Mexican Zucchini Boats
A healthy zucchini burrito bowl with a kick!
Serves: 4 (Serving = 2 boats with chicken)
Ingredients
4 large zucchini (or 8 small zucchini)
1 teaspoon+ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 jalapeño (or poblano pepper), cored and diced
- 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans (no salt added), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup diced tomatoes (no salt added)
- ½ cup salsa (use your preferred level of spiciness)
- ½ cup corn kernels
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Optional: 1 cup shredded chicken (plain, not seasoned)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt for topping
- 1/2 ripe avocado, sliced for topping
Directions
- Start by spraying a 9 x 13” casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400
F. - Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a metal teaspoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of each zucchini. Lightly brush the tops with one teaspoon of olive oil and place skin side down in the casserole dish.
- Next warm the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red peppers, and jalapeno and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add black beans, brown rice, diced tomatoes, salsa, corn, cumin, and chili powder. Optional: add shredded chicken to mixture. Stir everything together and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
- Stir in ¼ cup of the cilantro to the filling. Spoon the filling inside each zucchini until they are full. Sprinkle each one with cheese and then arrange them in the dish and cover with foil. 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 and golden brown.
- Allow zucchini boats to cool for 5-10 minutes then top with fresh Greek yogurt, avocado, fresh cilantro, and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.