Herbed Chicken Ratatouille

Let’s put your colorful summertime harvest to good use!

As we head into the final stretch of summer, seasonal veggies are plentiful in backyard gardens, farmers’ markets, and roadside produce stands. And they’re bursting with just as much flavor as their bold colors.

Check the forecast and pick a cool night to fire up the oven and roast them to perfection in our Herbed Chicken Ratatouille. It feeds 4 to 6 people and is sure to impress every one of them.

Ratatouille is a traditional French dish containing stewed or roasted vegetables with savory herbs. It’s typically created using beautiful, swirled layers of zucchini, pepper, tomato, and eggplant.

 Our simplified version of the popular dish adds protein with less prep time. It’s kid-approved, impressively easy, and mega-flavorful. You can even make it a fun “dinner and a movie night” in your household by cueing up the sweet Pixar film of the same name. A perfect pairing!

You’ll need:

1 ½ lbs. chicken breast, cubed
1 large onion
2 green peppers
1 large tomato
2 medium zucchinis
2 Tbsp. avocado or olive oil
⅓ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. thyme
¼ tsp. parsley, dried
¼ tsp. basil, dried
1 Tbsp. fresh basil and parsley (optional)

 Let’s get cooking:

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re using a convection oven, drop the temperature down to 325 degrees.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of oil and cubed chicken. Cook until it’s browned on all sides. (It does not need to be cooked all the way through yet.)

Chop the onion, green pepper, zucchini, and tomato into ¼-inch chunks.

Place the vegetables and chicken in a non-stick roasting pan. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil. If your children are helping in the kitchen, have them measure and add the dried herbs.

Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice until softened.

If using freshly chopped herbs, sprinkle them over the top before serving.

Recipe adapted from Celebrating Seasonality (page 23).

*This recipe is veggie-forward and approved by the Partnership for a Healthier America to meet the Veggies Early & Often guidelines. Approved 6/30/2023.