Chicken Zucchini Boats with Cheese (Printable)
Zucchini shells loaded with ground chicken and cheese for a healthy dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium zucchini
02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
→ Protein
05 - 14 oz ground chicken
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 3/4 cup tomato sauce
10 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Slice zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center flesh with a spoon, leaving a 1/2-inch thick shell; finely chop the reserved flesh.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add minced garlic and diced red bell pepper to the skillet; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped zucchini flesh and sauté for another 2 minutes.
05 - Add ground chicken, breaking it apart as it cooks, and sauté until no longer pink, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
06 - Stir in tomato sauce, dried Italian herbs, salt, and black pepper. Simmer the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool briefly.
07 - Arrange zucchini boats evenly in the prepared baking dish and spoon the chicken mixture into each shell.
08 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over the filled zucchini boats.
09 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until zucchini is tender and cheese is golden and bubbly.
10 - Remove from oven, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It's a one-pan wonder that tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did.
- Your kitchen smells incredible while it bakes, and the melted cheese gets this golden, bubbly top that's almost too pretty to eat.
- It works for meal prep, dinner parties, or just when you want something that fills you up without the heaviness.
02 -
- Don't skip the step of letting the zucchini shells drain for a minute after scooping—extra moisture will make them soggy instead of tender.
- If your zucchini are very large or watery, cook the filling a bit longer so it's thicker and won't make the boats weep during baking.
- Shredded cheese from a block melts smoother than the pre-shredded kind, which often has anti-caking agents that prevent melting evenly.
03 -
- Make the filling while the zucchini boats are scooped and waiting—this keeps everything moving and the kitchen feeling less hectic.
- A spoon with a sharp edge (almost like a melon baller) makes scooping zucchini infinitely easier than trying to do it with a regular spoon.