Chicken Taco Zucchini Boats

Part of my new low calorie lifestyle definitely includes leaner meats such as ground chicken versus ground beef. Beef is still great in moderation, but for these "tacos" the ground chicken was a delicious and lean choice. This meal was very filling as well as satisfying ^_^

Taco Zucchini Boats

      makes 3 servings

• 300 grams lean ground chicken breast (430 calories)
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (like 1 calorie)
• 3 small-medium zucchinis, mine were 344 grams total, cut in half (55 calories)
• 1 cup San Marzano tomatoes, chopped w/ some sauce (50 calories)
• 1/2 T cumin
• 1/2 T coriander
• 1 T chili powder
• Black pepper, to taste
• for the toppings you can use: shredded lettuce, diced onion, jalapeno, and hot sauce (the onion is 4 calories a tbsp, and a whole roma tomato is about 30-35 calories)

For 2 pieces of this dish I calculated the calories at 184 calories. The breakdown is based on the facts above, divided by three of course, then I just factored in about 5 calories for a sprinkle of onion and tomatoes. I use my kitchen scale and the guide it came with to weigh and calculate calories, fat, carbs, fiber etc. I'm not sure if it's 100% accurate but it seems fine most of the time.

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Weigh the chicken and prep the zucchini. I used a regular spoon to scoop out the insides of the zucchini until they were pretty hollow. In a medium skillet add the chicken and saute over medium heat until the chicken begins to crumble and cook up. Add the broth through the spices and continue to cook over medium to medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through and your house smells like a delicious taco shop. In a baking dish arrange the zucchini boats then fill with the meat and tomato mixture, use a slotted spoon to leave behind some of the juices. Transfer the juices from the skillet into the baking dish alongside the zucchini and add a splash of water. Give the pan a shake to spread out the sauce. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Optional: These can be topped with shredded cheese, I did that for my hubby.

Let the zucchini hang out, uncovered, for a few minutes before you transfer them to your plate. Top with the fun taco toppings and enjoy!

The chicken looks sooo gross at first!

After it cooks down the presentation and smell is much better!

Yummy toppings ^_^

Although these look tasty as is, it's so much fun to add crunchy fresh and traditional taco toppings!

Have fun with it! If you aren't eating low cal then feel free to top these with avocado, sour cream, and cheese yum!