You know I’m a huge fan of one pan meals here at AK. What could be better than cleaning up just one skillet (okay, and a cutting board)? Today I’m bringing back an easy, incredibly flavorful one pan sazon skillet chicken that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
If you’ve made my sazon grilled chicken you know what these flavors are all about. Perfectly spiced, warming and so addicting. This recipe takes juicy sazon-seasoned chicken and pairs it with beautiful summer veggies that are also cooked in homemade sazon seasoning. It’s a sazon party over here and I know you’re gonna love it.
I love to top the whole skillet with cheddar cheese because what’s life without a lil melty, cheesy goodness? The result is much like your new favorite burrito bowl. Pair it with my suggested toppings and add-ins and enjoy the BEST 30 minute meal you’ve had in a while!
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What is sazon?
Sazon is a really popular Puerto Rican spice that can be found it many Mexican and Spanish markets. Traditional sazon is a blend of coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper. I love to make my own with what I typically have on hand (subbing turmeric for annatto seeds/achiote). It tastes very close to the real thing but with a couple of twists!
Ingredients in this one pan sazon skillet chicken
This easy and delicious sazon skillet chicken is packed with all of the goods: fresh summer veggies, flavorful seasonings and tons of protein. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:
- For the sazon: we’re using my homemade sazon seasoning filled with delicious, warming spices.
- Veggies: this skillet dinner is made with onion, red bell pepper, zucchini (of course) and fresh corn.
- Protein: you’ll add some boneless, skinless chicken breast, plus a can of black beans for tons of protein.
- On top: I love adding shredded cheddar cheese at the very end! This is optional but highly recommended.
Customize this healthy sazon skillet chicken
- Go dairy free. Feel free to keep this dish dairy free by using your favorite dairy free cheese shreds or simply omitting the cheese.
- Pick your veggies. I love the summer veggies in this dish but you could also use broccoli or brussels sprouts! Try adding sweet potato when fall rolls around, too.
- Try a vegetarian version. I think cubed tofu or a can of chickpeas would also be delicious in place of the chicken.
Our fav ways to serve it
This 30 minute sazon skillet chicken is delicious on its own, but here are some more great ways to serve it:
- Pair it with my fluffy green rice, coconut rice or quinoa for an amazing burrito bowl.
- Add it to your fav flour or corn tortillas for a new twist on delicious tacos!
- Don’t forget to top it with green onion, fresh cilantro, greek yogurt or sour cream and your fav hot sauce.
Flavorful sazon chicken skillet in 30 minutes
Dinner in 30? Yes, please. Here’s how to make this one pan sazon skillet chicken:
- Prep your seasoning. Start by mixing together all of the spices for the homemade sazon seasoning.
- Cook the chicken. Add some olive oil to a large skillet and cook your cubed chicken with half of the sazon seasoning. Once cooked, remove it from the pan.
- Cook the veggies. Using the same skillet (truly a one pan meal!) cook the garlic, onion and bell pepper until the onion is tender. Then add in the zucchini, corn and black beans with the rest of the sazon seasoning.
- Put it all together. After the zucchini gets a little fork-tender, add the chicken back in and cook it a bit to pull the flavors together.
- Cheese it & serve! Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle on the cheese and cover the skillet so that it melts nicely. Then serve on its own or in any of the ways above. Don’t forget the yummy toppings!
Storing tips
Add any leftover sazon skillet chicken and veggies to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Simply reheat any leftovers in the microwave.
More healthy dinner recipes you’ll love
- Sweet and Sour Pineapple Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry
- One Pan Green Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo Verde)
- Freezer-Friendly Green Chile Chicken Burritos
- 30 Minute Brown Butter Goat Cheese Grilled Veggie Orzo
- Pesto Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
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I hope you love this 30 minute one pan sazon skillet chicken! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
One Pan Sazon Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
- For the sazon seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne (only if you like a little heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the skillet:
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into ½ inch cubes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
- ¾ cup corn off the cob, from 1 large ear or corn (or use frozen or canned corn)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- Additional salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional, but recommended: 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- For serving:
- Green onion
- Cilantro
- Greek Yogurt
- Hot Sauce
- Cooked Rice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the spices for the homemade sazon seasoning. Set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large deep skillet or pot and place over medium high heat. Add in diced chicken then sprinkle with HALF of the sazon spices, stirring well to coat the chicken. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink. Once chicken is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and set aside. Keep heat in the pan.
- Add another ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan and add in the garlic, yellow onion and bell pepper. Saute for 3-5 minutes until onion is tender, then add in the zucchini, corn black beans and remaining half of the sazon spice mixture. Stir to coat, then cook for 5-10 more minutes until the zucchini gets a little fork tender, but do not overcook or it will become mushy. Next, add the chicken back in and cook for a few more minutes to bring flavors all together. Reduce heat to low and add 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top, then cover and allow cheese to melt; this should only take 3-5 minutes.
