Wondering what to make with the odds-and-ends vegetables in your produce drawer and a couple chicken breasts?
This ought to do the trick.
It’s so easy, ready in 15 minutes, cooks in one skillet for less dishes, it’s packed with savory ranch flavor, it’s healthy, and you can use the produce you have on hand. Score.
As a food blogger one day I use 2 tablespoons of parsley, the next day I need 1/4 cup diced zucchini, and the next I use only a few basil leaves and a couple broccoli florets. My produce drawer is always stuffed.
After the blog recipe and glossy images are over, I’m left with an assortment of (very random) produce to use. I try to use it while it’s optimally fresh and ‘perfect’ looking, but sometimes it gets a little tired, wilted, or soft. Hello roasting, sautéing, stir-frying, or making soup.
That’s where the Taste Not Waste campaign from Hidden Valley Ranch comes in. It encourages you to embrace your imperfect produce and use it rather than throwing it away. Almost expired, bruised, misshapen – you can still use it.
By sautéing chicken and vegetables with Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix, I had a flavorful meal on the table in just minutes that my family gobbled up. My daughter proclaimed, ‘Mom, how did you make it taste so good!’ The ranch seasoning is one-stop shopping because you don’t need to add any other seasonings, spices, salt, or pepper.
I used fresh organic spinach, zucchini, and broccoli, but use what you have on hand. Carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, or mushrooms would all be great.
Pin This Recipe
Easy 15-Minute Ranch Chicken and Vegetable Skillet
The recipe is so easy, ready in 15 minutes, cooks in one skillet for less dishes, it’s packed with savory ranch flavor, it’s healthy, and you can use the produce you have on hand. By sautéing chicken and vegetables with ranch seasoning mix, I had a flavorful meal on the table in just minutes that my family gobbled up. The ranch seasoning is one-stop shopping because you don’t need to add any other seasonings, spices, salt, or pepper. I used fresh organic spinach, zucchini, and broccoli, but use what you have on hand. Carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, or mushrooms would all be great.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- about 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
- about 2 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (I use florets and stalks)
- 1 cup zucchini, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
- one .74-ounce packet Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- about 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, cut into bite-sized pieces if necessary (2 big handfuls)
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces. Chicken should be about 70 % cooked through.
- Sprinkle half the packet of ranch seasoning mix over the chicken.
- Add the broccoli, zucchini, and evenly sprinkle with the remainder of the ranch seasoning mix.
- Evenly drizzle the lemon juice. Stir to coat evenly.
- Cover skillet and allow vegetables to steam for about 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
- Add the spinach and cook uncovered until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir intermittently.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve cold or reheat gently prior to serving if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 411Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 362mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 49g
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Post is brought to you by Hidden Valley Ranch. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #TasteNotWaste Website Instagram Twitter Facebook Pinterest. Check out the limited edition Taste Not Waste Hidden Valley bottles on ebay. All proceeds benefit Great Nations Eat.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hidden Valley. The opinions and text are all mine.
Made this tonight and added mushrooms and carrots and love it. Made sure to print it out so I don’t lose it. Thanks
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was a hit!
Hi! If I don’t have the Hiodden Valley Original Ranch Salad Dressing, what can I use?
You’d want to use a similar style of ranch seasoning mix in a packet, usually found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
This dish looks so healthy, Averie! My husband and I have been trying to collect healthy recipes for the New Year…definitely pinning this one to make! :D Thanks! Happy New Year :o)
Thanks for pinning and yes, this is a New Year’s resolutions type of recipe :)
This is exactly the kind of recipe I need right now: fast and really satisfying. And I could use some of that broccoli after the way I’ve been eating lately!
oooh this sounds incredible! i will have to try it soon! thanks for sharing! :)
This looks so yum and healthy!
Don’t you just love when something delicious is healthy?
Happy new year Averie!
I love that you added ranch! I love easy recipes like this!
A perfect meal for a hurried weeknight! My produce drawers are always filled with various odds and ends as well :P
As a food blogger, you know all too well about the random hodgepodge of stuff in the produce drawers!
This would be great for a CSA box recipe, too!
I love the no waste campaign. So cool.
This is a CSA dream recipe because yes, throw it in, it’ll work :)
You and I are the queens of no waste! We somehow make use of every last everything because to throw it out would be painful!
A ranch stir fry–gotta give this a try! My produce drawer will be due for a refill by Friday. Root veggies last a long time but anything green tends to start it’s decline much more quickly. Broccoli, bell pepper and carrot sounds great for a first run. I love these types of method recipes where multiple different ingredients can work!
It’s the perfect produce cleanout recipe! It’s the kind of dinner I make all the time and just rotate in whatever I have…from greens to herbs, I just toss it in :)
I’ve been anxious to try this and decided it would be a great meal to start the new year with. Jon had mentioned wings so I picked up an extra pack of seasoning for those. Ranch chicken and veg with a side of wings..sometimes you really can have it all! This was really good and will be repeated soon (and often)! The lemon juice is a nice
touch and and I love the simplicity of this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! And sometimes you can have it all :) Love it when that happens, as well as simple recipes, too! Glad you’ll repeat this one!