Mediterranean Chicken Zucchini Bake
A flavorful one-pan Mediterranean dish featuring juicy chicken breasts, roasted zucchini, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese, simple, wholesome, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Chicken Breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 Medium zucchini sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 Medium red onion thinly sliced
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 4 oz Feta cheese crumbled (substitute dairy-free feta if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Basil leaves Fresh for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken breast or thighs dry using paper towels to help them brown during baking. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prepare the Vegetables
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the zucchini rounds, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, minced garlic, and kalamata olives. Drizzle the mixture with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, paprika, and additional salt and pepper. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
Assemble the Casserole
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread half of the vegetable mixture across the bottom of the dish. Place the seasoned chicken Breast or thighs on top. Evenly distribute the remaining vegetables over and around the chicken.
Bake the Dish
- Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese evenly over the contents. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the feta begins to turn golden brown.
Rest and Serve
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. However, it is recommended to confirm that all packaged ingredients (including olives and feta cheese) are certified gluten-free, as some may contain hidden gluten or be processed in facilities that handle wheat products.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 1382mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1366IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 3mg