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Chipotle Chicken, Rice, and Mozzarella Zucchini Boats


  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4

Description

It's summer... have a whole lot of zucchini in your fridge? Make these Chipotle Chicken, Rice, and Mozzarella Zucchini Boats for a healthy weeknight dinner!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 small to medium zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 tablespoon TABASCO Chipotle Sauce
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup mozzarella, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup ciabatta breadcrumbs (recipe below)*
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

for the Ciabatta Breadcrumbs

  • 1 loaf ciabatta bread
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Half zucchinis lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, hollow out zucchini flesh, leaving about 1/4" flesh intact. Finely chop 1 cup of the scooped out zucchini flesh and set aside. Discard rest of zucchini flesh.
  3. Lightly drizzle inside of zucchini boats with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub gently to coat. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip zucchini over.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, 1 cup chopped zucchini flesh, and TABASCO Chipotle sauce. Season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
  5. Combine chicken with mozzarella and cooked brown rice in a small mixing bowl. Divide mixture between zucchini boats and return to oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs with remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small bowl. Remove zucchini boats from oven and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Return to oven for 5 more minutes. Transfer zucchini boats to a serving platter and devour. Drizzle with extra TABASCO Chipotle Sauce if desired (and it should be desired, because it's delicious).

for the Ciabatta Breadcrumbs

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Cut ciabatta into 1" cubes. Place in food processor, in batches if necessary, and process on high speed for a couple minutes, until a small crumb texture is reached.
  2. Spread bread crumbs in a thin layer on a baking sheet and let dry out in oven for about 5 to 10 minutes (if you bread is fresh, it's going to be closer to the 10 minute mark... stale bread will only take about 5 minutes). You want the bread to be dry but not too toasted.
  3. Place breadcrumbs back in food processor on high speed for another minute. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Notes

*feel free to use any breadcrumbs you have hanging out in your pantry if you don't want to make them homemade. Panko breadcrumbs will get you extra credit.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins