Pesto Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
User Reviews
5
Pesto Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Description
This recipe combines hollowed zucchini halves filled with a mixture of homemade cilantro pesto, shredded cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. The pesto includes cashews, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, avocado oil, and seasonings blended to a smooth sauce, which enhances the fresh chicken and vegetables with bright, zesty flavors and mild heat from jalapeño.
The zucchini boats are seasoned, brushed with olive oil, and baked until tender, while the mozzarella topping melts to a golden layer, adding a creamy texture and mild cheesiness to complement the savory filling.
These zucchini boats make a satisfying meal and are great for using up fresh summer squash. They can be served alongside a simple salad or as a main dish. The cilantro pesto can be swapped out for basil pesto if preferred, and substitutions like chickpeas or quinoa can make the dish vegetarian.
The recipe notes suggest options including store-bought pesto, grilling preparation, and vegetarian modifications. Using freshly made pesto adds brightness and texture contrast to the dish.
Ingredients
- For the pesto:
- 3/4 cup cilantro packed fresh
- 1/2 cup cashews raw or roasted is fine
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons water to thin pesto
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- For the zucchini boats:
- olive oil
- 4 zucchini medium, sliced in half lengthwise
- 3/4 pound chicken breast cooked, shredded, about 2 cups; can be from rotisserie chicken
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- Parmesan Cheese optional, ¼ cup
- TO GARNISH:
- cilantro extra cilantro; cherry tomatoes quartered
- cherry tomatoes extra cilantro; cherry tomatoes quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with olive oil.
- Make the pesto: add all pesto ingredients to the bowl of a food processor: cilantro, cashews, jalapeño, garlic cloves, lime juice, olive oil, water and salt and pepper. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides and processing again, if necessary.
- Transfer pesto to a large bowl and stir in the shredded chicken, chopped cherry tomatoes and ½ cup mozzarella cheese (we’re reserving the rest of the cheese for topping).
- Using a spoon, scoop centers from zucchini while leaving a 1/4-inch rim to create boats. Place zucchini in the greased pan; they should snuggle pretty tightly in there, but if you can’t fit them all in, you can use two pans. Brush zucchini with a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon or so) and season with salt and pepper. You can also simply spray them with an all natural oil-only cooking spray.
- Spoon pesto chicken mixture evenly into zucchini boats. Top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired.
- Cover with foil, and bake for 35-45 minutes or until cheese has melted and zucchini is tender. Once done, sprinkle the tops with cilantro and extra cherry tomatoes before serving. Serves 4; 2 boats per person.
Notes
- You can substitute store-bought pesto if preferred; basil pesto is a fine alternative to the cilantro version.
- For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with chickpeas, cooked quinoa, or tofu.
- These zucchini boats can also be cooked on the grill as an alternative to baking.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 405 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 2zucchini boats | |
| Calories | 405cal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 15.7g | 5% |
| Protein | 31.6g | 63% |
| Fat | 25.4g | 39% |
| Saturated Fat | 6.5g | 33% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 5.6g | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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