In this twist on a classic Southern dish, the noodle-like strands of crisp-tender squash find their way into a creamy chicken and vegetable casserole.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- One 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin and bones discarded)
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the squash in half crosswise using a serrated knife. Dig out and discard the seeds with a spoon. Place into an 8-by-8-inch microwave-safe casserole dish with 2 tablespoons water. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the squash is very tender and the inside can easily be flaked with a fork, 13 to 14 minutes. Use a fork to scrap the sides of the squash, separating the strands. Leave the scraped strands in the squash. Drain and dry the casserole dish.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have released most of their moisture and start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper, scallion whites, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly and starts to thicken, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Fold in the chicken and 2 cups Cheddar and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the spaghetti squash strands and stir until well combined. Transfer the squash mixture to the casserole dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining Cheddar. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 17 to 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallion greens before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 727 |
| Total Fat | 54 g |
| Saturated Fat | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 39 g |
| Cholesterol | 158 mg |
| Sodium | 1447 mg |
Reviews
It came out ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!
Great recipe. Had to substitute pepper jack cheese for the cheddar but followed the rest as written. Will definitely make again!
This was amazing, ate it with green salsa on top and it just was the cherry on top! Made me want to make a Mexican version! Like taco flavored!
I thought it was great. I added a Tbl of tomato paste, a 1/4 C dry white wine, some minced garlic and Italian seasoning. The additions worked well and it was very flavorful and satisfying.
This recipe was delicious! My husband and I are very particular about any recipe we would “do again” and this is a definite yes! We added at least a cup more chicken but that is the only change we made.
Super delicious! Not only was this insanely easy but it was also a crowd pleaser, even with my picky brother-in-law lol. What made it even easier was I made this a one-pan dish by cooking and baking in my cast iron pan. The only changes I made was I added Cajun seasoning in place of the cayenne and, instead of mixing in 2 cups of shredded cheese, I added 3 oz. softened cream cheese then topped with some shredded cheese. The flavor was so good! My family asked to have this dish weekly!
Very tasty. Hubs wanted more chicken in it. I used heavy cream bc I didn’t have half n half. Will make again for sure.
Added my own twist on it and it came out great. Roasted squash instead of microwaving it. Added garlic, tomato paste and white wine along with Italian seasoning.
I have made this so many times now and my kids love it every time!
The taste was great but texture was TERRIBLE! I couldn’t eat it. My husband and son did, though. Definitely will not make again.