Pesto Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Savory pesto chicken stuffed zucchini boats with a homemade cashew jalapeño pesto and layers of mozzarella cheese. These easy, healthy pesto chicken zucchini boats are fun and easy to make and pack tons of delicious protein. The perfect dinner for using up fresh zucchini!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 508cal
Ingredients
- For the pesto:
- ¾ cup packed fresh cilantro
- ½ cup cashews (raw or roasted is fine)
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ lime, juiced
- 3 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, to thin pesto
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the zucchini boats:
- Olive oil
- 4 medium zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise (look for zucchini that is similar in size)
- ¾ pound (about 2 cups) cooked shredded chicken breast (can also be from a rotisserie chicken)
- ½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Optional: ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- To garnish:
- Extra cilantro and quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with olive oil.
- Make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, add the 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, quartered cherry tomatoes, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese (we’re reserving the rest of the cheese for topping). Set aside.
- 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 oil-only cooking spray.
- Spoon pesto chicken mixture evenly into zucchini boats. Top each with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired.
- Cover with foil, and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese has melted and zucchini is tender. Once done, sprinkle the tops with cilantro and extra cherry tomatoes before serving. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, if desired. Serves 4; 2 boats per person.
Notes
If you prefer, you can use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup store-bought pesto or your favorite pesto recipe. This one is cilantro-based, but basil would also be fabulous.
To make vegetarian: sub chickpeas, cooked quinoa, or even tofu for the chicken.
See the full post for ways to customize these zucchini boats and how to cook them on the grill!
Nutrition
Serving: 2zucchini boats | Calories: 508cal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g