Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Alicia Calvo, MPH, RDN, CDCES, CEDRD
Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 min. Cooking time: 35 min. Total time: 40 min.
These stuffed zucchini boats are filled with ground chicken breast mixture, baked to perfection, and topped with parmesan cheese. A simple meal for the whole family to enjoy! And we eliminate any food waste by using the zucchini flesh in the stuffing.
Ingredients:
4 large Italian zucchini, scoop flesh and reserve for stuffing
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. ground chicken
¼ tsp. oregano, dried
¼ tsp. basil, dried
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 32 oz. marinara sauce
Water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.
Trim off the stem ends of the zucchini. Then cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a small melon ball scooper and carefully scoop the flesh out of the zucchinis. Don’t go too deep as you can break through the zucchini. Set aside the flesh of the zucchini and cut into smaller pieces.
Arrange the zucchini in the baking dish. Put in the oven to start cooking while you are preparing the stuffing.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden. Add the ground chicken and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
Add the flesh of the zucchini to the ground chicken. Season the chicken mixture with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes or until zucchini flesh softens.
Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer; cook for another 3 - 5 minutes.
Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into the pre-cooked zucchini boats. Add water if need. Return dish to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until zucchini boats are tender.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve with your favorite whole grain bread, pasta, or brown rice.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 320
Total Fat: 12 g
Total Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 33 g
Equivalents: 4 Vegetables, 3 lean protein, 1 Fat