- Serve on its own or over rice. We love to garnish with green onion and cilantro. You can also serve with greek yogurt or sour cream if you’d like. Yum!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on August 3rd, 2021, republished on April 30th, 2023, and republished on August 19th, 2024.
Love your recipes! Just cooked this one tonight but I did it with whole bone in chicken thighs. Seared them for a good 15 min to get the skin crispy. Removed them then I cooked the veggies and scraped up the fond; reduced with 1 cup chicken broth, a rinsed can of butter beans and a dollop of creme; added the chicken back in to heat up. I served it on polenta with a dollop of ricotta. Loved it!
Perfect! That sounds amazing!!
Sounds delish! I’m guessing it won’t freeze too well?
Another crazy good AK recipe!! I accidentally added all of the spices to the chicken (I can’t be the only one…) but with the leftover spices in the pan + once the chicken was added back to the veg, all the flavors combined nicely anyways. We loved it topped with cilantro, lime, a little greek yogurt, and avo!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
Such a tasty way to get your veggies in! I served it over green rice and scooped it up with tortilla chips!
Perfect dinner!
Made this recipe today for the first time. It was delicious! My husband loved it so this recipe will be on my repeat list of favorites. Loved the flavors and I kicked up the spice by using 1/2 teaspoon of Cayenne instead of 1/4 teaspoon. I can hardly wait to eat the leftovers. Yummy!
So happy to hear that!
Delicious, I went back for seconds and thirds! Topped with avocado and lime and it was divine
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious, simple meal that was on the table so fast! Clean up was a breeze. I topped it with smoked cheddar and it was soooo yummy.
Smoked cheddar sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
I’d give this a 5 out of 5. Super easy, made with stuff I had on hand and delicious. Full of flavor and ready in 30 minutes. It’s a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed!
This recipe was flavorful and amazing! We just made it tonight and went back for seconds. It’s soooo good!
So happy to hear that!
Oh my gosh. SO good. The recipe came together easily and the flavor was *chef’s kiss.*
So happy to hear that!
Great weeknight dinner! Used chicken thighs and removed the meat from the bone. Also added peas and two bell peppers. Used Sazón Goya as a crutch. Came out wonderful!
Absolutely! Perfect meal 🙂
I made this last night and it was sooo good! It seemed like a lot of spice but the flavor wasn’t too strong. My 9 year old loved it too. This will definitely be in our rotation. Thanks for sharing!
So happy to hear that!
I made this tonight, exactly as directed. I forgot the cheese at the end, but honestly, it was great without it. We love the flavor of the Sazon! I’m going to make a larger batch of it to keep in my cupboard, and I think I’ll use more next time. I didn’t do cayenne, because I don’t necessarily want heat, I just want more intense flavor. For some reason, I was expecting a little sauce/juice, but I didn’t get any. It wasn’t dry! It’s just that for some reason I had it in my head that there would be sauce. Next time I may add a bit of chicken broth. Maybe just 1/2 a cup, though. I don’t want to mess up the flavor, because the flavor is awesome! Thanks for the instructions about not cooking too long during the zucchini step! The zucchini was perfectly done and not mushy, so great instructions! I will definitely make this again. I have a week coming up with my four sisters, and I’m going to make it for them, too. Thanks for a great recipe!
Amazing! And YES I love mixing a bigger batch of the sazon to have on hand. Hmmm I’m not sure if adding chicken broth will create a sauce-like texture you’re going for as it may just water down the spices, but let me know if you give it a try and start with just a little!
Tasty dinner with lots of veggies… Everyone gobbled it up. My only change was to use 1/2 the seasoning mix (only on chicken) and just s/p on veggies (and then mix chicken back on with veg so it all got a light coating). I felt like the chicken was too seasoned when I tried it and I’m glad I did hold back as my 11yr old would not have wanted to eat this dish fully spiced – it’s not too much heat, just too much flavor/season. And we used 1.5-2# chicken.
We also threw a chx bullion cube in with the rice while it was cooking and that complements this dish well.
Overall 4 stars for flavor, uniqueness and ease (and have a bonus star for the right mix of veggies since I’m a mom and more veggies is better). Just check the chicken seasoning agree you cook it and decide of you really want the other half of the spices on the veggies. 😉
J have my homemade seasoning area.. How many tap or tablespoons would I use
Hi! It should be about 1.5 tablespoons.
Sorry not a comment just a question. The above recipe sounds good as do many if your recipes… minus the chicken, cheese and bell peppers, unfortunately bell peppers don’t like me. I usually sub broccoli for peppers. I call myself a pesca vegan. I’ll eat fish on occasion. Do you think it would work to either substitute beans or fish for the chicken? Does your new recipe book provide vegan ideas for most of your meat and chicken recipes? Thanks.
