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    A Full Living » Recipes » Chicken

    Published: Aug 29, 2021 · Modified: Jul 20, 2022 by Briana · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Giardiniera Chicken Skillet

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    cheesy giardiniera chicken skillet

    This chicken giardiniera skillet is a seriously satisfying one pan meal, with plenty of fresh mozzarella cheese, veggies, spice and flavor! Kick that plain chicken dinner up a notch, and make this delicious home cooked meal in no time.

    close up shot of a giardiniera chicken skillet with fresh mozzarella, veggies and fresh basil

    As you may know, we are based and Chicago, where giardiniera is sort of a right of passage. While it's usually found on Italian beef sandwiches, we continue to find uses for this tasty condiment all the time! We love adding it on top of hot dogs, in tuna salad, on top of salads, and more.

    This is one of those giardiniera recipes where it's truly the star. Juicy chicken, melty mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, bell peppers and plenty of this zesty, flavorful condiment make this skillet meal absolutely irresistible.

    This giardiniera chicken skillet is simple to make, and we also included lots of process pictures in the body of the text, as well as ideas for substitutions and more. Feel free to skip to the recipe card if you'd like to get right into it. This recipe is also available as a Google Web Story here!

    Ingredients:​

    giardiniera chicken skillet ingredients with text to denote different ingredients
    • Olive oil - Something delicious here. You could also use the reserved olive oil from the giardiniera, but it will definitely pack more heat!
    • Chicken thighs - Chicken breasts can also work totally fine if you prefer. We generally just prefer thighs over breasts! Boneless and skinless will be the way to go here, since it will get smothered with veggies and cheese and baked.
    • Seasonings - Use a mixture kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, dried oregano & dried basil. Feel free to add in more spice if you want, like red pepper flakes or cayenne. We opted not to, only because our giardiniera itself was quite hot.
    • Onion & garlic - You could sub for onion and garlic powder if you prefer, but honestly nothing beats this combo in our opinion.
    • Bell pepper - We used half a red, half green for color, but feel free to use any variety you want!
    • Cherry tomatoes - Juicy and sweet. Feel free to use any variety of tomato you prefer here, even canned tomatoes if that's what you have on hand.
    • Giardinera relish - Mild giardiniera or hot will work fine, it just depends on your preference. As you may know, we prefer things a little spicy, so we opted for hot.
    • Fresh basil - We add some in with the veggies to create some really great flavor.
    • Mozzarella cheese - It's hard to beat! You could use shredded or slices of course if you want.
    • Parmesan cheese - Freshly grated is best, but again, shreds or whatever you want work just fine.
    • Parmesan cheese & fresh basil to garnish

    How to Make A Giardiniera Chicken Skillet:

    Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half of the olive oil, and season the chicken breasts very well with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano and dried basil, reserving some for the vegetables.

    Once skillet is hot, cook the chicken until brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed to avoid over crowding the pan. Once all of the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, remove from the skillet and set aside.

    seared and seasoned chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet

    Add remaining oil to the skillet, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    Immediately add onions, bell peppers and tomatoes with remaining seasonings and salt. Cook until everything softens, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the giardiniera and fresh basil to heat through, reserving some to top the chicken later. 

    tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion in a cast iron skillet
    cooked tomatoes, onion and bell peppers in a skillet with garlic added

    Add the chicken back to the skillet.

    chicken thighs on a bed of cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and giardiniera

    Heat the broiler of your oven on high. Sprinkle the chicken with parmesan cheese, and top with mozzarella slices. Broil for about 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil, more parmesan, and the remaining giardiniera. Enjoy! 

    chicken covered with fresh parmesan cheese
    chicken covered with fresh parmesan cheese and mozzarella
    cheesy chicken skillet with a bowl of spicy giardiniera on the side
    Can I Make This In A Slow Cooker?

    Yes, you can! We do recommend searing the chicken on the stovetop for the best flavor, but it's not 100% necessary.

    Add all of the veggies to the bottom of the crock pot, then layer chicken on top. Ladle some of the oil and veggies over the top of the chicken. Cook on high for 30 minutes, then reduce to low for 2-4 hours. When it's done, remove from the crockpot, add cheese overtop of the chicken, and broil on high for 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese until golden brown.

    close up shot of super cheesy chicken with giardiniera
    What Is Giardiniera?

    Giardiniera is an Italian-American style of pickled vegetables. Italian Chicagoans popularized the condiment. It generally consists of a few different pickled vegetables, including carrots, sports peppers, chile peppers, celery, cauliflower, and/or bell peppers that is then marinated in olive oil.

    Depending on the heat level you prefer, you will find a different variations with different peppers. This delicious condiment is super versatile, but you will most often find it on a Chicago style Italian beef sandwich.

    More Keto Recipes To Try:

    • Keto Eggplant Milanese
    • Cast Iron Cheesy Meatballs
    • Keto Lasagna Soup
    • Keto Antipasto Salad

    Need more ideas? Be sure to check out this massive list of over 85+ low carb and keto friendly recipes on our site!

    flat lay shot of a cast iron skillet with cheesy giardiniera chicken with veggies and basil

    Shop This Recipe:

    Want to get supplies for this recipe or shop our keto kitchen or pantry? We've linked our favorites above and right here in our Amazon Store!  

