Lemon Chicken Zoodles

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Lemon Chicken Zoodles Bowls filled with tender pieces of lemony chicken and served with zucchini noodles that just soak up all that delicious sauce. This sweet, lemony dish is healthy, tastes fantastic and is done in less than 30 minutes.

Lemon Chicken Zoodle Bowls

My family loves Chicken and they also love pasta, which is why I have shared so many of my Pasta Recipes, Chicken Recipes, and Chicken Pasta Recipes here at When is Dinner.

When I get fresh zucchini from the farmers market, or on sale at the supermarket, I have a few zucchini recipes that I make. Once of these recipes is this lemon garlic chicken with zoodles recipe.

I use a spiralizer to make get the zoodles as it makes quick work of the job. Then I whip up this delicious chicken and sauce to mix with it. I love how the zoodles soak up the sauce

This zucchini noodles recipe with chicken is a firm favorite dinner in my house. Also these keto chicken zoodles are low carb and a great option for anyone following a low carb diet.

If you swap regular chicken broth and the soy sauce for gluten free alternatives, this also makes the perfect dinner for celiacs or anyone following a gluten free diet too.

How to make Lemon Chicken Zoodles:

• Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, honey, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, ground ginger and minced garlic to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
• Then set the bowl aside.

• Cut off the ends of each zucchini and run then through spiralizer with ⅛ inch spacing blade to create zoodles.
• Use kitchen scissors to cut them into 10-12 inch pieces, then sprinkle the zoodles with salt and pepper.
• Place the zoodles in a colander over the sink, and allow the zucchini to drain while preparing the next step.
• Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

• Place two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat.
• Add the bite sized chicken pieces and cook through, about 5-6 minutes, tossing as needed.
• Add the honey lemon sauce and stir to coat the chicken.
• Turn up the heat to bring sauce to a boil.
• Once sauce begins to boil, turn off the heat and set aside.
• Use paper towels to squeeze out any extra moisture from the zoodles.

• Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over a medium heat and add the zoodles.
• Use pasta tongs to toss the zoodles occasionally while cooking for 5-6 minutes, until al dente.  
• Turn off the heat.

• Serve the lemon chicken over a bed of zoodles.
• Be sure to spoon on extra sauce and allow the zoodles to soak up all that flavor.
• Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions:

• CHICKEN: I use 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast in this dish but you could swap the chicken breast for chicken thighs instead. Just adapt the cooking times to suit.
• BROTH: Chicken broth flavors the lemon chicken sauce, but you could also use vegetable broth as a good alternative. For a gluten free dish, ensure you use gluten free chicken broth.
• LEMON: ¼ cup of lemon juice is added to the sauce, I use freshly squeezed lemon juice, but a bottle of fresh lemon juice would work here too.
• SUGAR: Honey adds sweetness to the sauce but you could also use maple syrup which is another great unrefined sugar.
• OIL: I use olive oil to saute the chicken and the zucchini noodles. I add toasted sesame oil to the sauce. Sesame oil has a low burn temperature so is added for flavor but not to saute the food.
• SOY SAUCE: Light soy sauce is added to the sauce. If serving gluten free diners ensure you use a gluten free soy sauce.
• CORNSTARCH: Is used to thicken the lemon chicken sauce.
• GINGER: I use ground ginger in the sauce.
• GARLIC: Use fresh minced garlic for the best flavor. You can also use frozen minced garlic or even garlic powder at a push.
• ZUCCHINI: 2 large zucchini is enough to serve 4 in this recipe.
• SEASONING The zoodles are seasoned with Himalayan pink sea salt and black pepper.
• GARNISH: Garnish with toasted sesame seed before serving.

Recipe variations:

This is a really simple recipe for lemon chicken zucchini noodles, but you can adapt it and play with the flavors. Here are some suggestions:

• I have used chicken breast but boneless and skinless chicken thighs would work in this dish too.
• Zucchini makes great vegetable based noodles, but you can also swap the zucchini for swede, butternut squash, or pumpkin and spiralize the noodles in the same way.
• Freshly chopped chili can be added to the sauce if you want a little extra heat.
• Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro or parsley before serving for a burst of fresh herb flavor.

Recipe hints & tips:

• Do not overcook the zucchini or it will become soggy.
• Zucchini noodles are best eaten fresh as they don’t make the best leftovers, reheating will make the noodles soggy.
• I have used my Paderno Spiralizer to spiralize the zucchini, it works a treat.

FAQs:

Do zucchini noodles taste like pasta?

No, zucchini noodles taste like zucchini. However, they make a great substitute for anyone following a low carb keto based diet. Zucchini noodles are really great at taking on and absorbing other flavors.

How do you stop zucchini noodles being soggy?

The trick is to get the skillet nice and hot before you start, then cook the zoodles for a few minutes in some hot oil, until al-dente, no longer. Stir fry the zucchini quickly so it retains its crunch, any longer and you will overcook the zoodles and they will become soggy.

Why salt zucchini noodles before cooking?

Zucchini is a vegetable that is naturally high in water. Salting the zucchini draws out any excess moisture before you start cooking, therefore stopping the zoodles becoming soggy when cooked.

Are zucchini noodles healthy?

Yes, zucchini noodles are a great healthy option. Zucchini is packed full of fiber, along with vitamins A, B and C. Zoodles are an ideal gluten free and low carb option.

Don’t miss these additional delicious Lemon Recipes here at When Is Dinner:

• Paleo Lemon Bars
• Keto Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
• Lemon Sugar Cookie Pie
• Easy Lemon Bars
• Strawberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Basil Orzo
• Lemon Turmeric Popsicles

These are a few items I find helpful in my own kitchen when preparing this Lemon Chicken Zoodle Bowls Recipe:

Paderno World Cuisine 6-Blade Vegetable Slicer / Spiralizer, Counter-Mounted and includes 6 Different Stainless Steel BladesPyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)OXO Good Grips 9-Inch Better Wire WhiskKitchenAid KC351OHGSA Multi-Purpose Scissors Stainless Steel Kitchen Shears with Blade Cover and Soft Grip Handles, Storm GrayCuisinart 622-36H Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 14-Inch Open Skillet with Helper HandleFarberware Dishwasher Safe Nonstick Aluminum 6-Quart Covered Jumbo Cooker with Helper Handle, AquaHorn Tide Stainless Steel Pasta Tongs Pack of 2 Piece Teethed Ends Design for Spaghetti Noodle Pastry Kitchen Serving Tong Set 9-inchHiware 10-Pairs Fiberglass Chopsticks – Reusable Chopsticks Dishwasher Safe, 9 1/2 Inches – BlackZoodles Spiralizer Cookbook: A Vegetable Noodle and Pasta CookbookThe Spiralizer CookbookSpiralize It!: Creative Spiralizer Recipes for Every Type of EaterThe Spiralizer Cookbook: Simple and Delicious Recipes Made in a Different Way (Spiralizer recipes)