Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash
We made this last night and our family could. not. get. enough.
When we think of spaghetti squash we typically think of healthy dishes that we turn to when we want to lighten up and cut back on some of the more indulgent elements of our diets. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but since spaghetti squash has such great flavor and so perfectly takes on any sauce you throw on it – and is super healthy itself – we figured, why not pair it with a creamy, decadent sauce that’s full of flavor and totally addictive?? And that’s just what we did.
We decided to take a Tex-Mex approach to dinnertime and use chicken, sour cream, Mexican blend cheeses and taco seasoning to create a dinner that was filling and delicious and way healthier than had we used regular pasta as the heart of the dish. The finished product is thick, spicy and jam-packed with flavor, so it’s a great option on any night of the week. There’s no need to go back (again and again) to boring dishes, especially when we’ve got such tasty options that make dinnertime fun and interesting. No excuses, this dinner is the perfect thing to wrap up a long day – check it out and see for yourself!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=hkARRaTKBR4
Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash, halved
- 2 (10 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 (8 oz.) package sour cream
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup salsa
- 1-2 stalk(s) green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- fresh cilantro, optional, garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, then drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place cut side down in a large baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until tender.
- In a large bowl, whisk together soup, sour cream, chicken, 1 cup cheese, salsa, green onion, taco seasoning and red pepper flakes, until everything is evenly combined.
- Remove spaghetti squash from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Use a fork to shred squash into “spaghetti” strands, leaving enough so that the squash shells are stable, then scoop strands into bowl with chicken filling.
- Stir together until incorporated, then scoop filling mixture back into spaghetti squash shells.
- Top with remaining cheese, then return stuffed squash shells to oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and top with fresh cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from The Country Cook