    A Full Living is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate program, an affiliate advertising program designed to promote a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking products to amazon.com. We only share products we use and love. It doesn't cost you anything extra to shop using our links, but we earn a small commission that helps us keep this site going! 

    very close up shot of giardiniera chicken topped with cheese and basil

    If you get a chance to try this recipe, let us know what you think, would ya?! Leave us a comment, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram, or pin to your favorite Pinterest board for later. We love sharing your versions of our creations over on Instagram @afullliving!

    If you could please leave a comment and/or a rating if you loved this recipe, we would be forever grateful! (Ratings helps users find our recipes, since users say that they like them!)

    Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter so you're the first to know about new recipes we post on our blog.

    Until Next Time,
    Briana & Chamere

    📖 Recipe

    close up shot of a giardiniera chicken skillet with fresh mozzarella, veggies and fresh basil

    Giardiniera Chicken Skillet

    Briana
    This cheesy chicken giardiniera skillet is a seriously satisfying one pan meal, with plenty of fresh mozzarella cheese, veggies, spice and flavor! Kick that plain chicken dinner up a notch, and make this delicious home cooked meal in no time.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian, Italian-American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 544 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless skinless
    • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon dried basil
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
    • 12 ounces cherry tomatoes
    • 12 ounces hot Chicago style giardiniera
    • 1 ounce fresh basil
    • 1 ounce parmesan cheese
    • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
    • basil and parmesan cheese for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half of the olive oil, and season the chicken thighs very well with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and dried basil, reserving some for the vegetables.
    • Once skillet is hot, cook the chicken until brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed to avoid over crowding the pan. Once all of the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, remove from the skillet and set aside.
    • Add remaining oil to the skillet, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
      Immediately add onions, bell peppers and tomatoes with remaining seasonings and salt. Cook until everything softens, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the giardiniera and fresh basil to heat through, reserving some to top the chicken later. 
    • Heat the broiler of your oven on high. Add chicken back to the skillet with the vegetables. Sprinkle the chicken with parmesan cheese, and top with mozzarella slices. Broil for about 3-5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil, more parmesan, and the remaining giardiniera. Enjoy! 

    Notes

    • Heat levels vary for different giardinieras so keep this in mind.
    • Fresh tomatoes can be substituted for canned.
    • Onion and garlic can be substituted for onion and garlic powder. 
    • Fresh mozzarella can be substituted for shredded or slices, and you can use any parmesan variety. 
    • Season to taste, and add any spices you see fit. We opted to leave out red pepper flakes and cayenne because we used hot giardiniera, but add them if you like. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 544kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 40gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 177mgSodium: 1657mgPotassium: 631mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1490IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 298mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @AFullLiving on social!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa says

      August 14, 2023 at 4:37 pm

      Do you drain the giardiniera or include the liquid from jar?
      Also, trying to replicate "Cooper's Hawk" recipe. SO DELICIOUS!

      Lisa

      Reply
      • Briana says

        August 14, 2023 at 5:50 pm

        Hi Lisa,

        We haven't tried the Cooper's Hawk version, we will have to do that! As for the oil, it's a personal preference thing, but it may get a little too greasy if you leave the oil in. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Cheryl says

      May 11, 2023 at 11:20 am

      I wanted to mimic my man’s favorite dish from Coopers Hawk in New Lenox, IL. and this recipe did not disappoint! He absolutely LOVES it! By the looks of it you’d think I’d slaved over the stove all day (I let him believe that of course) but really it’s super easy to make and not crazy time consuming at all. I serve it with white rice as there’s so much flavor you really don’t need anything else. I’ve made this dish several times and it just keeps getting better! Chefs kiss 🤌🏻

      Reply
      • Briana says

        May 11, 2023 at 12:46 pm

        Hey Cheryl,

        Can you believe it? We've never been to Cooper's Hawk and didn't realize this recipe was served there! We are so honored that you and your husband enjoy it so much. Thank you so much for the sweet comment! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jamie Duffy says

      September 28, 2022 at 7:27 pm

      Delicious! We added mushroom to this recipe and went with chicken thighs. We have a newborn at home so we need quick easy dinners and this hit the spot! Will definitely be in the regular rotation. We served with spaghetti noodles and a ceaser salad

      Reply
      • Briana says

        September 28, 2022 at 10:52 pm

        Wow, we wanna come over to your place for dinner! All with a newborn too, so impressed! We're so glad you and your family enjoyed it Jamie, thanks for the awesome comment. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Liz says

      July 20, 2022 at 5:49 pm

      OK, the recipe calls for chicken thighs as an ingredient but then the instructions for chicken breasts?

      Reply
      • Briana says

        July 20, 2022 at 8:57 pm

        Typo, thanks for letting me know. Either one works perfectly fine, more of a preference thing.

        Reply

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