Upgrade Your Next Chicken Dish By Serving It In An Eggplant Boat

The earthy, mildly sweet taste of eggplant has always tasted good with chicken's savory flavor. From chicken eggplant parmesan to stir-fries with the meat and vegetable, the two ingredients are always a classic combination. But if you're looking for a way to spruce up the way you eat chicken and eggplants together, eggplant boats offer an interesting way to prepare the two.

Eggplant boats transcend our desire for an all-in-one bowl meal by allowing you to eat the bowl itself. By hollowing out the center of a halved eggplant, you can stuff it with whatever you like; whether you make a chicken taco eggplant bowl or spring for a Greek chicken grain bowl with olives, tomatoes, and chickpeas, the method gives room for versatility.

With their spongy, absorbent texture, it's easy for eggplants to end up soggy and water-logged. After cutting out the center, rub the insides with salt and allow the eggplant to sit for around an hour. Once that's done, you can make the perfect eggplant boat with chicken.

Once you've sliced the eggplant in half, use a sharp knife to carve out the center of it. You can set it aside for another meal, or opt to put it back in the eggplant once it's cooked. When the eggplant boat is done drying out, pat off the excess salt and roast the eggplant in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the eggplant is cooking, heat up a skillet with olive oil and place ground chicken, diced tomatoes, garlic, herbs and spices, and other ingredients into it. If you're using the eggplant that's been cut out of the boat, chop it into bite-sized cubes and place it in the skillet. Stir until the liquid from the chicken has been released and it's fully cooked.

After around 20 minutes, remove the eggplant from the oven. Scoop the ingredients from the skillet into the emptied eggplant boat and sprinkle cheese on top. Place it back in the oven for around 10 more minutes and then remove.