Family Friendly Chicken Zucchini Bake (Printable)

Cheesy chicken and zucchini with sour cream, mozzarella and breadcrumbs, baked until golden — easy family meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 2 cups (about 10.5 oz) cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into half-moons
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup (about 4.2 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/2 cup (about 2.1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/2 cup (about 4.2 oz) sour cream
09 - 1/2 cup (about 4 fl oz) milk

→ Grains (Optional)

10 - 1 cup (about 2.8 oz) panko or regular breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if desired)

→ Pantry Staples & Spices

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
14 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes until softened and translucent.
03 - Add the minced garlic, sliced zucchini, and diced red bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, sautéed vegetables, sour cream, milk, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
05 - Spread the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese over the top in an even layer.
06 - Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese layer to create a golden, crunchy crust.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden brown.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to set for cleaner portions.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It turns basic pantry staples and whatever zucchini you have into something genuinely comforting without requiring a culinary degree.
  • The creamy cheesy topping hides the vegetables so well that even determined veggie skeptics go back for seconds.
  • Cleanup is minimal since everything comes together in one skillet and one baking dish before it hits the oven.
02 -
  • Undercooked zucchini releases too much water during baking and turns the bottom of the casserole into a soupy mess so always sauté until just tender.
  • If you skip the rest period the cheese topping slides right off the filling in a lava like avalanche that looks messy on the plate.
03 -
  • Salt the zucchini slices lightly and let them sit for ten minutes before sautéing to draw out excess moisture that would otherwise water down your casserole.
  • Shred your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre shredded because the fresh melt creates those beautiful stretchy cheese pulls that make everyone at the table grab their phones.

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