Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 5-6 large zucchinis
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 6 ounces of fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
• 4 cups of basic marinara sauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Prep zucchini by cutting them in half lengthwise and scooping out some of the flesh from the center of each half leaving about a 1/4 inch thick shell. Season the flesh side with a little salt and pepper. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

2. Coat a large pan with olive oil (about 3-4 tablespoons) and sauté the onion until soft (10 minutes or so). Add the garlic and cook for another few minutes. Add the ground chicken to the pan, season with salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is completely cooked. Turn off the heat, add a cup of the tomato sauce to the chicken and mix well. Let the mixture cool, (you don’t want to scramble your eggs) then add the beaten eggs, the basil, the parsley and cubed mozzarella and mix well.

3. Spray 2 large baking dishes with non-stick spray and add 1 1/2 cup of tomato sauce to each baking dish. Spoon some of the chicken mixture into each zucchini shell filling them nice and full so that the filling is rounded on top and place them on top of the sauce in a single layer. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese with some salt and pepper. Sprinkle the mix onto the top of the zucchini’s and then drizzle them with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons or so). Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until zucchinis are tender and the tops are golden. You may need a minute or two under the broiler to get the tops nice and golden. Serve garnished with fresh basil.

** May substitute ground beef or ground turkey for ground chicken. Makes 6 servings in 2 baking dishes