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5 from 3 votes

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Weeknight dinner is a breeze with these delicious BBQ Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats! Tender zucchini boats are stuffed to the brim with juicy shredded chicken, tangy BBQ sauce, melty cheddar cheese, and savory red onions. Freezer friendly and perfect for meal prepping, this zucchini recipe is a dream boat!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Nancylynn

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • ¼ teaspoon salt + an extra dash for zucchini
  • 1 pound shredded or diced chicken
  • ¾ cup homemade BBQ sauce (you can sub store bought low sugar BBQ sauce)
  • cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided (you can double this if you have extra blue)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Dash of black pepper optional
  • ¼ red onion diced or sliced (optional)
  • Garnish - just a couple sliced or diced jalapenos, green onion, and/or cilantro

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Slice each zucchini in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the zucchini seeds and pulp to create a boat.  Save the pulp and freeze – then sneak them into your kids smoothies!
  • Line up your zucchinis onto a baking sheet, or in a casserole dish – I like to line my baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spray the zucchini with olive oil spray, then sprinkle boats with a little salt.   Pre-cook zucchini in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the flesh starts to get tender.  If you find that any moisture is collecting at the bottom of the boats, just blot carefully with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
  • Mix chicken, spices, ⅓ cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and ½ cup of BBQ sauce in a medium bowl.
  • Divide chicken mixture into zucchini boats, then top with a sprinkle of red onion, additional 1-2 Tbsp BBQ sauce and 1 1/2 Tbsp of shredded sharp cheddar cheese on each boat.
  • Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the filling gets bubbly, the cheese starts to brown and the zucchini is fork tender. I like to broil for the last minute or so to get the cheese topping extra crispy!  Garnish with sliced jalapeno, green onion, and/or cilantro (if desired). Enjoy!

Notes

21 Day Fix:  1 RED, 1 GREEN, 1/2 BLUE (you might need to count sweetener teaspoons for your BBQ sauce) per zucchini half
WW: 3 points (per zucchini half) [Calculated using Primal Kitchen unsweetened BBQ sauce and reduced fat cheddar cheese]

Nutrition

Serving: 1boat | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 779IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 2mg