Even though the majority of the dishes I see are vegan, I’ve always wanted to try spaghetti squash. I enjoy beef. With that in mind, I used ground chicken to keep it on the healthier side. Even my 5-year-old, who despises vegetables, enjoyed the dish I prepared for my family, though I did let him know it was just spaghetti.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 (4 pound) spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- 15 medium cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ large green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ large red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ large orange bell pepper, diced
- ½ large yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup minced red onion
- ½ pound ground chicken
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pierce squash all over with a sharp knife for ventilation and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.
- While the squash is baking, combine parsley, basil, and oregano in a small bowl. Put cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion in a separate bowl. Set both aside.
- When the squash has about 10 minutes remaining, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chicken in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Remove squash from the oven and let cool slightly. Slice in half and remove seeds.
- Add olive oil and garlic to the skillet used to cook the chicken; cook over medium heat until you can smell the garlic, about 1 minute. Add fresh herb mixture and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable mixture and saute just until they have softened slightly, about 3 minutes. Add ground chicken.
- Take a fork and shred one half of the spaghetti squash lengthwise into the skillet. Mix well and saute for about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining spaghetti squash.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and serve.
- This recipe is good with ground turkey, pork, or beef too.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 330 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 49 g |
| Cholesterol | 27 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 247 mg |
| Sugars | 2 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |