I’m slowly making my way back into the kitchen since Titus made his appearance. I’m all about the quick and easy lately. But who am I kidding, I’ve been all about quick and easy recipes for the past 10 months! =) I actually made this Southwest Chicken Skillet for dinner one night before Titus was born. It’s packed with veggies and lean protein. Most importantly, it’s delicious and the perfect summer dinner! Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Skillet

For the chicken:
1-1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch thin strips
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Mexican Seasoning Mix (see below)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetables:
1 cup frozen bell peppers and onions
1 cup frozen corn kernels (I used fire roasted from Trader Joe’s)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp Mexican Seasoning Mix (see below)
2 medium zucchini , sliced 1/8-inch-thick
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp fresh lime juice, about 2 small limes
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Cotija cheese, crumbled (optional)

Mexican Spice Mix: 
1 tbsp of chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium-size bowl, drizzle chicken with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with 1 tablespoon of the Mexican Seasoning and salt. Toss to coat.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add remaining teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add the chicken to hot skillet. Cook 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.
3. Add bell pepper, corn, and garlic to the empty skillet. Sprinkle with the remaining Mexican seasoning (~1-1/2 tsp). Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the peppers soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini, season with remaining salt and cook, stirring often until the zucchini softens slightly, about 4 minutes.
5. Return 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.
6. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle cilantro and Cotija if desired.
*adapted from Skinnytaste.com

Nutritional Info (per 1/4th, ~2 cups): 229 calories; 4.2 g fat; 9.5 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 41.5 g protein.

Categories: Main Dish

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