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!
JUMP TO RECIPE 👇
Enchilada Boat Ingredients
- Zucchini
- Cooked chicken; shredded
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Tomato sauce
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- 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
Zucchini Boats
- 4 zucchini peeled & sliced lengthwise
- 2 c. cooked chicken shredded
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
Enchilada Sauce
- 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
Toppings
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese
- avocado, onion, sour cream, etc. as desired
Instructions
Making the Zucchini Enchilada 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 Enchilada 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!
And there ya have it – Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats! A low-carb dinner option to enjoy this summer. Want to try it out sometime? Then, don’t forget to save this to Pinterest!
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