Southwest Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Avocado Crema

These Southwest chicken stuffed zucchini boats are a crowd-pleasing meal that brings all the flavors of the Southwest to your table. Tender zucchini halves are roasted until golden, then filled with a savory mix of jasmine rice, dark meat chicken and a blend of Southwest spices. A generous layer of pepper jack cheese gets melted under the broiler for a gooey, golden finish.

Top each boat with a fresh tomato pico de gallo, a drizzle of tangy avocado crema and a dollop of sour cream. A sprinkle of cilantro and a dash of hot sauce add the perfect finishing touches. This recipe is a fun, flavorful way to enjoy a hearty dinner that’s sure to become a favorite.

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Ingredients

1 unit Veggie Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pepper Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon GuacamoleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel and finely dice onion. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds with a spoon. Dice tomato. Roughly chop cilantro. Zest and halve lime.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add ¾ of the onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add rice and Southwest Spice Blend; stir to coat. Stir in stock concentrate, 1¼ cups water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
3. While rice cooks, rub zucchini halves all over with a large drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes. Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine tomato, half the cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice to taste and as much remaining onion as you like. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate small bowl, combine guacamole, lime zest, half the sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
5. Once zucchini is tender, remove sheet from oven. Heat broiler to high. Fluff rice with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Carefully flip zucchini and stuff with as much rice as will fit (there’ll be plenty left over; save for serving). Evenly top with pepper jack. Broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir chicken into rice before stuffing zucchini.
6. Divide remaining rice between plates and top with stuffed zucchini. Top with avocado crema, pico de gallo, remaining cilantro and remaining sour cream. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Yes, you can substitute pepper jack with Monterey Jack, cheddar or a Mexican blend for a similar melt and flavor.

Can I make this recipe vegetarian?

Absolutely! Omit the chicken and add black beans or corn to the rice mixture for a hearty vegetarian version.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover stuffed zucchini boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.