KataCooks· Kata
Lemon Garlic Chicken & Veggies (One-Pan)
A bright, zesty one-pan chicken supper with tender summer veg and a whisper of smoked paprika. Fast, fresh, and perfect for busy weeknights.
This One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken & Summer Veggies is all about maximum flavour with minimal faff. Juicy strips of chicken are marinated with lemon, garlic, oregano, and smoked paprika, then seared until golden and tossed with courgette, peppers, green beans, and cherry tomatoes. Everything cooks in a single pan so you get lovely sticky pan juices to coat the veg. Finish with parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon and bring it straight to the table. Great with rice, couscous, crusty bread, or buttery new potatoes.
Servings: 2
Prep: 10 min – Cook: 12–15 min – Total: 25 min
Ingredients
250 g chicken thighs or breast, cut into strips
½ tbsp olive oil
Zest & juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tbsp juice)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Fine salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
75 g courgette (zucchini), sliced
75 g red bell pepper, diced
100 g cherry tomatoes
50 g green beans, trimmed and halved
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Marinate & sear the chicken
In a bowl, toss the chicken with the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Heat a medium oven-safe frying pan or sauté pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear 2 minutes per side until golden (it will finish cooking with the veg). Transfer to a plate; keep the pan on the heat.
Sauté the veggies
In the same pan, add the courgette and red pepper. Sauté 3 minutes, stirring, until the edges begin to soften. Add the green beans and cherry tomatoes; cook 2 minutes more until the beans are bright and the tomatoes start to blister and release juices.
Finish with the chicken
Return the chicken (and any resting juices) to the pan. Toss everything together and cook 2–3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (74 °C internal temperature) and the veg are tender-crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Tips & Tricks
✅ Golden = flavour. Sear the chicken hot and fast for colour, then finish gently with the veg to keep it juicy.
✅ Don’t crowd the pan. Work in two batches if needed so the chicken browns rather than steams.
✅ Tender-crisp veg. Add firmer veg first (courgette, pepper), then quicker-cooking ones (green beans, tomatoes) so nothing turns mushy.
✅ Zesty lift. Add extra lemon at the end rather than during cooking to keep the flavour bright.
✅ Swap it. Use chicken thighs for extra succulence, or swap courgette for asparagus or tender stem broccoli in season.
✅ Heat control. A pinch of chilli flakes pairs beautifully with the lemon and garlic if you like a little warmth.
✅ Meal prep. Keeps well for 2–3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently; add a squeeze of lemon to freshen.
✅ Serving ideas. Lovely with couscous, rice, quinoa, or crusty bread.