Chicken and Zucchini Stew Recipe
To date, I've shared many zucchini recipes on my blog and have probably talked to thousands of people about these dishes. There's a common prejudice that zucchini is an unpopular, often avoided vegetable. I used to feel the same way, and I don't think this prejudice is entirely unfounded.
For instance, you can simply boil potatoes and enjoy them with just a sprinkle of salt, or steam broccoli and drizzle it with lemon juice for a tasty dish. Carrots and tomatoes can be eaten raw, without even adding salt, and still be enjoyable. But zucchini isn't like that. Zucchini is a vegetable that needs other ingredients to bring out its flavor, and there's nothing wrong with that. Many vegetables are like this. If your prejudice against zucchini is stopping you from eating it, that’s where it becomes a problem.
So far, I've managed to get many people who thought they didn't like a particular vegetable to enjoy it through different recipes. More accurately, I’ve helped them realize that these vegetables aren’t inedible. The first recipes that come to mind are carrot and zucchini soup for zucchini, celery salad for celery, and leek bake for leeks. I could also mention the chickpea and zucchini stew as another example.
I created this chicken and zucchini stew recipe with the chickpea and zucchini stew in mind. I used chicken instead of ground meat and rice instead of chickpeas. This way, I achieved a different flavor, and the dish became easier to digest.
Since this dish already contains rice, you don't need to prepare a side of rice. In my opinion, a simple yogurt or tzatziki would be enough. But if you're someone who always wants rice with your meals, you can skip the rice in the dish.
By the way, I should have mentioned this earlier, but better late than never: If the zucchinis you use are fresh, there's no need to peel them. However, if you're using more mature zucchinis, peeling them would be more appropriate.
Enjoy the recipe...
Chicken and Zucchini Stew Recipe with Video
Ingredients
- 1 kg of green zucchini,
- 400 g of diced chicken breast,
- 1 onion, chopped,
- 1 red bell pepper,
- 1 /4 cup of rice,
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste,
- 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika,
- 2 teaspoons of dried mint,
- Salt to taste,
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil,
- 4-5 cups of boiling water.
Preparation
- Heat the olive oil in a pot and add the chicken. Sauté until it releases its juices, absorbs them back, and starts to brown slightly,
- Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened,
- Add the tomato paste and cook until its aroma is released,
- Stir in the red pepper powder,
- Add the diced zucchini, stir, and cover the pot,
- Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is halfway softened,
- Add 4 cups of water and cook for a few more minutes,
- Add the washed and drained rice and the diced red pepper. Stir, cover, and cook until the rice and peppers are tender,
- If the water level seems low at this stage, you can add a bit more and bring it to a boil,
- Add salt and dried mint, stir, and remove from heat.
Enjoy your meal...