This week in our summertime recipe review, we’re sharing with you dietitian Kelly Beneduce’s spin on making chicken more in tune with the warm summer weather. This summer-style chicken dish is easy to make and takes advantage of all the delicious vegetables that are currently in season.

This chicken dish is loaded with zucchini, squash and tomatoes, all vegetables that are in season in the summer. This recipe gives you a chance to explore the produce items available at your local farmer’s market and take advantage of incorporating fresh vegetables into your meals rather than frozen, pre-processed items.  For some additional flavor, a light sprinkle of part-skim mozzarella cheese on top makes for a healthy dish that’s perfect for an outdoor patio meal.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 yellow squash, thinly sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (try using part-skim or any low-fat variety)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a medium-sized baking dish
2. Peel the tomatoes by soaking them in boiling water for one minute and then gently pulling away the skin
3. Place tomatoes in a large pot and boil gently for 10-15 minutes gently pulling them apart with a fork.  Keep the juices, it’s what makes it stewed tomatoes.
4. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish and spread squash and zucchini slices around the chicken
5. Add stewed tomatoes to the top of the chicken
6. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken
7. Bake for 45 minutes in the oven or until chicken is no longer pink and its juices run clear.

Makes 4 Servings 

Got a summertime recipe to share? Keep the submissions coming! Share your recipe with us by emailing Taylor at tlier@njbcenter.com