Parmesan Zucchini-Crusted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

This baked chicken dinner layers juicy chicken breasts with grated zucchini and Parmesan for a golden, savory topping that helps keep the meat tender.

Serve it with buttery mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, tender green beans and lemon wedges for a bright finish.

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Ingredients

12 ounce Yukon Gold PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Green BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MilkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or sturdy paper towel, gather the corners and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Season the squeezed zucchini generously with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the grated zucchini with the Parmesan cheese. Set the topping aside.
5. Place one chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound it with a mallet, rolling pin or heavy pan until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Season all over with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast.
6. Arrange the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Brush each with a drizzle of olive oil, then spread a thick layer of the zucchini-Parmesan mixture over the top.
7. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Switch the broiler to high or increase the oven temperature to 500°F. Broil or continue baking until the topping is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes.
9. While the chicken bakes, place the potatoes in a medium pot with a pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 10 to 12 minutes total.
10. About 3 minutes before the potatoes are done, add the green beans to the pot. Cook until the beans are tender and the potatoes are ready.
11. Use a slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the pot. Drain the potatoes and return them to the same pot.
12. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or fork until very smooth, adding more milk if needed for a creamier texture. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Cut the lemon into wedges.
14. Divide the mashed potatoes, zucchini-topped chicken and green beans between plates. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the chicken and vegetables.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Why do I need to squeeze the zucchini?

Zucchini holds a lot of water. Squeezing it before mixing with Parmesan helps the topping stay savory and gives it a better chance to brown in the oven.

How do I know the chicken is done?

The chicken should no longer be pink in the center. Because the breasts are pounded thin, they cook quickly in the oven.

Does this recipe contain dairy?

Yes. The recipe includes Parmesan cheese, milk and butter.