Nutmeg pumpkin stuffed with spicy chicken and rice

Step-by-step cooking

1. Step 1:

   

   How to bake a butternut squash stuffed with spicy chicken and rice? First of all, prepare all the products. Take a nutmeg pumpkin weighing 1kg or two weighing 500 grams.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash the pumpkin and dry it with paper napkins. Cut off the places where the stalk was attached and divide each fruit into two parts (as in the photo).

3. Step 3:

   

   Using a tablespoon, remove the core and seeds.

4. Step 4:

   

   Lubricate each half with vegetable or olive oil, it is convenient to do this with a silicone brush. Sprinkle salt and allspice (or ground black) pepper on top.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cover the baking tray with baking paper. Put the pumpkin halves with the pulp down and send them to a preheated 180 degree oven. Use the "top-bottom" mode and bake for about 30 minutes (the baking time may slightly increase or decrease depending on the capabilities of your oven). Check the readiness of the pumpkin with a toothpick.

6. Step 6:

   

   At this time, prepare the remaining ingredients. Peel the onion, garlic and zucchini. Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds. Rinse everything under running water and dry it.

7. Step 7:

   

   Chop onion and garlic finely with a sharp knife.

8. Step 8:

   

   Zucchini and pepper cut into small cubes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Turn the finished pumpkin over and carefully remove the pulp with a spoon. You should get some kind of boats. Do not throw away the pumpkin pulp, it will still come in handy.

10. Step 10:

    

    Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Send the chicken breasts, pre-cut into small cubes, to fry. Over high heat, stirring constantly, cook the chicken until golden brown. Remove the breasts, and put the onion and garlic in the pan. Fry until soft, a few seconds will be enough.

12. Step 11:

    

    Add zucchini, pepper and softened pumpkin pulp.

13. Step 12:

    

    Add the fried breasts, rice and tomato paste as well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

14. Step 13:

    

    Mix everything well, add seasonings.

15. Step 14:

    

    Fill the contents of the pan with broth. What is the best broth to use? Chicken or vegetable are ideal. If there is neither one nor the other, then you can use ordinary water, it will also turn out delicious.

16. Step 15:

    

    Bring the broth to a boil, then turn down the stove and cook until the rice is ready. I covered the pan with a lid, but every 2-3 minutes I opened the lid and mixed the rice mass well so that it would not burn to the bottom. After 10-12 minutes (when the rice was almost ready) I removed the lid and cooked until there was no liquid left in the pan (about 3 minutes).

17. Step 16:

    

    Stuff the pumpkin with rice filling.

18. Step 17:

    

    Sprinkle grated cheese and parmesan on top.

19. Step 18:

    

    Put it back in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until the cheese melts and takes on a golden crust.

20. Step 19:

    

    Sprinkle the finished pumpkin with finely chopped herbs and allspice if desired.

21. Step 20:

    

    Done! Serve hot.