Zucchini Boats With Stuffing

The best way is to control the moisture before the filling goes in. Zucchini naturally contains a lot of water and larger zucchini's tend to release even more as they cook.

For this recipe choose medium sized zucchini rather than very large ones, scoop out the soft seedy centre without making the walls too thin, lightly season the inside with salt and pre bake the empty boats for 12 minutes. The pre bake gives the zucchini a head start and lets some of that excess moisture escape.

It's just as important to cook the mushrooms until their water has evaporated before adding the chicken. Keep the filling fairly dry too. If there is liquid sitting in the bottom of your frying pan, cook it for another minute or two before filling the boats. These steps make a big difference to the finished texture.

No, leave the skin on. The skin helps the zucchini hold its shape while it bakes so you end up with a sturdy little boat that can actually support the chicken filling and melted cheese.

Just wash the zucchini well before cutting it (don't forget to pat it dry). When you scoop out the middle leave around 5 to 7 mm of flesh around the sides and underneath. If you scoop too deeply the boats become fragile and can collapse or split during cooking so just take extra care with this step.

For this recipe bake the empty zucchini boats for about 12 minutes at 200°C fan / 400°F. Then add the cooked chicken and vegetable filling, cover with plenty of cheese and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes.

The exact time can vary slightly depending on the size of your zucchini. They are ready when the zucchini is tender enough to cut easily with a fork, the chicken filling is piping hot and the cheese is melted and bubbling. If you want a golden top give them another 1 to 2 minutes under the grill while watching them closely.

Yep you can and they are a good option for getting dinner partly prepared in advance. You can make the chicken and vegetable filling ahead of time or assemble the boats up to about 24 hours before cooking and keep them covered in the refrigerator.

For the best result keep the final cheese topping separate and add it just before baking. This prevents the cheese from becoming damp while the boats sit in the refrigerator.

If you are cooking them straight from the fridge allow a few extra minutes in the oven and make sure the chicken filling is piping hot before serving.

You can but freezing the finished boats isn't the best option if you want the zucchini to have a good texture and taste. Zucchini contains so much water that freezing and thawing can leave it noticeably softer and more watery. We recommend freezing the filling instead and preparing fresh zucchini when you're ready to cook from our own experience.

For this recipe I'd cook the chicken, mushrooms, peppers and sweetcorn mixture, let it cool completely then freeze the filling in an airtight container. When you're ready to make the boats just thaw the filling in the fridge, prepare fresh zucchini and add the cheese just before baking.

That gives you a much better texture than freezing the completed zucchini boats. Again as we always say to our readers nothing beats eating this meal cooked fresh.

These boats are filling enough to work as a complete meal, but a fresh side works particularly well because it balances the savoury chicken, spicy peri peri seasoning and melted cheese.

A simple green salad with a lemon dressing would be my first choice. The acidity cuts through the richness and works particularly well with the peri peri flavour. You could also serve them with some crusty garlic bread if you want a more substantial dinner. Recipe developers and home cooks commonly recommend salads, vegetables and bread alongside stuffed zucchini boats.

For children or anyone who doesn't enjoy too much heat, serve the boats with a little plain Greek yogurt or sour cream on the side. It gives everyone an easy way to cool down the peri peri without changing the recipe itself.