But we didn't stop at chicken parmesan stuffing we have over 12 combinations for you to try.
Zucchini is so good for you and tastes great in bread, fried, baked, stuffed and the list goes on and on!
Using zucchini as a vessel to fill can make a new meal every week trying out a wonderful new combination from American Italian to American Mexican style fillings.
If you love zucchini try this vegetable with our wonderful filling suggestions there is something for everyone and all the recipes are super easy to make with simple ingredients easily found in the local markets.
You can all certainly use store-bought frozen chicken cutlets and jarred sauce for a quick meal during those busy weeknights to get that dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Stuffed zucchini with leftover rotisserie chicken or chicken tenders and any store-bought brands, when you're in a hurry, will make a quick one-pan meal.
Scroll down and check out this fabulous meal to add to your list because Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini is a perfect combination together!
What To Stuff Zucchini With?
- chopped mushrooms with the chicken
- cooked rice with the chicken
- leftover cooked meats of any kind
- deli roast beef or black forest ham
- pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and tomato pizza sauce and toppings on pizza style (adding anything you put on a pizza)
- cabbage and rice
- hamburger with rice
- ground beef or chicken taco filling with refried beans and sharp cheddar
- chicken with Alfredo sauce for Scampi sauce
- leftover mac and cheese
- any kind of cooked seafood can be substituted for the chicken and make shrimp parmesan is delicious
- in a pinch use frozen chicken tenders with this recipe, store-bought sauce, and mozzarella cheese
- use rotisserie chicken with hot buffalo wing sauce
- layer chopped ravioli pasta, shredded cheese sauce, and cooked loose sausage or ground beef meat
- chopped chicken cutlets, topped with ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, and mozzarella
- chopped chicken cutlets, topped with chopped eggplant, tomato sauce, cheese, and mozzarella
- Slice tomatoes, chicken, and slices of cheese drizzled with olive oil (use some chicken broth to steam the zucchini while baking and not dry out)
- Make a variety of stuffed zucchini in one pan to please a crowd or company when you're not sure what they prefer
Shopping List You Will Need
- fresh zucchini
- crushed tomatoes
- chopped fresh basil, parsley
- chicken cutlets homemade or frozen kind, ( or use any leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken off the bone or any kind of cooked chicken around 2 cups)
- mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese grated
- salt, and pepper to taste
- granulated garlic
- olive oil
- oregano
- white wine Pino Grigio or chicken broth
Tips for Making Stuffed Zucchini
- You can really use any filling with cooked meats or just vegetables you prefer IE pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked boneless pork, steak or chopped eggplants, mushrooms, or even beans of any kind: refried beans, black beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, etc.
- Unbreaded cutlets or rotisserie chicken will save more calories
- For those who are non-meat eaters, add ricotta cheese to stuff
- Use the insides of the zucchini for apple zucchini bread and zucchini banana cake, or add to egg omelets
- Use fresh pureed tomatoes when possible
- Use slice tomatoes instead of tomato sauce or both
- Make a variety for picky eaters some stuffed with ground beef, chicken, or another meat as shown below
- Use different cheeses, IE: sharp cheddar, Havarti, Swiss, Provolone
- All varieties of squash can be substituted for zucchini
Zucchini Vegetarian Boats and Low-Carb Meals
- Make these all vegetarian by chopping the insides and mixed with chopped tomato, lots of fresh herbs, and add cashew cheese
- Try stuffing them with Asian-flavored vegetable stir-fry medleys with no rice and pineapple or mango fruit salsa
- Use chopped zucchini and chopped eggplant with marinara and mozzarella
- Chop portobello mushrooms and add sauce and shredded cheese
Other Ideas and Suggestions for Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
- after the zucchini is hollowed out use the insides for zucchini cookies, bread, and zucchini cakes
- for a low-carb meal use the insides with the addition of chopped mushrooms or cooked quinoa
- make zucchini boats and add just cheese and sauce with pizza toppings
- add leftover meats or deli meats with cheese and Alfredo sauce
- for a quicker meals slice the zucchini on a mandolin and layer it with your choice of filling suggestions and bake it. This will cook faster in thin slices
- use the leftover insides for quiche or omelets
- make zucchini lasagna
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Zucchini Parmesan Stuffing
Zucchini stuffed is so versatile whether you use ground turkey, ground chicken or cooked rotisserie chicken, cubed chicken or anything leftover even breaded this can turn a simple vegetable into a gourmet meal!
Feel free to make any adaptions and mix-in whatever you family likes.
Yield: 6
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini is zucchini stuffed with chicken cutlets, tomato sauce, and lots of melty cheese!
