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    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free Chicken & Turkey

    Published: Jun 11, 2020 · Modified: Sep 27, 2021 by Jen Wooster

    Barbecue Chicken Zucchini Boats

    2.6K shares
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    - Jump to Recipe -
    chicken zucchini boats on sheet pan
    Serving and eating zucchini boats

    Quick and easy BBQ chicken stuffed zucchini boats is a light low carb dinner. One pan dinner and ready in less than 30 minutes.

    This is one of those 'I can't believe this only takes 30 minutes' kind of meals. Minimal clean up means you can skip the take out and stay home for a healthy meal everyone will love!

    close up of chicken zucchini boats on parchment paper
    BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats

    Please read the entire post for tips and tricks to ensure a perfect recipe every time. And don't forget to tag @peelwithzeal on Instagram so we can admire your creation!

    This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾Ingredients
    • ⏲️Instructions
    • 🥘Tips and Tricks
    • 🥗More 30 Minute Meals
    • 📖 Recipe
    • ⭐Reviews

    We love this recipe for so many reasons. But here are just a few:

    • Naturally gluten free, with a dairy- free option
    • Great for summer, plus you can use up all the fresh zucchini from the garden
    • One pan/ sheet pan dinner
    • Ready in less than 30 minutes
    • Kid-friendly dinner, and perfect for back- to- school weeknights
    • Keto option when you use keto BBQ sauce
    • Can be made extra spicy with spicy BBQ sauce and jalapenos or siracha

    🧾Ingredients

    Zucchini- Fresh, maybe even a little underripe is perfect. Small to medium-sized and all the same sized. Have lots of giant zucchini to use? Try our sliced roasted zucchini recipe instead!

    Shredded Chicken- Precooked chicken, you can use leftover, rotisserie, or even canned.

    Red Onion-  I like a red onion in this recipe, be sure to dice it up small because we don't pre-cook it. You can also substitute white onion or sweet onion, depending on your taste.

    BBQ Sauce- You can do homemade or store-bought. I like Tessemaes and Stubbs, both are gluten-free.

    Cheese- In our house we typically stay dairy-free so I use an almond mozzarella style cheese from Trader Joes. You can use any style of mozzarella you like. Or even substitute in a good sharp cheddar!

    Toppings- Be creative! Try jalapeno slices, green onions or leftover french fried onions, cilantro, or even a drizzle of ranch dressing.

    Zucchini boat filling ingredients in a bowl

    ⏲️Instructions

    The key to a successful, and quick, zucchini boat is the proper prep of the zucchini itself. And not over roasting. Zucchini should be soft but still crunchy. We won't be overcooking these!

    Start by slicing your zucchini longways. Don't trim the ends! You don't have to eat the stem but leaving it intact will prevent the yummy filling from oozing out. These are zucchini boats, and boats don't have one side totally open!

    Use a small spoon to hollow out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving ¼-inch thickness around the edges.

    scrapping out the seeds of zucchini with a spoon

    Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment spray or brush the pan with oil to prevent sticking. Place the zucchini cut side-up on the baking sheet.

    The nice part about using parchment is that is makes serving and clean up a breeze. Simply slide the parchment onto a serving platter.

    parchment lined baking sheet

    In a bowl combine the chicken, red onion, BBQ sauce, and shredded cheese. Spoon in the filling and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

    filling zucchini boats with bbq chicken

    Bake uncovered at 425 F for 18 to 20 minutes or until the filling is set and the cheese is melted. When baking with almond cheese I make a tent foil and very loosely cover. This will help the cheese melt and prevent it from over browning. Take it off the last 3 to 5 minutes of baking.

    Drizzle the baked zucchini boats with the remaining BBQ sauce and garnish with jalapenos, cilantro, and green onions. Or your favorite toppings.

