Five Ingredient Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats – a super simple, flavorful, and absolutely delicious recipe that comes together in minutes! Best part? Only five ingredients involved!
These zucchini boats make for a great high-protein, low-carb appetizer or as a main dish. They reheat well – making them perfect for lunches and meal prep!
All Meals Should Be This Easy!
Am I right?? Busy, hectic, or exhausting days need easy, delicious recipes like this one! Especially those that can use up leftover goods in your fridge, such as chicken breast! This Five Ingredient Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe calls for shredded rotisserie chicken, but you are more than welcome to use the chicken of your choosing.
How To Make Five Ingredient Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats:
As stated above, this recipe calls for shredded rotisserie chicken. But you can use leftover chicken breast, thighs, or even ground chicken. I do recommend trying it with rotisserie chicken, as the mixture of light and dark meat, as well as the seasoned chicken, give this dish an abundance of extra flavor! Let’s not forget the sweet convenience of pre-cooked chicken.
Life made easy!
If cooking your own chicken, I recommend getting it started first and then working on hollowing out the zucchini boats.
While your chicken is cooking, slice the zucchinis in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out with a spoon and/or knife. When it comes to scooping out the insides of each zucchini, I found it was easier to use a knife to slice along the edges and cut little boxes in order to remove the insides with a spoon. Otherwise I was tearing the boats apart trying to scoop with a melon baller or spoon.
Use and do what works best (and safest) for you!
Ready To Mix & Bake!
Now that the insides are scooped out and your chicken is cooked, you are ready to mix everything together and bake. Pretty easy, eh? You’re welcome!
The stuffing is composed of shredded chicken, cream cheese, and buffalo wing sauce. The boats are then covered with aluminum foil and baked for approximately 20 minutes. Baking time will be dependent on how large your zucchini boats are, as well as how much of the insides you have removed. Aim for 1/4 inch thickness.
The key is to soften the zucchini boats, but not make them mushy. So keep an eye on them. I recommend checking between 15-20 minutes.
Never Forget Cheese!
Once the zucchini has reached a fork-tender texture, remove from the oven, top with cheese (it’s essential), and pop back into the oven for 5-10 minutes. Or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with chopped scallions, freshly chopped cilantro, and a drizzle of your favorite ranch dressing. Best served warm, but are also pretty delicious cold.
You know, those late evenings when you’re grazing the kitchen for something to eat. Yes, I pulled one of these out to eat – cold. Not bad cold!
Tips:
- You can use chicken of choice; rotisserie, leftover chicken, chicken breast, thighs, or even ground chicken.
- If you want to keep these vegetarian and keep it high-protein, I recommend using black beans or lentils.
- Use what works best for you for scooping. I used a mixture between a knife (to make scooping sections) and a spoon or melon baller to scoop.
- Use medium to large zucchini. They are easier to scoop and stuff.
- Don’t use RedHot Hot Sauce. Use the RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce – there is a difference!
- Recipe calls for mozzarella cheese, but it is also delicious with colby jack or blue cheese.
- Save the zucchini insides! They can be mixed with other veggies and sautéed.
Looking for other healthy recipes? Try these!
- Simple Teriyaki Shrimp over Zucchini Noodles
- Grilled Chicken Cauliflower Alfredo with Zucchini Noodles
- Mini Cauliflower Pepperoni Pizza’s
- Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan Zoodle Bowls
- Yogurt Marinated Fajita Lime Chicken Kebabs
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Five Ingredient Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Ingredients:
- 4 medium zucchinis
- 1 lb rotisserie chicken (shredded)
- 1/2 cup RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1/4 cup cream cheese (room temp, can sub for low-fat cream cheese)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (or cheese of choice)
Optional Garnishment:
- chopped scallions
- freshly chopped cilantro
- ranch dressing
- extra buffalo sauce or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- If cooking your own chicken (see notes for recommendation), I recommend starting it first and then preparing the zucchini boats.
- Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the insides. Place into the baking dish cut-side up.
- Combine the cream cheese, buffalo wing sauce, and shredded chicken into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Spoon the chicken mixture into the zucchini boats.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Check at 20 minutes to see if zucchini has softened to your liking.
- Once the zucchini has softened, top with mozzarella cheese, re-cover and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve garnished with chopped scallions, freshly chopped cilantro, and drizzled in ranch dressing or sauce of your choosing.
Notes:
Tips:
- You can use chicken of choice; rotisserie, leftover chicken, chicken breast, thighs, or even ground chicken.
- If you want to keep these vegetarian and keep it high-protein, I recommend using black beans or lentils.
- Use what works best for you for scooping. I used a mixture between a knife (to make scooping sections) and a spoon or melon baller to scoop.
- Use medium to large zucchini. They are easier to scoop and stuff.
- Don't use RedHot Hot Sauce. Use the RedHot Buffalo Wing Sauce - there is a difference!
- Recipe calls for mozzarella cheese, but it is also delicious with colby jack or blue cheese.
- Save the zucchini insides! They can be mixed with other veggies and sautéed.
If Cooking Chicken:
- I recommend using a mixture between chicken breast and thighs. Thighs will help to add more flavor, as it is considered a dark meat. Place a nonstick pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil or 1-2 tbsp of butter (your choice).
- Season (1 pound) chicken breasts/thighs with :
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp thyme
Salt and pepper (to taste) - Once the oil/butter has heated, cook the chicken breasts/thighs on each side 4-6 minutes (time will be dependent on thickness of chicken and the chicken you use - thighs cook a bit faster than breasts). Internal temperature should read 165 degrees F when cooked through.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. Once cool enough to handle, shred with two forks.
