Pesto Chicken Zucchini Boats with Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Pesto Chicken Zucchini Boats with Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves; 3 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/3 cup parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup olive oil + more for coating the zucchini; 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast (shredded or finely chopped); 4 zucchini (halved, ends trimmed and scooped out to only 1/2-inch thick); 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved); 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; sea salt and black pepper

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Pesto Chicken Zucchini Boats with cherry tomatoes is a simple, low-carb, high-protein dinner that is nutty and fresh. Zucchini halves are filled with fresh pesto-covered chicken breast, then topped with cherry tomatoes and then a little cheese.

I love to serve these with an easy side salad with lemon vinaigrette, or if you're not low carb, rosemary roasted potatoes, or vegetable steamed rice.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Storage
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Fresh basil
Pine nuts
Garlic
Olive oil
Parmesan
Cooked chicken breast
Zucchini
salt and pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella

Instructions

STEP 1: Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375˚. Arrange the zucchini halves in a 9x13 baking dish. Coat the zucchini with about 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil, then season with about ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set the dish aside.

STEP 2: Make the pesto. In a food processor or blender, process basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan for 45 seconds. With the processor still running, slowly pour in the olive oil and continue to run the processor until the sauce is thoroughly mixed (around 2 minutes).

STEP 3: Fill the zucchini. In a medium mixing bowl, add the sauce and chicken. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce and then evenly distribute the chicken in the zucchini boats. Next, add the cherry tomatoes and top with cheese.

STEP 4: Bake and serve. Bake the zucchini boats for 20-25 minutes or until the zucchini are just tender. Serve warm.

Storage

Store the zucchini in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

I do not recommend freezing cooked zucchini.

FAQ

Do you eat the skin on zucchini boats?

Yes. Zucchini skin is quite thin and easy to eat. There is no need to remove it before or after cooking.

How do you hollow out zucchini?

The easiest way to hollow out zucchini to stuff them is using a melon baller or sharp-edged spoon. Scoop out several balls across the inside, leaving behind ½-inch of flesh.

📖 Recipe