Break out your skillet tonight for this Italian-inspired chicken dish! Spinach, tomatoes, red onion, and capers combine to make this super simple meal a flavor superstar. Freezes well, too!

Photography Credit: Alison Bickle

I try to keep freezer meals handy at all times in an effort to circumvent the inevitable week that goes awry, and still put a well-rounded dinner on the table.

This Italian Skillet Chicken dinner is a family favorite. Oregano, basil, and garlic season the chicken while grape tomatoes, onion, and olive oil break down to make a rich and fragrant pan sauce.

Pull the whole thing together with a couple of handfuls of spinach and dinner is on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Video! How to Make Italian Skillet Chicken

THE BEST CHICKEN FOR THIS RECIPE

Use boneless skinless thinly sliced chicken breasts, tenderloins or tenders (depending on how your supermarket labels them). Because they are thin, more of each bite is covered in the marinade and they cook in a fraction of the time it would take to cook a thick chicken breast.

THE BEST PAN TO USE

Use a 12-inch skillet (measured across the top) with high sides to cook this meal. A smaller skillet may not be large enough to fit all of the ingredients.

SWAP OUT THE VEGETABLES



If you make this on a day when you don’t have the suggested vegetables on hand, don’t worry about it. Serve the chicken with a side salad over pasta or with a vegetable of your choice.

HOW TO MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE

To make this meal budget friendly, stock up on chicken when it’s on sale. Take a little time on the weekend to whip up a few marinades, dress the chicken and freeze them in bags. That way they are ready on days when you don’t have extra time to think about dinner.

Use gallon-size freezer bags that you press to seal rather than those with a zipper slide. Write the date, name of the recipe and SimplyRecipes.com so you can easily find the recipe later. Add the chicken and marinade ingredients to the bag. Squeeze as much air as possible out of the bag and close it. Smoosh around the chicken until it’s well coated in marinade. Lay flat to freeze.

This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, and up to 48 hours thawed in the refrigerator.

Not a planner? No biggie!

You could still make this whole dish start to finish in one night and have dinner ready in 40 minutes or less.

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