Rustic skillet chicken and vegetables. Flavorful, crisp chicken pairs lovingly with fresh vegetables and a rich broth based sauce in this skillet dish.
There’s something genuinely rustic about cooking in a cast-iron skillet. Whether it’s sweet or savory, fried or baked, it morphs into a dish that harkens back to the tradition of classic cooking. With the spatter of sizzling oil singing to your ears, a wave of childhood wonder often washes over you. Try it yourself; make something in a skillet and I guarantee you will smile, and that’s even before you taste the results.
I recently found the joys of cooking in a skillet. There are numerous benefits to owning a quality skillet:
- With proper care it will last you forever; a skillet handed-down from a great-grandmother is a prize.
- Food cooks more evenly, without pesky hot spots common in some pans.
- Skillets are wonderful for sauces; little browned bits of flavor morsels are left over when cooking meats. Adding wine, vermouth or water to cook down integrates this extra flavor into your sauces.
Just be sure to read up on proper care to keep it a permanent kitchen item (read here for tips on skillet maintenance):
This Rustic Herbed Skillet Chicken and Vegetables recipe shines with this in mind. Cooking the chicken and vegetables first, then adding water and wine incorporates all the left-over goodies into the sauce (the technical culinary term for these flavored bits is fond). Cooking in a non-stick pan does not leave as many bits behind. Cooking in a skillet leaves more bits and will create a darker sauce.
I hope you enjoy this hearty, healthy gluten-free recipe, and have fun while making it. The flavorful, crisp chicken pairs lovingly with fresh vegetables in this gluten-free skillet dish. Serve with a desired side, and you’ll be taken back to time when the act of cooking was just as important as the meal itself.
Food Science & Cooking Tips
Food, especially meats, cooked in a pan (other than a non-stick) will leave left over browned bits called fond, that will incorporate with liquid to create flavorful broths and sauces.
Products used in this recipe:
12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet
Nonstick Jumbo Cookware with Glass Lid, 5-Quart
Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.
Are you following me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter? Also, sign up for our newsletter to get all our recipes and cooking tips.
Rustic Herbed Skillet Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh of frozen green beans
- 1 cup water
- 4 chicken drumsticks, about 16-ounces total
- 4 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium red onions, sliced and halved
- 2 cups sliced zucchini
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, or vermouth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cook fresh green beans in medium saucepan in 1/2 cup water over medium heat, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain excess water (if using frozen green beans follow package directions).
- Meanwhile, evenly sprinkle chicken with thyme, salt and pepper. Heat cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive-oil and reduce to medium heat, add chicken. Cook chicken 5-6 minutes.
- Turn chicken over and add onion slices. Cook 6 to 8 minutes more, stiring and rotating as necessary, until evenly browned and chicken is tender, reading 165º F with instant read thermometer (you may need to add more oil to prevent sticking). Remove chicken and onions from skillet.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet, add zucchini, and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, stir, and cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove from skillet and set aside with chicken and onion.
- Add wine, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce to skillet. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Scrape bottom of skillet to incorporate browned bits into the sauce. Return chicken and vegetables to pan to heat through. Serve chicken and vegetables with sauce spooned over top.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens: Cooking for 2. Print. 2014.
Excellent food photography and a well written recipe. Appreciate you stating what size skillet you used, nice to know so you don’t try to cram the ingredients in a skillet that’s too small. Keep up the good work and can’t wait to try this recipe, after I buy a larger skillet, lol….
My cast iron skillet is my favorite cooking tool. After several years of use it’s still going strong. Terrific recipe!
Thanks Kristi! I got my skillet a couple years ago and love it. Like a fine wine it only gets better with age
I really need to use my cast iron skillet more. This looks so fresh and flavorful.
Hi Lisa. Thanks for the compliment. Skillets are one of those thing you have to plan to use, but so worth it.
This looks delicious! I actually have a skillet sitting in my cupboard that I rarely use. Looks like I’ve found the perfect opportunity to get that thing out!
Hi Claire. I admit I only use my skillet about once a week but working towards using more often. Glad you found a good use for yours and hope you enjoy the recipe
I love cooking in a cast iron skillet too! I just have to keep reminding my clumsy fingers that they get hot all over!! I love this dish, it’s so colourful and full of good things! 🙂
Thanks for the compliments Annie. I think food just tastes better that comes out of a skillet. Have you tried a skillet cobbler?! I have a recipe that I’ll post for that soon. I often forget the entire skillet is hot as well
Nice work on the photo; I can see the colors really pop. And thanks for the skillet care tips – I acquired one in the last year and it’s my baby haha
Hi Natalie. Thanks for the compliments. This is one of my favorite dish as far as food photography. Skillets definitely take some care. Olia always jokes how meticulously I clean, dry and oil (refrigerated bacon fat works wonders) my skillet after each use. It’s my baby too
Looks amazing!
Thanks Laurel!
Man, I wish I could’ve had this for dinner tonight. Chicken is by far my favorite protein and I can’t seem to get enough of it. Well, there’s always tomorrow! I love this rustic take on chicken and veggies.
Thanks for the comment Margaret. I’m a huge fan of chicken, shrimp being a close second. The veggies and sauce definitely give it a hearty rustic flair.
This looks so good, and sounds relatively easy. I love cooking in my cast iron skillets. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Robin. Thanks for the comment. It is a pretty easy recipe and hope you enjoy it
This recipe sounds delicious!! I don’t own a skillet, but I almost want to run out and buy one just to make this!
Hi Kiersten. I’d totally recommend one. I went years without a skillet and now that I have one I use it every chance I get.