Talk Macros to Me

I originally planned to make meatballs for dinner tonight… but honestly? I just did not feel like touching raw meat and rolling a million little balls after a long day. Please tell me someone else gets this.

So instead, I threw everything into one big pan and accidentally made one of the coziest dinners ever.

This easy chicken zucchini saute is packed with protein, loaded with veggies, incredibly filling, and perfect for meal prep. It has all the comforting Italian-style flavors from fennel, oregano, tomatoes, and parmesan, but without the extra work of meatballs or sauce simmering all day.

And the best part? It’s one of those meals that tastes hearty and comforting while still feeling light and nourishing.

You can serve it over your favorite pasta, spoon it over polenta, or honestly just eat it in a bowl on its own because it’s THAT satisfying.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground chicken
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Optional toppings

• Fresh parmesan
• Chopped parsley

Directions

1. Spray a large pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
3. Push the veggies to the sides of the pan and add the ground chicken to the center. Break it apart as it cooks and browns.
4. Once the chicken is mostly cooked, add the fennel seed, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and zucchini. Saute for another 2–4 minutes.
5. Add the diced tomatoes with all the juices and stir everything together.
6. Cover the pan and let steam for about 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is just starting to soften.
7. Serve over pasta of choice and top with fresh parmesan and parsley.

Estimated Macros

Recipe divided into 6 servings, without pasta or toppings

• Calories: ~285
• Protein: ~32g
• Carbs: ~8g
• Fat: ~13g
• Fiber: ~2g

Macros will vary depending on the leanness of your ground chicken and pasta choice.

Talkmacrostome Tips

• Skip the pasta and enjoy this on its own for a super filling lower-carb meal.
• This reheats SO well for meal prep lunches.
• Add white beans if you want even more fiber and volume.
• Delicious over polenta or creamy cottage cheese mashed potatoes too.

This is one of those “throw everything in a pan and somehow it tastes amazing” dinners that I’ll absolutely be making again.