cook 3 minutes then flip and cook opposite side until chicken has cooked through (center of larger pieces should register 165 degrees), about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  • Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and squash, then season with salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Cook tossing occasionally until just tender, about 4 minutes. 
  • Return chicken to pan with zucchini and squash. Drizzle in lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley. Serve warm with more parmesan and lemon zest if desired (I served mine over cooked orzo which is delicious).

Notes

  • *1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic may be substituted. Add half of it to the chicken halfway through cooking and add half to the zucchini/squash when added to the skillet.
  • Recipe source: Cooking Classy
Nutrition Facts
Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini and Squash
Amount Per Serving
Calories 331 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 110mg37%
Sodium 311mg14%
Potassium 931mg27%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 735IU15%
Vitamin C 32.5mg39%
Calcium 116mg12%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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123 Comments

  • Christine

    Easy and delicious! I’ll definitely make this again

  • Elizabeth

    This was good, plus quick AND easy! I’ve got a lot of yellow summer squash from the garden (no zucchini), and decided to just use my yellow squash instead of the zucchini/yellow squash blend. Maybe not as visually interesting, but it was very good. Also followed your suggestion re: the orzo. I cooked it separately while I was cooking the chicken and squash, then added it at the end and mixed it all up. Easy to serve, easy to fix, and even my little girl (who is autistic and not always easy to please) liked it! In the future, I might add a bit of chicken Better than Bouillon to kick it up a notch, but that’s a small thing. Thanks for sharing!

  • Angelica

    Thank you so much for writing a recipe that isn’t three hours long with backstory of what you did with your life over the last 80 years haha. The recipe sounds great and I can’t wait to try!

  • Daphne

    Everyone loved it. I cooked some linguini with it and added a splash of lemon juice to the pasta.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      It’s actually just cooked orzo with a splash of pasta water, some olive oil and parmesan cheese. :)

  • Gwen

    What a GREAT recipe!! I am not someone who enjoys time in the kitchen at all and I must say, this recipe was quick, easy and absolutely delicious. I kept my chicken breast whole and simply placed the cooked veggies over it. I also added paprika and did not use any rice, orzo, etc. Nonetheless, this recipe was amazing and will become a staple in my household. Thanks for posting this amazing meal.

  • Cheri Johnson

    Can’t wait to make this tonight. I had chicken breast, zucchini and squash in the fridge and was tired of stir fries so I Google recipes with those items and this came up and looks delicious!

  • Jane Beasley

    This was so easy and it came out great! The chicken is really tender and the zucchini is cooked just enough that it’s still crunchy! I substituted the parm cheese for feta and gave it a little Mediterranean flare!