If you love zucchini as much as we do, then this recipe is a must-try! These mini baked zucchini cakes are the elegant, savory appetizer you’ve been looking for. Each one of these single-serving delicacies look absolutely stunning, but their flavor is what really stands out. Thinly sliced pieces of zucchini encase a citrusy, creamy chicken risotto. It’s all topped off with a perfectly baked egg, adding a whole other level of texture and flavor to the dish. Serve it as an appetizer at your next get-together, and you’ll leave all of your guests speechless!
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Baking Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty Level: Moderate
You’ll Need:
For the pulled chicken:
- 7 oz chicken breast
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
For the risotto:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup uncooked arborio rice
- ½ onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 oz black olives, pitted & diced
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 eggs
- juice & zest of ½ lemon
- ½ cup chopped basil
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp sugar
For the zucchini exterior:
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
Extra:
- 4 eggs for the topping
- 4 x 6 oz ramekins
Here’s How:
1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. For the pulled chicken, season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, paprika, and sugar, and sear on both sides for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Place the seared chicken breast on a baking tray, transfer the baking tray to the oven, and bake at 275°F for 25 minutes. Once the chicken is done baking, let it cool for about 10 minutes, then use a fork to pull the meat apart. For the risotto, lightly sauté the onion and garlic, then add in the arborio rice. Continue to cook the rice mixture for about 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth and season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring everything to a simmer and continue to gradually cook the vegetable broth off until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Once the rice is tender, remove the risotto from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Once the risotto has cooled, stir in the zest & juice of ½ lemon, pulled chicken, chopped basil, parmesan, chopped red bell pepper, and diced olives, then crack 2 eggs over the risotto pan and fold them in carefully.
2. For the zucchini exterior, use a vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini into long, thin strips. Pour the vegetable oil over the slices and season them with salt & sugar.
3. Cut out 8 strips of parchment paper approximately 1 x 11 inches each. Line each 6 oz ramekin with 2 strips of parchment paper positioned in the shape of a cross, then arrange the slices of zucchini to line the ramekins in a circular fashion so that they overlap each other slightly.
4. Fill the ramekins with the chicken risotto filling, leaving a small amount of space at the top.
5. Roll the excess sections of the slices of zucchini up towards the center of the ramekins, twist the rolls slightly, and position them vertically around the edge of the dishes.
6. Crack 1 egg into the center of each zucchini cake and season with salt & pepper. Transfer the ramekins to the oven and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Once the zucchini cakes have baked, let them cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
To remove the zucchini cakes from their dishes, just to pull up on the 2 strips of parchment paper and they’ll slide right out! Slice into these elegant savory cakes and watch the delicious, creamy filling spill out. They make the perfect spectacle for a dinner party with friends!
Get the recipe for the Zucchini & Eggplant Pie featured in the bonus video.