I don't know why I waited so long to try this recipe. Stuffed Zucchini Boats have been popping up everywhere but I shoved them in the too hard basket. And, in all honestly, I was worried the kids wouldn't eat them. But yesterday I finally decided it was time.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Well, actually I was half way through making my chicken lasagna when I realised I had run out of lasagna pasta sheets. Which gives you an idea about how my week is going. It's been a week and three quarters since my last grocery shop .... and we're feeling the pinch.
I've promised my family I will get back on track next week. Till then - we get to discover some new, slightly innovative, possibly interesting ingredient concoctions.
On a side note - fried rice is one of the most brilliant family meals. You can add anything to the dish!
But coming back to these Stuffed Zucchini Boats.
These are really good. Surprisingly good. I cut the raw zucchinis in half and hollowed them out with my metal measuring spoon, but any metal teaspoon should do the trick. The center is softer than it looks as it contains the seeds. I opted for medium sized zucchinis so that each person would get two halves (one full zucchini per person).
Clean Eating Zucchini Boats
For the filling, I use a chicken filling which is a mix of shredded chicken breast, tomato and veggies. But this would work with any filling including from taco mince to creamed spinach.
Spoon your filling into the Zucchini 'boat' groove. The less sauce, the better as it means you can squeeze ore filling into each zucchini without it falling out of the sides.
Use baking paper to line your baking tray as this makes clean up a 2 second affair.
Add grated cheese on top of your little zucchini boats and voila - they are ready for the oven. If you are making these for later, then this is when you would cover and pop in the fridge, then simply bake when you're ready to eat.
Bake at 400F / 180C for 15 minutes or until cheese is golden. I like my zucchini to still be a little firm, but this is up to you. Serve immediately when you take them out the oven as Zucchini tends to get a little juicy if you let it sit.
Zucchini Boats Ingredients
Fresh Zucchini
When zucchini are in season, they're super cheap and you can get them everywhere. I grew these once in the yard, and I did nothing to them, and they grew into these bug, beautiful zucchini. If you've got the pace, this is a fun thing to do with the kids. You can't go wrong, plus you get a really pretty flower on the top of each plant, which you can eat, apparently :)
Organic Chicken
I use either left over roast chicken in this recipe or chicken breast meat. Roast chicken is especially good as it can go a touch dry once it's been stored in the fridge, and it soaks up the juice from the zucchini and become juicy all over again. Breast meat also works for the same reason: Being so low in fat means it's drier and able to absorb the vegetable juice.
Make Ahead & Storing
These are great to store ahead. Make up the recipe right up until they go in the oven Instead, put them covered in the fridge un til you need them. They can stay in the fridge for up to 48 hours, so these are really good for preparing ahead and freeing up your time on the day you need them.
Simply pick up the recipe where you left off when you're ready to cook them.
How To Make Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 Zucchini medium sized
- 1 cup grated cheese
- Chicken Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 chicken breasts sliced into strips
- 1 cup mixed veggies a selection of corn, chopped red pepper and spinach was used here
- 1 ½ cups 400ml chopped tomatoes (or organic pasta sauce)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F/ 180C
- Make your chicken filling: heat a pan to medium heat. Add olive oil,chicken strips, salt and pepper. Fry until juices have evaporated and chicken starts to brown. Add diced onion and fry until softened. Stir through chopped tomatoes. Simmer lightly for about 8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add veggies, oregano and parsley. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Watch the pot - if you want your sauce to be slightly 'saucier' then put a lid on, otherwise leave the lid off for sauce to thicken.
- Prep your Zucchini boats: Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut your zucchinis in half long ways. Use a metal spoon to hollow out the centre (see my pictures in the blog post). Lay them on the baking tray.
- Stuff your zucchinis with the chicken filling and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is golden.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want to speed this dinner up by a few minutes, you can use cooked, shredded chicken. It's a great way to use up leftover roast chicken.
- The number of zucchini boats you make will depend on the size of the zucchinis and the amount you stuff them.
More Zucchini Recipes
Zucchini Boats Recipe
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 Zucchini medium sized
- 1 cup grated cheese
- Chicken Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 chicken breasts sliced into strips
- 1 cup mixed veggies a selection of corn, chopped red pepper and spinach was used here
- 1 ½ cups 400ml chopped tomatoes (or organic pasta sauce)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400F/ 180C
- Make your chicken filling: heat a pan to medium heat. Add olive oil,chicken strips, salt and pepper. Fry until juices have evaporated and chicken starts to brown. Add diced onion and fry until softened. Stir through chopped tomatoes. Simmer lightly for about 8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add veggies, oregano and parsley. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Watch the pot - if you want your sauce to be slightly 'saucier' then put a lid on, otherwise leave the lid off for sauce to thicken.
- Prep your Zucchini boats: Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut your zucchinis in half long ways. Use a metal spoon to hollow out the centre (see my pictures in the blog post). Lay them on the baking tray.
- Stuff your zucchinis with the chicken filling and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is golden.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want to speed this dinner up by a few minutes, you can use cooked, shredded chicken. It's a great way to use up leftover roast chicken.
- The number of zucchini boats you make will depend on the size of the zucchinis and the amount you stuff them.
