Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken are a simple, healthy and flavorful dish that is low-carb, keto friendly and perfect for a family meal. They are very easy to make and are packed with ground meat and vegetables: onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes.
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- The Easiest Ground Chicken Soup
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- What's the best dish to bake stuffed zucchini in?
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Easy Ground Chicken Zucchini Boats
What is it about Italian cuisine that makes everyone love it? Pizza, pasta, pesto, lasagna, mozzarella, parmesan, prosciutto, antipasti. Try thinking about those without your mouth watering! It’s practically impossible.
My big quest as a mom is to reinvent Italian dishes so they are healthier, nourishing but still super tasty. My veggie-packed pork bolognese is a great example of that, and so is this air fryer eggplant parm.
These healthy zucchini boats are no different! The base of the sauce is your basic quick meat and tomato ragu but I also added mushrooms and spinach which almost makes them taste like pizza.
No Italian comfort food would be complete with cheese so I used mozzarella on top and a little goes a long way in this dish to make it lovely and delicious.
If you are looking for more zucchini boat ideas, check out my post that compiles 15 Best Stuffed Zucchini Boat recipes on the internet. All healthy, unique and delicious!
Ingredient notes
- Zucchini: this dish is perfect in the summer when you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden, but I enjoy making zucchini boat dishes all year round since zucchini are widely available all year round
- Mushrooms: I use baby bella mushrooms but regular white button mushrooms will work just as well in this dish
- Ground meat: my version uses ground chicken but feel free to use any meat you like. Ground turkey, lean ground beef, pork or Italian sausage will all work.
- Canned diced tomatoes: regular diced tomatoes or Italian style (with garlic and herbs) will work here.
A note on salt: Most canned tomatoes are already salted, unless you are using low sodium canned tomatoes. Because of that I recommend waiting with salt until your sauce is ready, then tasting and adjusting the saltiness. I find that it’s very easy to oversalt dishes that use canned tomato products.
How to make ground chicken stuffed zucchini
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh so you have hollowed out boats. Place them on a baking dish (or a large cookie sheet) and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: While the zucchini is pre-cooking, make the filling. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and mushrooms for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, spices, and chicken, cooking while breaking up the meat until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Step 3: Stir in the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, cooking for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute until it wilts. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 4: Top the zucchini with chicken mixture and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes.
- Step 5: Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts.
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This easy, one-pot Ground Chicken Vegetable Soup with pasta is going to be a fall favorite in your house. It’s a balanced, nutritious meal everyone (including kids) will love. This simple soup is brimming with great flavor from wholesome ingredients and packed with chicken, pasta and fresh vegetables.
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- More Nourishing Soup Recipes
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- Easy Ground Chicken Veggie Soup
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The Easiest Ground Chicken Soup
There's nothing like a large pot of soup or chili simmering on a chilly fall day. And this Ground Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Pasta is a quick and easy one-pot meal your entire family will love! Seriously, my kids love to bring this soup to school in their lunch box thermoses.
It’s like the perfect marriage of my Chicken Meatball Soup and Ground Chicken Stuffed Zucchini recipes and can also be made using ground turkey. Packed with pasta and chunks of ground chicken and a variety of tender vegetables, this hearty soup is a balanced and nutritious, colorful and kid-friendly meal they’ll ask for again and again.
Made with fresh and wholesome ingredients, it’s a great meal all on its own. But I also like to pair it with a simple salad or sandwich for lunch or serve as a starter for a larger meal. It’s also the perfect comfort food for a chilly autumn afternoon when you're just cozying under a blanket with your favorite show.
This recipe is featured in this roundup of 20 Healthy Recipes Using Ground Chicken.
Storage and freezing tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Stuffed zucchini boats are a perfect freezer meal. To freeze, follow the steps in the recipe (pre-bake zucchini shells, make the sauce, stuff zucchini with the sauce) but don’t bake them once assembled. Instead, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, place in a casserole dish with a lid, or cover with aluminum foil. When ready to cook, take the dish out of the freezer the night before and leave in the fridge until ready to bake.
I recommend baking the thawed dish at 400 degrees covered with aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from browning. Uncover 5 minutes before the end and serve!
What to serve with stuffed zucchini
Stuffed zucchini is a great well balanced meal on its own but tt also pairs well with a variety of sides to create a balanced and delicious meal. Here are some great options:
- Salad: serve it with a simple side salad drizzled with my homemade Greek vinaigrette, or try it with my bright chopped salad or Greek chickpea salad
- Bread: a piece of crusty baguette or toasted sourdough is great for scooping up the sauce
- Roasted potatoes: try my air fryer baby potatoes
- Soup: A light soup, such as tomato white bean or spicy lentil soup, makes a comforting starter or side.
Are stuffed zucchini boats good for meal prep?
Yes! After baking, place the zucchini boats in glass or plastic airtight containers and store in the fridge up to 4 days. When ready to eat, heat up in the microwave or in the oven. One or two boats with a light salad are a perfect lunch or dinner!
What's the best dish to bake stuffed zucchini in?
Because they are not particularly saucy, I bake Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats on a regular large sheet pan. If you prefer, you can also use a large casserole dish, such as pyrex.
Recipe
Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 oz baby or regular spinach
- 5 oz baby bella or button mushrooms chopped
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste heaping
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a melon baller or a sharp spoon, leaving ¼" thick This recipe does not use the scooped out zucchini pieces but they’re great for freezing and using in smoothies or soups.
- Place the hollowed out zucchini halves onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare the stuffing. Heat up oil in a large skillet and cook onions and mushrooms for a couple minutes. Add the garlic, spices and chicken. Cook together stirring and breaking up the meat until no longer pink.
- Stir in canned tomatoes and tomato paste and cook together for about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook a minute or so until spinach is wilted. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Top the zucchini halves with the meat tomato mixture and bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley or scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Brianna May says
DELICIOUS!!
Kirby says
These are SO delicious and perfect for my low carb lifestyle. I love them!
Addie says
I love ground chicken! These are so yummy!
Amanda Scarlati says
I have zucchini that is ready to pick from my garden and I can't wait to try this! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Beth says
My family and I are going to just love this recipe for lunch today! I love trying new recipes with zucchini! Such a low carb meal and looks so delicious! Can't wait!
Pam says
What perfect timing! We have a bumper crop of zucchini from the garden this year and I'm desperate for some new recipes.
Dannii says
We are growing loads of zucchini this year, so this will be perfect to make with them.
Jess says
These are loaded with flavor. My whole family loves them.