Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken are a simple, healthy and flavorful dish that is low-carb, keto friendly and perfect for a family meal. They are very easy to make and are packed with ground meat and vegetables: onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes.

two stuffed zucchini boats on a white plate.

Jump to:

Easy Ground Chicken Zucchini Boats
Ingredient notes
How to make ground chicken stuffed zucchini
The Easiest Ground Chicken Soup
Storage and freezing tips
What to serve with stuffed zucchini
Are stuffed zucchini boats good for meal prep?
What's the best dish to bake stuffed zucchini in?
Recipe
Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken
You may also like
Meet the Author

Easy Ground Chicken Zucchini Boats

What is it about Italian cuisine that makes everyone love it? Pizza, pasta, pesto, lasagna, mozzarella, parmesan, prosciutto, antipasti. Try thinking about those without your mouth watering! It’s practically impossible.

My big quest as a mom is to reinvent Italian dishes so they are healthier, nourishing but still super tasty. My veggie-packed pork bolognese is a great example of that, and so is this air fryer eggplant parm.

These healthy zucchini boats are no different! The base of the sauce is your basic quick meat and tomato ragu but I also added mushrooms and spinach which almost makes them taste like pizza.

No Italian comfort food would be complete with cheese so I used mozzarella on top and a little goes a long way in this dish to make it lovely and delicious.

If you are looking for more zucchini boat ideas, check out my post that compiles 15 Best Stuffed Zucchini Boat recipes on the internet. All healthy, unique and delicious!

Ingredient notes

ground chicken, fresh spinach, mushrooms, four zucchini, spices, cheese, onion and garlic.

Zucchini: this dish is perfect in the summer when you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden, but I enjoy making zucchini boat dishes all year round since zucchini are widely available all year round
Mushrooms: I use baby bella mushrooms but regular white button mushrooms will work just as well in this dish
Ground meat: my version uses ground chicken but feel free to use any meat you like. Ground turkey, lean ground beef, pork or Italian sausage will all work.
Canned diced tomatoes: regular diced tomatoes or Italian style (with garlic and herbs) will work here.

A note on salt: Most canned tomatoes are already salted, unless you are using low sodium canned tomatoes. Because of that I recommend waiting with salt until your sauce is ready, then tasting and adjusting the saltiness. I find that it’s very easy to oversalt dishes that use canned tomato products.

How to make ground chicken stuffed zucchini

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh so you have hollowed out boats. Place them on a baking dish (or a large cookie sheet) and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 2: While the zucchini is pre-cooking, make the filling. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and mushrooms for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, spices, and chicken, cooking while breaking up the meat until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink.

Two side-by-side images of a skillet with a red handle. Image one shows diced mushrooms, onions, and zucchini boats. Image two features the cooked mixture with crumbled tofu, blended well with a wooden spoon. Ideal for any chicken lover looking for a veggie twist!.

Step 3: Stir in the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, cooking for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another minute until it wilts. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Side-by-side images of a skillet with a ground meat mixture. Left: a spoon adding tomato paste to chicken, diced tomatoes, and zucchini. Right: cooked ground meat with tomatoes and fresh spinach mixed in. Each image is numbered, perfect for filling zucchini boats.

Step 4: Top the zucchini with chicken mixture and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes.
Step 5: Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts.

Two images of zucchini boats: on the left, zucchini halves filled with a savory blend of ground chicken, tomatoes, and spinach. On the right, the same boats baked to perfection, crowned with melted cheese and vibrant peas.

Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Chicken Chicken Meatball Soup (Homemade Chickarina Soup)Creamy Tomato Bean Soup (No Dairy)Polish Chicken Soup {Authentic Rosół Recipe}Pork Bolognese (Ground Pork Pasta Sauce)Creamy Chicken Butternut Squash Soup (with Potato Gnocchi)Ground Chicken Chili Bone Broth Chicken Soup

This easy, one-pot Ground Chicken Vegetable Soup with pasta is going to be a fall favorite in your house. It’s a balanced, nutritious meal everyone (including kids) will love. This simple soup is brimming with great flavor from wholesome ingredients and packed with chicken, pasta and fresh vegetables.

a bowl of ground chicken soup with zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and small pasta.

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.708.0_en.html?gdpr=1#fid=goog_2166762Jump to:

https://2d35c954799b3cc0b040f7ad0021cca9.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-45/html/container.html

This post contains a roundup. Recipe headings will show normally and not be replaced. This message is only visible to admins.

The Easiest Ground Chicken Soup

There's nothing like a large pot of soup or chili simmering on a chilly fall day. And this Ground Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Pasta is a quick and easy one-pot meal your entire family will love! Seriously, my kids love to bring this soup to school in their lunch box thermoses.

It’s like the perfect marriage of my Chicken Meatball Soup and Ground Chicken Stuffed Zucchini recipes and can also be made using ground turkey. Packed with pasta and chunks of ground chicken and a variety of tender vegetables, this hearty soup is a balanced and nutritious, colorful and kid-friendly meal they’ll ask for again and again.

Made with fresh and wholesome ingredients, it’s a great meal all on its own. But I also like to pair it with a simple salad or sandwich for lunch or serve as a starter for a larger meal. It’s also the perfect comfort food for a chilly autumn afternoon when you're just cozying under a blanket with your favorite show.

This recipe is featured in this roundup of 20 Healthy Recipes Using Ground Chicken.

Storage and freezing tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Stuffed zucchini boats are a perfect freezer meal. To freeze, follow the steps in the recipe (pre-bake zucchini shells, make the sauce, stuff zucchini with the sauce) but don’t bake them once assembled. Instead, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, place in a casserole dish with a lid, or cover with aluminum foil. When ready to cook, take the dish out of the freezer the night before and leave in the fridge until ready to bake.

I recommend baking the thawed dish at 400 degrees covered with aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from browning. Uncover 5 minutes before the end and serve!

What to serve with stuffed zucchini

Stuffed zucchini is a great well balanced meal on its own but tt also pairs well with a variety of sides to create a balanced and delicious meal. Here are some great options:

Salad: serve it with a simple side salad drizzled with my homemade Greek vinaigrette, or try it with my bright chopped salad or Greek chickpea salad
Bread: a piece of crusty baguette or toasted sourdough is great for scooping up the sauce
Roasted potatoes: try my air fryer baby potatoes
Soup: A light soup, such as tomato white bean or spicy lentil soup, makes a comforting starter or side.

baked zucchini boats stuffed with meat filling and cheese.

Are stuffed zucchini boats good for meal prep?

Yes! After baking, place the zucchini boats in glass or plastic airtight containers and store in the fridge up to 4 days. When ready to eat, heat up in the microwave or in the oven. One or two boats with a light salad are a perfect lunch or dinner!

What's the best dish to bake stuffed zucchini in?

Because they are not particularly saucy, I bake Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats on a regular large sheet pan. If you prefer, you can also use a large casserole dish, such as pyrex.

More low carb dinner ideas

If you like this recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest to see more recipes

Recipe

Meet the Author

Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.

Learn more about me →