Buffalo chicken zucchini boats are a flavorful stuffed zucchini recipe made with shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, and ranch seasoning. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
These buffalo chicken zucchini boats are made with just a handful of simple ingredients and are ready in about 30 minutes. They're perfect for busy weeknights or a quick meal anytime.
Fresh zucchini are halved and cored, then filled with shredded chicken and onion that's been tossed in buffalo sauce, sour cream, and ranch seasoning. Topped with melty cheese and baked to perfection, this recipe is filled with flavor!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need about 3 medium sized zucchini (or 4 small zucchini) for this recipe. I used a 9x13 casserole dish, so I looked for zucchini about 9 inches long that would fit perfectly into the pan and fill the space.
- Chicken - A cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe. Or, any cooked, lightly seasoned chicken you have on hand. Crumbled and cooked ground chicken or turkey also works great.
- Buffalo sauce - Your favorite brand of buffalo sauce (not hot sauce) works here. What's the difference? Buffalo sauce is like hot sauce, but with extra fats (like butter or oil) and sometimes other ingredients added. Buffalo sauce is richer and thicker than hot sauce. You can use homemade or store bought buffalo sauce for this recipe.
- Sour cream - Adds creaminess to your filling.
- Ranch seasoning - Store bought or homemade ranch seasoning works here. Or, substitute sour cream and ranch seasoning with ranch dressing (your filling will be slightly thinner).
- Green onions - Two green onions, or a chopped red onion, works well in this recipe.
- Cheddar cheese - Any melty cheese works here, like monterey jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, or mozzarella. I suggest using freshly shredded cheese, as pre-shredded bagged cheese can add a grainy texture when melted.
Do I need to peel my zucchini?
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini to make zucchini boats. In fact, the skin contains many nutrients and fiber you'd otherwise be missing out on. The skin also helps hold the shape of your boats as they bake.
Can zucchini boats be frozen?
Technically yes, zucchini boats can be frozen. However, zucchini releases quite a bit of water and gets a little soggy after being frozen and thawed.
For best quality, I highly recommend eating your zucchini boats fresh instead of freezing and thawing.
Leftovers and reheating
Leftover zucchini boats keep well for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
To reheat, zucchini boats can be microwaved or reheated in the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake boats, uncovered, for up to 20 minutes, or until warmed throughout. If frozen, allow to thaw before reheating.
What to serve with zucchini boats
Want to stretch your zucchini boats recipe a little further? Serve one zucchini boat per person along with a side dish or two, like a side salad and some garlic bread. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Side salad
- Garlic bread
- Roasted vegetables
- Steamed cilantro rice
- Corn on the cob
For more ideas, check out my full post: 25 side dishes to serve with zucchini boats
Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, about 9-10" long
- 12 ounces cooked and shredded chicken
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
- Cut the stems off your zucchini, then slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scape out some of the flesh from each zucchini half and discard (or save for another recipe). Place into prepared 9x13 pan, cut side up. Optionally, lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl combine buffalo sauce, sour cream, and ranch seasoning. Add shredded chicken and green onions and toss until evenly coated. Once boats have par-baked, remove from oven and top with chicken filling. Sprinkle tops with cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until zucchini can easily be pierced through with a fork and cheese looks hot and melted.
- Optionally drizzle with ranch dressing before serving.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Calories shown are for one boat (or one zucchini half), if your recipe makes six boats. One boat can be served as an entrée along with side dish(es), or two boats can serve as a complete meal on their own.
- Cooked and shredded chicken can be rotisserie chicken, or any cooked, lightly seasoned chicken you have on hand, including ground chicken or even ground turkey.
- Leftover zucchini boats will keep for 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, or until warmed throughout.
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