Cheesy Healthy Mexican Zucchini Boats
It's that time of year again. Time to get your buns back in shape after holiday eating and Cheesy Healthy Mexican Zucchini Boats is a good start!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 Large Chicken Breast * OPTIONAL
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 4 Large Zucchini the stem removed and sliced lengthwise
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 Red Onion diced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper cored and diced
- 1 Jalapeno cored and diced
- 1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice 1/2- 3/4 Cup uncooked to start
- 1/2 Cup Corn Kernels frozen or canned and drained
- 1 Can Black Beans 15oz can, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 Cup Tomatoes diced
- 1 Cup Roasted Salsa
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro finely chopped, plus more for garnish
- Salt to Taste
- 1 1/2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13” casserole dish then set aside.
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the cumin and chili powder and a pinch of salt.1 Large Chicken Breast * OPTIONAL, 2 teaspoons Cumin, 1 teaspoon Chili Powder, Salt to Taste
- Cook in a pan for 5-6 minutes per side, a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or an instant pot for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and chop into small pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Using a melon baller or metal teaspoon, scoop out the center of each zucchini. Drizzle tops with one teaspoon of olive oil then place them skin side down in the casserole dish so the boat side is ready to be filled.4 Large Zucchini
- Next, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the peppers (bell and jalapeno) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 Jalapeno, 1/2 Red Onion
- Next, add the rice, corn, beans and tomatoes along with the salsa. Stir everything together until well mixed and continue to cook for about 5 minutes to heat everything then remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice, 1/2 Cup Corn Kernels, 1 Can Black Beans, 1/2 Cup Tomatoes, 1 Cup Roasted Salsa
- Stir in the cilantro and salt to taste to the filling. Spoon the filling into each zucchini until they are all heaping. Sprinkle each one with cheese and cover with foil.1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Salt to Taste, 1 1/2 Cups Colby Jack Cheese
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes then remove the foil and set the oven to broil.
- Cook them for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes then top with fresh cilantro and serve with additional salsa if desired.
Notes
This is adapted from Making Thyme for Health If you don't use chicken, just add the seasonings to the rice mixture.
Reheat in the oven, switching to broil for the last minute or two.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 505mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g