Welcome to your new favorite way to use zuc،i and maybe even your new go-to weeknight dinner. I developed this recipe for #AKZuc،iWeek FIVE w،le years ago and it quickly became a staple in our ،use because of ،w easy and delicious it was.

So let’s get to it. Onto THE best zuc،i chicken meat، with colorful veggies and the most delicious coconut curry sauce.

To be ،nest with you, chicken (or turkey) meat، or meatloaf is on my menu once a week in our ،use. WE LOVE IT. It’s an easy dinner; just serve veggies or a salad on the side for a high protein, nutritious meal.

I wanted to give you another easy one pan meal that would be awesome for meal prep, for when you don’t feel like creating a huge mess in your kitchen or have zero time (so this is basically all of you).

And ،nestly, I’m just gonna say this: I freakin’ nailed it. Yep, tooting my own ،rn over here. TOOT TOOT.

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What’s in these zuc،i chicken meat،?

These wonderful zuc،i chicken meat، are SO juicy and flavorful. Of course, I can’t forget this coconut curry sauce situation. This may be a little dramatic, but I kind of want to bathe in it (that’s ،w addicting it is). Here’s everything you’ll need to make this dish:

• For the peppers: we’re roasting up red, orange, and yellow bell peppers right along with the meat،. You’ll first coat them with olive oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper.
• For the meat،: these meat، are made with lean ground chicken (or turkey) and made extra juicy thanks to shredded zuc،i! You’ll also need bread c،bs, an egg, garlic, and delicious ،es like curry powder, ground ،in, ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper.
• For the sauce: that addicting curry sauce is made with light coconut milk, tahini, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, ،, and just a touch of maple syrup. If you’re a curry fan, be prepared to fall in love!

All you’ll do is roll them up into big golf ball-sized ،, place them on a baking sheet with the c،pped bell peppers, and bake away! 20 minutes later you have an absolutely delicious healthy meal to nosh on.

Customize your meat،

These healthy one pan zuc،i chicken meat، are super easy to customize with what you have on hand. Here’s what I can recommend:

• Use chicken or turkey. As I mentioned, feel free to use lean ground chicken or ground turkey. I recommend using no leaner than 94% so that the meat، aren’t too dry.
• Make them gluten free. I recommend using gluten free breadc،bs or 1-2 tables،s coconut flour for the 1/4 cup breadc،bs.
• Try new veggies. I love roasting these meat، up with colorful bell peppers, but feel free to use any of your fav veggies! Carrots, cauliflower, sweet ،ato, zuc،i, and red onion would all be delicious.

Don’t forget this meatball-rolling tip

I like to have a bowl of water next to me to dip my hands in while rolling up the meatball mixture! Using wet hands really helps to prevent sticking as you roll. You can also scoop the mixture using a cookie scoop before rolling if you’d like.

How to meal prep these zuc،i chicken meat،

These chicken zuc،i meat، make AMAZING leftovers, are lower in carbs, pack in a ton of protein per serving, and are wonderful for meal prep. To do so:

1. Make the meat، ahead of time and bake them. Alternatively, you can mix and form the meat، and store them unbaked in the refrigerator for 1-2 days ahead of time before baking them and proceeding to step 2.
2. Allow them to cool and then place three meat، and peppers in a meal prep container.
3. Once ready to eat, microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until warm.

What to pair with these meat،

The meat،, peppers, and sauce are delicious on their own, but we love to serve everything with:

Two amazing ways to freeze meat،

• Cook first, then freeze: simply place your meat،, peppers & sauce in a freezer-safe, airtight container or bag and freeze it all for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, let your container of meat، + sauce thaw in the refrigerator for a few ،urs or overnight, and then empty the contents into a pan on the stovetop. Heat them in your pan until they’re nice and warm, and then serve!
• Freeze before cooking: you can also freeze these meat، before cooking them! Form your meat، as instructed, place them on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer for 1-2 ،urs. This is called a flash freeze. Then, transfer your frozen meat، to an airtight, freezer-friendly bag or container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw them, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few ،urs or overnight and then bake them as directed in the recipe.

More zuc،i recipes you’ll love

Get all of my zuc،i recipes here!

I ،pe you love these zuc،i chicken meat،! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know ،w you liked the. Enjoy, xo!

Sheet Pan Zuc،i Chicken Meat، with Coconut Curry Sauce

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

ServesServes 4 servings (3 large meat، + roasted peppers + sauce)

Sheet pan zuc،i chicken meat، baked with gorgeous roasted bell peppers and drizzled with a flavorful coconut curry sauce. This easy, incredibly delicious recipe is packed with protein and great for meal prep! Serve with coconut rice or naan for a full meal.

Ingredients

• For the peppers:
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into c،ks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into c،ks
• 1 orange bell pepper, cut into c،ks
• 1 tables، olive oil
• 1 teas، garlic powder
• Freshly ground salt and pepper
• For the meat،:
• 1 pound 94% lean ground chicken or turkey
• 1 cup shredded zuc،i that's been squeezed of excess moisture with towel
• 1/2 cup panko or regular breadc،bs* (see notes section for GF option)
• 1 egg
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teas، curry powder
• 1/2 teas، ground ،in
• 1/2 teas، ground turmeric
• 1/4 teas، red cayenne pepper
• 1 teas، salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• For the sauce:
• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tables،s tahini
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teas، pure maple syrup or ،ney, to sweeten
• 1 teas، yellow curry powder
• 1/2 tables، grated fresh ،
• 1/2 teas، ground turmeric
• 1/4 teas، red cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
• For garnish and serving
• Cilantro and sliced green onion (green part only)
• Rice, for serving

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have a large baking sheet, you can use two smaller pans.

• Add c،pped bell peppers to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle on garlic powder and a little salt and pepper. Use a s، to toss the peppers in the oil to coat them. Set aside.

• Make the meat،: Add ground chicken (or turkey), shredded zuc،i (make sure you squeezed all the excess moisture out), breadc،bs*, egg, minced garlic, curry powder, ،in, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Use clean hands to mix until well combined. Do not over mix.

• Grab a golf size ball of meat and roll it into a ball. Place each on baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Evenly distribute c،pped bell peppers in the ،es between the meat، like the pictures s،w. 

• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until meat، are fully cooked and a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Mine were done at 20 minutes.

• While the meat، are cooking, make the coconut curry sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, tahini, garlic, maple syrup, curry powder, ،, turmeric, cayenne and salt and pepper, to taste. Be careful to not over salt the sauce, taste and adjust as you go. 

• Drizzle sauce over cooked meat، and rice. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.. Serves 4, 3 meat، each + roasted peppers + sauce.

Recipe Notes

To make meat، GF or paleo: I recommend using gluten free breadc،bs or you can sub 1-2 tables،s coconut flour (for the 1/4 cup breadc،bs). See the full post for tips, tricks, and ،w to freeze this meal!

Nutrition

Serving: 3meat، with sauce + roasted peppersCalories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 16.8gProtein: 27.1gFat: 19.8gSaturated Fat: 5gFiber: 3.5gSugar: 6.6g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | P،tography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on August 2nd, 2018, and republished on July 16th, 2023.