Chicken Zucchini Boats Delight (Printer-friendly)

Zucchini boats filled with savory chicken, tomatoes, and cheese baked until golden and bubbly.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium zucchinis
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

→ Protein

05 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or finely chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Fresh Herbs (optional)

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F and allow it to fully preheat.
02 - Wash zucchinis and halve them lengthwise. Scoop out the inner flesh with a spoon, maintaining a 1/4-inch thick shell. Finely chop the reserved flesh.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
04 - Add reserved chopped zucchini flesh and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
05 - Incorporate shredded chicken, dried Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
06 - Mix in half of the shredded mozzarella and all of the grated Parmesan cheese into the filling mixture.
07 - Place zucchini shells into a baking dish and fill each with the prepared chicken mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchinis are tender and cheese is melted and golden brown.
09 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the baked zucchini boats prior to serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but comes together on any weeknight without fuss.
  • The zucchini stays tender and acts as the perfect edible vessel, so there's no wasted space on your plate.
  • You can prep everything ahead and bake it right before dinner—a real lifesaver when you're juggling three things at once.
02 -
  • If your zucchini boats release too much water during baking, the filling can get mushy—leave enough of the shell intact and don't oversaturate the mixture.
  • Letting the filling cool slightly before filling the boats prevents the cheese from separating; this one detail changed everything for me.
  • The boats will continue cooking slightly after you pull them out, so don't overbake or the zucchini becomes mushy and loses its structure.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, buy a rotisserie chicken and pre-shredded cheese—both are genuine time-savers that don't compromise the result.
  • Make the filling ahead and store it separately from the zucchini boats, then assemble and bake when you're ready to eat for maximum freshness.

Go back