It’s Summertime, which means it’s bikini squash and zucchini season! My mother used to love sauteing yellow summer squash, zucchini, and onion when I was a kid. A year or so ago, I was browsing Pinterest for new dinner ideas and saw this Hummus Crusted Chicken recipe that’s made with squash, zucchini and onion and it was a no-brainer that I would love it. Using these ingredients, well, makes me smile as they remind me of my late mother. Plus, they’re delicious and healthy! It’s chicken breasts, hummus and vegetables that are all baked together in the same dish (easy clean up).
This dinner is something you can prepare before work, or the night before, so when you get home in the evening, all you have to do is pop it in the oven. To make my life even easier, I like to use a store-bought hummus. Easy peasy.
Hummus is a gluten-free product, so this dish is perfect for my Gluten-free/Dairy-free (GF/DF) husband, David. There are loads of flavor options when it comes to hummus like garlic, roasted red bell pepper, sun-dried tomato, etc., but plain hummus is always a tasty option. Putting hummus on the chicken keeps the chicken breasts moist and gives this healthy dish a huge dose of flavor.
Hummus Chicken with Squash and Zucchini
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup hummus, homemade or storebought
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Prepare one large baking dish with cooking spray.
Pat the chicken dry. Season the chicken breasts with generous pinches of salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, squash and onion with olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
Place all of the vegetables on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Lay the four chicken breasts evenly on top, then cover each chicken breast with the hummus so that the entire breast is covered. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Then sprinkle the pan with smoked paprika.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.
Happy cooking,
Laura
The Stay At Home Cook 