Spaghetti Squash Chicken Bake
As a kid, I probably ate buttered noodles with grated parmesan cheese 6 days a week. I loved mac and cheese. This dish hearty and creamy like alfredo, loaded with garlic flavor, and most importantly: it’s good for you! This dish dish is my new version of comfort food. When squash is in season, my husband and I probably eat a spaghetti squash dish at least once a week. What can I say, it gives me my noodle fix!
First make sure to pre-bake the spaghetti squash. I like to cut in half,, scoop out the insides, rub down with olive oil, and bake inside facing up at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, but the instant pot set on high pressure for 7-9 minutes works well too.
Once the spaghetti squash is tender, let it cool for a few minutes before scooping it out. Trust me, your hand will thank you! Saute the garlic, onion, and any other vegetables while the spaghetti squash is cooling. After this step, all that is left is combining and baking! It’s a super quick recipe which is always a plus.
This recipe includes sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and shredded chicken but the you can customize the add-ins it to your liking. Here are a few ideas to try:
shredded chicken and broccili
For a tuscan variation: sun-dried/diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and italian sausage (this one is great!)
For a spaghetti feel: ground beef and marinara
Spaghetti Squash Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash cooked
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 7-8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped. I used the dried in bag variety.If using the kind in a jar, drain from liquid before adding.
- 1½ cups spinach roughly chopped
- 1½ mushrooms chopped
- 1 lb shredded or diced chicken breast previously cooked
- 1 can coconut milk full-fat
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder for extra garliciness in the sauce
- 1 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 cup shredded parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.° Slice spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Rub inside the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 30-35 minutes until tender.
- While squash is baking, mince the garlic and let it rest for 10 minutes. Dice the onion and set aside with the garlic. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Dice chicken if needed. Set all add-ins aside.
- In a small bowl combine the coconut milk, garlic powder, and arrowroot powder. Stir to dissolve and set aside.
- When spaghetti squash is done, set aside to cool for a few minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender and fragrant. Add in mushrooms and saute for a minute or two more.
- Scoop out the spaghetti squash into a large bowl. Next, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Add the the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour coconut milk mixture over the ingredients and gently stir/fold to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 or deep oval baking dish and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until warm and bubbly. If not dairy free, sprinkle parmesan cheese half through baking time.
- Let it sit for a few minutes before serving and enjoy!