Italian Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Boats

Yesterday was laundry day. 

But then of course mid-day I remember that it's also dodgeball night...

Dodgeball? Or Laundry?

Guess what won?

Dodgeball. And going to Geoffrey Beene and buying a new outfit for work :)

So TONIGHT became laundry night at Casa di Spence. And what was on the menu? I had no idea... but I was totally craving zucchini... wierd, right?

Eating Well Magazine had done a stuffed zucchini a few months ago (I don't remember the exact issue...) and I remember thinking it looked appetizing. So while standing in the produce section of Whole Foods at Colombus Circle, I decided that whatever I came up with would be based on my memory of that...

...and thus was born my recipe for Italian Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Boats!

Ingredients

2 small red potatoes

1 zucchini

1 tsp EVOO, plus some for brushing

1 garlic clove, cracked

2 cremini mushrooms

1 tbs skim milk

1 4 oz chicken breast

Italian Seasoning

--Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Oregano

1 vine tomato, seeded and chopped

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer until fork tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain the pot, and set potatoes aside. Return the pot to the heat. Let any remaining water evaporate, about 30 seconds. 

Add 1 tsp EVOO to the pan with the cracked garlic clove. While oil is warming, roughly chop the mushrooms. Add them to the oil and let them cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. While mushrooms are working, quarter the potatoes. Remove garlic from the mushrooms, and then add the potatoes and milk. Give it a rough mash until it's reached the consistency you want (I like it kinda lumpy) Season with a little of the Italian Seasoning and add a little parmesan cheese (if using).

Heat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Half the zucchini and lightly brush with EVOO. Grill, flesh side down, for about 3 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

Lightly oil the chicken breast, and season with Italian Seasonings. Grill, 4-5 minutes per side.

While chicken grills, use a spoon to hollow out the zucchini (like a canoe!) Roughly chop the removed flesh, and stir into the potato mash. Spoon the potato zucchini mixture back into the zucchini boats. Top with chopped tomato, and extra cheese (if using) Serve with chicken alongside.

My guesstimated budget for tonight? This cost me about $8.00

And here's the other thing! I was too full to eat one of my zucchini halves, so it's now in a ziploc tupperware container in my fridge. So if I eat that another night, with another grilled chicken breast... that would make each meal about $5!

Five Dollars, ya'll. 

You can barely get a Venti Non-fat Soy Latte for that.

For the record -- I would never order a Venti Non-Fat Soy Latte. I'm a Sugar-Free Vanilla Red-Eye kind of guy. But I thought the other things just sounded better :)