Basil Chicken with Marinara
and Italian tossed salad
Inspired by Caprese salad flavors, this paleo-friendly chicken skillet includes a bright (and spicy, if you'd like!) homemade marinara sauce and fresh basil. Toss together a simple Italian salad while the chicken cooks.
Ingredients
- Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp
- Red pepper flakes (opt) - 1/4 tsp
- Oregano, dried - 1/4 tsp
- Tomato paste - 4 Tbsp
- Stock, any type - 1/2 cup (sub water)
- Zucchini - 1/2 lb , chopped
- Chicken thighs, bone-in & skin on - 1 1/2 lbs
- Basil, fresh - 10 leaves , chopped
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Spicy marinara sauce (ingredients listed separately) - ~3/4 cup
- Tomatoes, medium (sub half a cup cherry or grape tomatoes for each medium tomato) - 1 , diced
- Celery - 1 stalk , chopped
- Lettuce, romaine (sub green leaf or iceberg) - 2 hearts , chopped
- Black olives, sliced (2.25 oz / 63 g) - 1 can , drained and rinsed
- Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
- Vinegar, red or white wine - 2 tsp
- Oregano, dried - 1/4 tsp
- Pepitas / pumpkin seeds - 1/3 cup
Prep
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Make sauce - Chop garlic. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and when hot, add garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano and saute until fragrant, ~1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and stock and simmer until thickens slightly, ~1 minute. Add more stock if needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Zucchini - Chop zucchini. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Chicken - Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
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Olives - Drain and rinse.
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Make
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Heat a skillet or frying pan with first part of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until both sides are deep golden brown, ~3 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside and return pan to heat.
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Add second part of cooking oil and then zucchini to heated oil. Saute until zucchini is tender and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sauce and basil and stir to combine. Nestle chicken, skin-side up, in sauce and cover with a lid or foil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
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While chicken cooks, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and oregano. Toss dressing with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and pepitas.
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Serve chicken with salad on the side and enjoy!
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