Garlic Butter Chicken Zucchini Noodles (Printable Version)
Savory chicken and zucchini noodles in garlic butter sauce—perfect for easy low-carb meal prep.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
→ Garlic Butter Sauce
05 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
08 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Zucchini Noodles
10 - 4 medium zucchinis, spiralized
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Season the chicken pieces evenly with salt, black pepper, and paprika, ensuring all surfaces are coated.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 5–7 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add remaining butter to the skillet. Add minced garlic, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
04 - Add spiralized zucchini to the skillet and sprinkle with salt. Cook, tossing gently with tongs, for 2–3 minutes until just tender-crisp. Avoid overcooking to prevent mushy texture.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and add lemon juice. Toss everything together until evenly coated with sauce and heated through, about 1 minute.
06 - Divide the mixture evenly into 4 meal prep containers, distributing chicken and zucchini noodles proportionally.
07 - Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley immediately before serving or reheating.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- The garlic butter sauce transforms ordinary zucchini into something restaurant worthy and indulgent
- Everything cooks in one pan so cleanup takes literally minutes
- Meal prep containers actually stay fresh for days without getting soggy
02 -
- Zucchini releases water as it sits, so storing sauce and noodles separately prevents mushy leftovers
- Overcrowding the pan when searing chicken will steam it instead of creating that golden crust we want
- Medium sized zucchinis work better than large ones, which tend to have more water and less flavor
03 -
- Pat the zucchini noodles with paper towels before cooking to reduce excess moisture
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold straight from the refrigerator