Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats
Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats are a timeless combination of flavors with savory chicken, gooey mozzarella, and marinara sauce, topped with toasted bread crumbs.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini medium sized
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 3 cups cooked chicken chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1¼ cup pasta sauce store-bought or homemade, divided
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella about 8 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and part of the zucchini flesh. Leave about ¼-inch of zucchini along the skin of each halved squash.
- Place the zucchini halves on a large baking sheet, drizzle with oil and rub with your hands to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
- In a large skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir quickly to coat. Saute while stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until toasted. Remove from the heat, transfer to a plate, and let cool.
- While the zucchini is baking, combine the pasta sauce, red pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, garlic and onion powders in a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Place the chicken in a medium-size bowl and add ¾ cup of the seasoned pasta sauce, reserving ½ cup for topping. Stir to coat the chicken and then stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Remove the zucchini from the oven and generously fill each zucchini half with the saucy chicken mixture, using all of the filling. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sauce over each chicken-filled zucchini boat. And top each zucchini with the remaining cheese.
- Sprinkle generously with the toasted bread crumbs and bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 186mg | Iron: 2mg