I share a lot of lunch ideas on Instagram and have been asked if I could share more dinner ideas, so I started a new series “Weeknight Eats” where I’m going to share nourishing family-friendly recipes that can be made in 30 minutes.
For these Pesto Zucchini Boats you simply brown ground chicken with seasoning and pesto then add to carved out zucchini halves. Bake until the zucchini is tender then add shredded mozzarella and parmesan and continue baking until cheese is melted. Top with an heirloom tomato bruschetta that takes 5 minutes to make! Finish with balsamic glaze and enjoy! I like to serve with couscous or pasta. A simple, delicious dinner that’s great for the whole family.
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Pesto Chicken Zucchini Boats
Zucchini halves stuffed with cheesy ground chicken cooked with spices, pesto, and topped with heirloom bruschetta. These pesto chicken zucchini boats are nutritious, fresh and packed with flavor. Simple to make and great for meal-prep!
Equipment
- conventional oven
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pesto try my homemade pesto sauce!
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup parmesano riggano
Heirloom Bruschetta
- 2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes or 1 large heirloom tomato
- 5 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt to taste
- balsamic glaze for serving, optional
Instructions
- Wash zucchini and cut ends off. Carefully slice each in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the inside, leaving some of the seedy interior.
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan, once warm add ground chicken. Brown the chicken for 2 minutes, stirring often, stir in salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Turn down heat to low. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in pesto sauce and combine until chicken is coated.
- Lightly coat baking dish with oil and lay zucchini halves skin down so you can fill the zucchini halves.
- Drizzle olive oil then fill each zucchini halve with the chicken pesto mixture.
- Add baking dish to oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and parmesan on top. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted.
Heirloom Bruschetta
- While the zucchini is cooking chop the tomatoes and add to a bowl with a pinch of salt, minced garlic, basil, and drizzle of olive oil. Stir until well combined
- Once zucchini is cooked, carefully remove from oven, let cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then top with bruschetta and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve with couscous or pasta and enjoy!
Notes
I serve the zucchini boats with couscous and roasted broccolini!
Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
