Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats
‘Tis the season to cut some carbs! And with all the zucchini we get in our garden in the summer, I thought this these chicken enchilada zucchini boats were a fitting recipe to post for the upcoming season (assuming you also have more zucchini than you know what to do with. HA!)
So without further delay, keep on scrolling to see how I made them!
Enchilada Boat Ingredients
Zucchini
Cooked chicken; shredded
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Tomato sauce
shop my kitchen
Vegetable oil
Flour
Water
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Cumin
Cheddar cheese
Various toppings, as desired
Making the Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees
Rotisserie chicken is a great option for this dish, but if you’re using chicken breasts, you can cook it ahead of time, shred, and set aside while you’re making the other items
Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the filling with a spoon; discard
Line the zucchini inside a baking dish and brush them with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper
Bake until tender, about 25 minutes
Making the Enchilada Sauce
While the zucchini is baking, grab a saucepan and combine oil with chili powder and flour on medium-high heat
Reduce heat to medium and stir until it deepens in color
Next, stir in the water, tomato sauce and remaining spices
Allow it to cook on medium heat until it thickens, about 10-minutes – be sure to stir occasionally
Assembling the Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats
Once the zucchini are ready, grab a bowl and dump the chicken and half the sauce in it; stir to combine
Next, fill the zucchini with the chicken mixture
Top with the remaining sauce (it will overflow, which is fine!) and cheese
Bake for another 5-7 minutes and then broil the top for another 2 minutes, just until the cheese gets nice and bubbly
Top with your favorite toppings (sour cream, avocado, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro are my faves!) and enjoy!
Ingredient Alternatives
As I noted above, there’s a couple different toppings you can try out with this meal. BUT, what if zucchini isn’t your thing? Well, this enchilada sauce is super versatile and tastes delicious with a number of things! Here’s some other ideas you might like to try!
Traditional chicken enchiladas with flour tortillas
You can swap out chicken for beef or pork
You can even go meatless and substitute for black beans – I’ve made this version SEVERAL times when I’m not in the mood for meat and it’s JUST as hearty!
Prefer to keep it low-carb? I’m sure this recipe would also be wonderful with a summer squash or eggplant boat! If you try it out, let me know how you like it!
Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini peeled & sliced lengthwise
- 2 c. cooked chicken shredded
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1/4 c. chili powder
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 c. water
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- salt to taste
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese
- avocado, onion, sour cream, etc. as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees
- Rotisserie chicken is a great option for this dish, but if you’re using chicken breasts, you can cook it ahead of time, shred, and set aside while you’re making the other items
- Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the filling with a spoon; discard
- Line the zucchini inside a baking dish and brush them with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Bake until tender, about 25 minutes
- While the zucchini is baking, grab a saucepan and combine oil with chili powder and flour on medium-high heat
- Reduce heat to medium and stir until it deepens in color
- Next, stir in the water, tomato sauce and remaining spices
- Allow it to cook on medium heat until it thickens, about 10-minutes – be sure to stir occasionally
- Once the zucchini are ready, grab a bowl and dump the chicken and half the sauce in it; stir to combine
- Next, fill the zucchini with the chicken mixture
- Top with the remaining sauce (it will overflow, which is fine!) and cheese
- Bake for another 5-7 minutes and then broil the top for another 2 minutes, just until the cheese gets nice and bubbly
- Top with your favorite toppings (sour cream, avocado, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro are my faves!) and enjoy!
P.S. Enjoy this recipe? Then, be sure to pin it to Pinterest for next time!
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