One-Pan Chicken with Charred Corn and Zucchini

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School is just on the horizon and it’s time to get back in the swing of more-regular, or at least somewhat regular, mealtimes. As you start to get back to your routine, quick dinners are a must. You need prep that is minimal and easy, and let’s not make a lot of dishes, either.

Grab your largest cast iron skillet and sear your way to a healthy meal that cooks in one pan. This One-Pan Chicken with Charred Corn and Zucchini is full of spectacular summer flavor. With seasoned, juicy pieces of chicken tossed with charred sweet corn and tender summer zucchini it’s what to eat right this minute.

The secret’s in the seasoning. Sure you can stand over your stove and open bottle after bottle, shaking one thing after another over your food. Or, you can make a batch of seasoning blend that you can use over and over and save yourself a ton of time. I love doing this myself because you can control what goes into your seasoning blend (i.e., not too much salt or sugar, and no preservatives, please) and it also makes thrifty use of the spices you already have on hand. 

I have become a huge fan of the All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning from Pig Beach BBQ chef and owner Matt Abdoo. Every time I have made a batch, I reach for it again and again, anytime I am cooking and need to add flavor in a hurry. But don’t just use it for barbecue. It is very versatile and can be used to add great flavor to just about anything. 

I rewrote the recipe here, ordering all of the same size measurements together, first the tablespoon ingredients, then the teaspoon ones, so that you can make a batch quickly. I also put all of the sugar at the end of the recipe. Whenever I make some, I omit the sugar and separate the seasoning mix into two lidded jars. One of the jars, I keep without sugar, the other I add sugar to, but only in a reduced amount. This gives you lots of flexibility as you’re cooking. 

The recipe calls for honey granules, or granulated honey. This is a versatile sweetening ingredient that you can use in salad dressings, sauces, marinades, coffee, tea, or cocktails, and because of it’s long shelf life, it is often kept on hand for emergency supplies. It was fairly hard to locate, but I was able to find a three pound canister at Walmart. You can also substitute brown sugar or use more granulated sugar in place of the honey granules, if you like. 

If you don’t want to make your own seasoning blend, just sprinkle your chicken with a little garlic powder and some regular or smoked paprika, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper as you like. This is just enough to give your chicken flavor and color, but you can certainly add other spices and seasonings if you choose. 

I used chicken tenderloins when I made this, and tried cooking them several ways. First, I added them exactly as they were to the hot skillet, sprinkling seasoning on top as they cooked. When I turned them, I seasoned them again, and then cooked until the internal temperature was 165º F, removing them afterwards to a plate. You can slice these and add them back into your skillet, and you can also freeze some to eat later, for a night with no cooking. 

If you don’t mind handling raw chicken, you can cut your tenderloins crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Add these to your hot skillet, cooking in batches so as not to overcrowd. Sprinkle them with seasoning, stirring, cooking and seasoning again if needed, until done. Be sure to wash your hands and anything else that has come into contact with raw chicken in hot soapy water. Honestly, if you are in a hurry, the whole tenderloin method will save you from a lot of raw chicken anxiety. 

With so much summer produce on tap, it’s easy to source ingredients that are perfect – neither over or underripe. For best flavor, use zucchini that is firm and fresh. I used 2 medium zucchini that were just right. They didn’t have large seeds and didn’t cook up waterlogged or mushy. Microwaving corn is the best way to get delicious, perfectly cooked corn in a hurry. Place a whole ear in your microwave and cook on high heat to your desired level of doneness. Three minutes used to be my default, but lately I have been happier at the two minute mark. For this recipe, I cooked each ear for one and a half minutes, which was just enough to take the raw edge off while also making it easier to husk. Feel free to use more or less zucchini or corn to make this to your liking.

Oh, use some fresh basil from your garden to finish, but not necessary, and you could also add some small grape or cherry tomatoes to your skillet hot skillet and let them blister. Tomatoes are full of late summer flavor. Just divine! 

One-Pan Chicken with Charred Corn and Zucchini

serves 4

• 3 ears fresh corn
• 2 medium zucchini 
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins 
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
• All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning (recipe follows)
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• Fresh basil or parsley leaves, for serving (optional)

Microwave corn, 1 ear at a time, on high for 1 1/2 minutes per ear. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then husk corn. 

While corn is cooking, trim ends from zucchini. Halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. 

Cut kernels off ears of corn and transfer to a bowl; set aside. Finely grate lemon zest into a small bowl, then halve zested lemon. 

Cut chicken tenderloins crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips (or cook tenderloins whole and cut after cooking). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer, cooking in batches if pan is too crowded. Season with All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning. then cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom and it easily releases from the pan, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken, sprinkle with more seasoning and cook until the second side is golden-brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers at least 165°F, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. 

Add more olive oil if needed, then add zucchini to skillet and spread into an even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 3 minutes. Add corn, butter, and lemon zest; stir gently and cook a few minutes more.

Return chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate to the skillet. Squeeze the juice from one of the reserved lemon halves into the pan and toss to combine. Top with torn fresh basil or parsley leaves if desired.

All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning

• 1/4 cup sweet paprika  
• 2 Tablespoons kosher salt  
• 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 Tablespoon granulated onion
• 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar  
• 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey granules

For seasoning: Combine sweet paprika, kosher salt, garlic, onion, ground black pepper, chili powder, oregano, cumin, thyme, and cayenne pepper in a small mixing bowl. Stir together. Divide mixture into two airtight spice containers. Add granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and honey granules, as much or as little as you like, to one of the containers and mix well. Label both containers and store in a cool, dry place.