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Ingredients
- 6 zucchini sliced lengthwise and hollowed out (save the insides for cakes, cookies, or zucchini bread and breakfast omelets)
- 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes or use store-bought marinara sauce (or 1 and a half pounds of fresh plum tomatoes put through a food processor or use sliced beef steak tomatoes for layering)
- fresh chopped basil, and parsley (around 1 tablespoon each)
- 4 or 5 chicken cutlets homemade or store-bought chicken tenders, cutlets frozen and sliced (alternatives: leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken off the bone, or any kind of cooked chicken around 2 cups)
- see notes for other optional fillings
- 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese or slices (use another cheese you prefer that melts easily like provolone, Swiss, or Havarti)
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese or a combination of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano
- salt, and pepper to taste
- granulated garlic
- olive oil for drizzling
- Optional: freshly chopped basil and parsley, dried oregano
- 1 cup white wine Pino Grigio or chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 13 x 9 casserole baking dish with cooking oil spray and set it aside.
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise and with a small spoon hollow out the insides into a bowl and place into the baking pan. (save the insides for cakes, cookies and bread for another time as it will also freeze well)
- On a cutting board slice or chop the cooked chicken cutlets or cooked chicken you prefer into small bite-sized pieces.
- Place the chicken inside of each cavity of the zucchini.
- Sprinkle each one with granulated garlic powder, freshly chopped basil, parsley, oregano if you like it, or any other herbs of your choice.
- Pour the crushed tomatoes or store-bought marinara sauce on top( or sliced tomatoes if that's what you're using on top)
- Top with slices of cheese or shredded cheese, then the Parmesan on top of that.
- Pour the wine of chicken broth into the bottom of the pan not touching the top.
- Drizzle the top with olive oil.
- Bake for around 35 minutes or until the zucchini softens to your preference.
- Serve with more grated cheese on top.
Notes
What To Stuff Zucchini With?
- chopped mushrooms with the chicken
- cooked rice with the chicken
- leftover cooked meats of any kind
- deli roast beef or black forest ham
- pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and sauce for a pizza style (adding anything you put on a pizza)
- cabbage and rice
- hamburger with rice
- ground beef taco filling with refried beans and sharp cheddar
- chicken with Alfredo sauce
- leftover mac and cheese
- in a pinch use frozen chicken tenders with this recipe, store-bought sauce, and mozzarella cheese
- use rotisserie chicken with hot buffalo wing sauce
- layer chopped ravioli pasta, shredded cheese sauce, and cooked loose sausage or ground beef meat
- chopped chicken cutlets, topped with ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, and mozzarella
- chopped chicken cutlets, topped with chopped eggplant, tomato sauce, cheese, and mozzarella
- Slice tomatoes, chicken, and slices of cheese drizzled with olive oil (use some chicken broth to steam the zucchini while baking and not dry out)
- Make a variety of stuffed zucchini in one pan to please a crowd or company when you're not sure what they prefer
Tips
- You can really use any filling with cooked meats or just vegetables you prefer IE pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked boneless pork, and steak or chopped eggplants, mushrooms, or even beans of any kind: refried, black beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, etc.
- Unbreaded cutlets or rotisserie chicken will save more calories
- For those who are non-meat eaters, add ricotta cheese to stuff
- Use the insides of the zucchini for bread and cakes or omelets
- Use fresh pureed tomatoes when possible
- Use sliced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce
- Make a variety for picky eaters some stuffed with ground beef, chicken, or another meat as shown below
- Use different cheeses, IE: sharp cheddar, Havarti, Swiss, Provolone
- Any squash varieties can be used to substitute zucchini
Other Ideas and Suggestions for Stuffed Zucchini Recipes
- after the zucchini is hollowed out use the insides for zucchini cookies, bread, and cakes
- for a low-carb meal use the insides with the addition of chopped mushrooms or cooked quinoa
- make zucchini boats and add just cheese and sauce with pizza toppings
- add leftover meats or deli meats with cheese and Alfredo sauce
- for a quicker meals slice the zucchini on a mandolin and layer it with your choice of filling suggestions and bake it. This will cook faster in thin slices
- make egg omelets with leftover zucchini or quiche
Nutrition Facts
Calories
224.33Fat (grams)
13.82 gSat. Fat (grams)
6.87 gCarbs (grams)
12.77 gFiber (grams)
3.3 gNet carbs
9.44 gSugar (grams)
8.54 gProtein (grams)
14.77 gSodium (milligrams)
585.88 mgCholesterol (grams)
38.94 mgNote: this is with a streusel topping added
https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2017/03/chicken-parmesan-stuffed-zucchini-recipe.html
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More Zucchini Recipes To Try
Zucchini Pizza Crust
Zucchini Rollatini
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Cranberry Muffins
Zucchini Christmas Bread
Zucchini Tips and Tricks
Stuffed Zucchini
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2017. It was edited and re-published in 2023.