Over Labor Day I went to Santa Fe to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday. For those of you who keep up each week, you probably remember my reflections on leaving my son and husband for the first time since giving birth. The short trip was wonderful, and I was once again reminded how much I love Santa Fe. The food, the art, the culture, the history. It feels like a warm hug – familiar and comforting after spending so much time there growing up when my grandparents lived there. 

When I am not stuffing my face with Christmas-style enchiladas, I like to order Calabacitas. It’s an underrated dish with only a few ingredients – green chilis, zucchini, corn, and a crema of some sort. And it’s oh so good! 

When I returned from Santa Fe – with local green chili powder from the farmer’s market of course – I was immediately inspired to make some version of it for the fam. I considered making it the traditional way but wanted to add protein so I came up with a brilliant idea if I say so myself…. Calabacita Zucchini Boats! Instead of chopping the zucchini, I’ll stuff the corn and green chilis into the zucchini. And while I am at it, I’ll add some diced chicken. And why not make a simple crema with cottage cheese and mozzarella to add even more protein?

Honestly, I didn’t think they would turn out as damn delicious as they did. But Nick and I polished off the entire pan full very quickly. 

I am really excited to make this again for Koa, who is 9 months old and slowly pushing into the world of solids. I am off the ilk – he eats what we eat for ease of mind. Sometimes I puree our meal or simply steam one of the ingredients. I was a bit nervous about the choking hazards of this one but the ingredient list is great for a growing little dude. I gave him steamed zucchini this time around but next time, we going to try the whole shebang! 

Don’t you love it when you random inspiration comes to you and is perfect for this season of life? 

INGREDIENTS

3 zucchini

1 poblano pepper

1 white onion

1 lb. chicken 

1 can corn (or 2-3 fresh corn)

2 cans green chili 

½ cup cottage cheese

½ mozzarella

1 tbsp. green chili powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

salt & pepper

Serving Size: 2-4

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F. 
• Wash zucchini, cut in half length wise and scoop out the center like little boats. Set aside. 
• Finely dice the chicken, poblano pepper and onion. 
• *If using fresh corn, boil the corn and shave off the cob. Or if using fresh green chilis, roast and dice. 
• In a large pan, heat a dash of olive oil and cook the diced onion until fragrant and translucent (approx 3-4 minutes). 
• Then add the chicken and poblano pepper, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through. 
• Season with green chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 
• Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cottage cheese and mozzarella until smooth. 
• Gently stir the cheese mix in with the chicken and corn mix.
• Remove from heat and scoop the mixture into the zucchini boats. 
• Bake for 25 mins until the zucchini softens. 
• Enjoy!