Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Zucchini -

I’ve been up since about 2:45 this morning.

What have I been doing in the 3ish hours I’ve been up? Freaking myself out by watching old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries.

I remember watching this show as a kid with my mom and scaring myself to death. Once, there was an episode about a man spontaneously combusting, and I was convinced it was going to happen to me. So every night before bed, like clockwork, I’d pray to God that I wouldn’t catch on fire in my sleep.

Thanks, mom!

I’m not so much freaked out by the ‘mysteries’ now that I am by Robert Stack. That dude is so incredibly freaky. He makes the show way more terrifying… especially those episodes where he’s wearing a long black pea coat. Excuse me while I go screaming through my home.

Now for something a little less creepy: food. There’s only two days left in Squash September, and I’ve saved the best for last. I also have something up my sleeve for October, so you better stay tuned for that.

Anyway, stuffing zucchini has become a favorite meal plan of mine. My coworker Kelly and I were talking about how it was a pain last week, but really, if you have the right tools, it’s not so time-consuming.

Here’s what I do:

Have a trash sack handy. Right next to my cutting board I set down a plastic grocery sack. That way when I’m cutting into the zucchini, I can easily discard the ends and insides.
Use a spoon to scoop. Don’t use a knife to cut the ‘boat’ into the zucchini! I just press a spoon into the zucchini in the shape of the boat that I want. If you use a knife, you can cut too deep or accidentally cut the ends off, so the filling can spill out.

I’ve made a ton of different stuffed zucchini over the last year. Buffalo chicken, chicken parmesan…this is my favorite so far. I have a soft spot for anything chicken-bacon-ranch flavored. Those are definitely the three best things in the world. I’ve been known to dunk just about anything in ranch, so…

I cooked my chicken in a skillet with some oil, then let my stand mixer shred it with the paddle attachment. If you’re looking for something easier, just grab a rotisserie chicken and the store and shred it yourself.

Enjoy!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Zucchini

Servings: 3-6
Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Medium
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Shredded chicken with creamy ranch dressing, crispy bacon & cheese stuffed into zucchini boats.

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded
3 zucchini, sliced in half and insides scooped out
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together chicken, bacon, half of the cheese, and ranch dressing.
Using a spoon, scoop chicken mixture into hollowed out zucchini halves. Place stuffed zucchini into a large baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and zucchini is crisp-tender. Serve with extra ranch dressing if desired.

Step-By-Step Instructions