    Serving and eating zucchini boats

    🥘Tips and Tricks

    • To make it vegan substitute shredded jackfruit for the chicken and use almond mozzerlla.
    • For a variation substitute our paleo Thai peanut sauce or a buffalo style hot sauce for the BBQ sauce.
    • Add crumbled bascon for an extra layer of flavor.
    • Don't trim the ends off, you don't have to eat them but we need all that filling in the boat.
    • To make the zucchini boats in advance. Prep the zucchini boats and cover the baking sheet with foil. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. The zucchini boats can go straight from the fridge to the oven.
    chicken zucchini boats on a serving platter

    🥗More 30 Minute Meals

    Looking for more quick and easy 30 minute dinner recipes? Here are some of our favorites! Plus they are all gluten-free!

    Charred Cauliflower Steaks with Curry Sauce
    Breakout the grill for this vegetarian steak alternative. Colorful cauliflower steaks and a flavorful curry dressing is as easy to make as it is good for you!
    Check out this recipe
    curried cauliflower steak recipe on a plate
    Stovetop Tuna Noodle
    Tasty gluten & dairy free one-pot stovetop tuna noodle casserole could not be easier to make using pantry ingredients.
    Check out this recipe
    gluten free tuna noodle in a bowl and one pot serving pan
    Roasted Salmon with Pineapple Relish
    Easy weeknight salmon dinner with refreshing mild pineapple salsa.
    Check out this recipe
    Salmon with pineapple relish on plate

    If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave us a rating or a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with our food.

    📖 Recipe

    chicken zucchini boats on a platter

    Barbecue Chicken Zucchini Boats

    Recipe Created By: Jen Wooster
    Quick and easy BBQ chicken stuffed zucchini boats is a light low carb dinner. One pan and ready in less than 30 minutes.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 334 kcal

    Equipment

    • Sheet pan

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 zucchini sliced in half lengthwise
    • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
    • ½ cup red onion finely diced
    • ¾ cup BBQ sauce divided
    • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided (use regular or almond)
    • Olive oil for brushing zucchini
    • Kosher salt and pepper
    • jalapeno slices green onions, cilantro (for garnish)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      parchment paper on a baking sheet
    • Use a small spoon to hollow out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving ¼-inch thickness around the edges. Place them cut side-up on the baking sheet. Brush the hollowed-out zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
      hollowing out zucchini with a spoon
    • In a large bowl combine the chicken, red onion, ½ cup BBQ sauce, and ½ cup shredded cheese.
      chicken mixture for zucchini boats
    • Spoon in the filling and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
      zucchini boats on sheet before baking
    • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the filling is set and the cheese is melted.
      zucchini boats on a sheet pan after baking
    • Drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce and garnish with jalapenos, cilantro, and green onions
      BBQ zucchini boats with garnishes

    Video

    Notes

    • Assemble the boats the night before, placing on a sheet pan,  and cover with foil and place in the fridge. Zucchini boats can go straight from the fridge to the oven.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 334kcal | Carbs: 30g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 3g
    Keyword baked zucchini, BBQ chicken, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, zucchini boats
    Tried this recipe?Tag us @peelwithzeal so we can see your creation!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Beth says

      June 13, 2020 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      We love an easy dinner. These are great. I had some leftover grilled chicken and it was perfect for them!

      Reply
    2. Abigail Raines says

      June 13, 2020 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I love that this comes together so quickly for an easy and tasty dinner option!

      Reply
    3. Julia says

      June 13, 2020 at 9:43 am

      5 stars
      This is such an easy meal! Love that I can prepare it the night before to save some time.

      Reply
    4. Jen says

      June 13, 2020 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      These were absolutely delicious! I sprinkled a little crispy bacon on top too because, well, bacon. Love that these are a healthier option for dinner.

      Reply
      • Jen says

        June 13, 2020 at 10:32 am

        Bacon for days!!! Great idea.

        Reply
    5. Kushigalu says

      June 13, 2020 at 8:51 am

      5 stars
      I love the combination of ingredients in this recipe. So delicious

      Reply

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    picture of Jen

    My name is Jen and I am the recipe developer, writer, and photographer around here. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease over 10 years ago I have been slowly curating a recipe box full of gluten-free goodness. I adore vegetables, crave chocolate, and I am always up for an adventure.

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