Description
This Tuscan Chicken and Spaghetti Squash recipe combines tender chicken pieces with a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce tossed with nutritious spaghetti squash strands, making a flavorful and low-carb meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Spaghetti Squash
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce and Garnish
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained, julienne cut
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- Fresh parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Spaghetti Squash: Carefully pierce the spaghetti squash several times with a knife in the center. Place on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 12 minutes or until tender. Let it cool while you prepare the chicken.
- Season Chicken: Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning evenly.
- Cook Chicken: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 7 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.
- Remove and Keep Chicken Warm: Remove chicken from the pan, place on a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add minced garlic and shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened.
- Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for an additional minute to release their flavor.
- Prepare Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and cook until hot and bubbly, about 1-2 minutes.
- Finish Sauce: Turn off the heat. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and baby spinach until the spinach wilts slightly.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Add the cooked chicken and any juices back into the pan with the sauce and stir to combine.
- Prepare Squash: Once cooled, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and use a fork to scrap out the spaghetti-like strands.
- Toss Together: Stir the squash strands into the cream sauce until evenly coated.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- You can cook the spaghetti squash ahead of time and reheat when needed to save time.
- Alternatively, roast the spaghetti squash by cutting it in half lengthwise, removing seeds, drizzling with olive oil, and roasting at 350°F for 60 minutes until tender.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3 to 5 days.
- Use fresh garlic and shallots for best flavor, but you can substitute with garlic and onion powder in a pinch.
- Heavy cream can be substituted with half-and-half for a lighter option, though sauce will be less thick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: thirty g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