Hi! I always provide recommended ingredient substitutions in the blog post itself. Scroll up to read them, as I’ve included ways to make this vegetarian and included more vegetables you can try! My cookbook has tons of options for making the recipes vegan or vegetarian if there is an easy, equally as delicious substitution 🙂
Veggie heavy + flavorful, very happy with how it came out. Adding this to my freezer meal preps.
One of my go-to’s for busy weeks!
This was really good and super easy All the kids liked it. I doubled peppers and squashi. Great for meal prep.
So happy to hear that!
I made this last night and it was so easy and delicious to put together! Thank you for the recipe! My phone is not allowing me to select 5 stars, but if I could I would give this more then 5!
Yay! I am so excited to hear you are loving this recipe, Hailey!
Really enjoyed this recipe… it was a nice, simple, tasty weeknight dinner. Loved the spice mix, it’s not one I frequently use, but it was great to mix things up a bit.
excellent! so glad you are loving this recipe, Alison! Appreciate your comment ❤️
This was an OUTSTANDING dish. Came together in 30 minutes. Rich flavors. Simple. My toddlers gobbled it up, my husband asked for seconds. Definitely adding this to our meal rotation.
YUM! I am so glad this recipe is a hit for you and your family ❤️
Wow, this recipe is an absolute game-changer! I tried it last night, and it exceeded my expectations in every way. Thank you for sharing such a fantastic recipe—I can’t wait to explore more of your blog and discover more culinary gems!
So glad you loved it! One of our favorite dinners 🙂
This was delicious! I made it with tofu and had to sub chili powder for coriander but it was still so tasty and just the right amount of spice (I did use cayenne). I topped it with guacamole and a drizzle of yogurt ranch. Reheats well and perfect for meal prep. Will definitely be making again!
YUM! Glad to Hera you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you 🙂
This was outstanding. I have a family of five and make leftovers for lunch for my husband and I. This served about 8 people. I used 2 lbs of chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, 2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, whole bag of frozen peas & carrots, can of unsalted black beans, 1 medium onion, 1 medium bell pepper, 2 medium zucchini, 1 tbs minced garlic,, 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Add the whole bunch of cilantro And covered it on medium heat for 15 minutes!! We skipped the corn and cheese. We served it over instapot fluffy quinoa
The spice blend is good, the vegetables with the corn and beans good. It was too dry and needs a hint of sweet or a punch of alcohol or fruit juice or something
You seriously can do no wrong! Every single recipe I’ve made of yours is so creative, healthy and delicious. This one was the perfect healthy, filling and flavorful dish for my dinners this week. Can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow!
Aw this just made my day, thank you!! Happy you loved this one ❤️
Made this for dinner and my husband and I really enjoyed it. It made plenty of leftovers for just the two of us so it’s great for meal prep. Looking forward to eating it all week.
Another hit! Easy to make and customizable. Love the sazon seasoning – recently made the street corn chicken tacos! Delicious.
Absolutely! The spice combo is perfect for so many recipes 🙂
This was delicious and easy to make!!
I’m so happy you loved it, Alyssa!
So delicious! We used chicken thighs and frozen corn (since it’s what we had on hand) and it turned out amazingly. Felt perfectly healthy, summery and tasty!
Those are great subs! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
So delicious! I made this for my family, and it was a big hit. Served it sprinkled with cilantro and avocado over white rice. Came together – with chopping everything and making the spice mix – in under an hour.
I actually made this with southwest seasoning, as I didn’t have turmeric or coriander and therefore decided I may as well swap the whole seasoning haha. I realize that means I’m reviewing a whole different recipe, but still, the concept was great! My husband kept complimenting it!
Love this recipe, so super simple but huge rewards for that little effort.
I really liked this but my husband thought it needed a sauce. I served it over rice. Next time I make it I will add beer or wine to make a Mozambique sauce.
Good to know, thanks for the feedback! I love topping mine with greek yogurt/sour cream and hot sauce 🙂
This was delicious. Simple to make, with very satisfying flavors. A healthier version of the take-out burrito bowls we usually eat. I served it over basmati rice, with some homemade guacamole. For veggies, just used red pepper, garlic (6+ cloves) and onion. Another AK hit to add to our dinner rotation!
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed it, Debbie!
This dish is so cozy with the beans and cheese! I love how many vegetables it has tucked in, as well. The sazon seasoning is so easy to make and tasty. Love it!
So happy you loved it, Christine!
Love how easy this was to make in one pan. Great flavors. Added this on top of rice and it made for a perfect lunch all week!
Yay! So happy to hear you loved it 🙂
Sooo tasty and easy!
Yay! Glad you tried and loved it, Kelly 🙂
Gonna try this in the instant pot because I’m lazy 😂 will report back! 🤞