Easy to make and healthy alternative to pasta, this spaghetti squash with creamy chicken is a perfect gluten-free keto alternative.
Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite vegetables because it has so many benefits (not to mention, it tastes delicious)!
Many of our customers ask us what Keto options we have, and the answer is everything on our menu can be made Keto-friendly.
Let’s start with spaghetti squash, since it’s the most obvious alternative to…you guessed it…SPAGHETTI! I mean, how did nature know to make a vegetable that just comes out looking like perfect little noodles? You couldn’t make them more perfect even if you tried. But the key is in how you make it.
This dish is gluten-free and a great option if you are celiac. Looking for other gluten-free ideas? Read this.
Bake the spaghetti squash
Looking at the squash, it can be intimidating. It’s hard on the outside, hard to cut in half, and it can be a bit daunting. But don’t fret, it’s a lot easier than it looks. What I do to cut it is first chop the top and stand the spaghetti squash on the flat part you just cut off. This will make it easier to balance when you get the knife through it without having it roll around and possibly cutting your finger (I have done that)! Cut it in half length-wise.
Scoop out the seeds
I actually toast the seeds in the toaster oven with a bit of garlic salt and olive oil for a healthy snack that has no preservatives. For you fans of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds that you buy at Circle K, this one beats any branded variety out there.
First of all, it won’t be overly salty, so salty that your tongue starts to sting. My husband loves those things, after finishing the bag he says: “my lips are really dry for some reason!”
Second of all, it won’t have any preservatives. Yep, that metal-y taste you sometimes notice then ignore when you’re eating store-bought seeds.
Third of all, when it’s fresh, the shell cracks open a lot more easily, so you can test how fresh seeds are by how stuck the shell is to the seed itself when you try to crack it open.
Anyway, I digress, back to spaghetti squash, that’s sitting there waiting to be baked. Before you put it in the oven, sprinkle a bit of garlic powder and olive oil and rub it around the rim and inside of each half.
Preparing the chicken
I like to make this dish because it’s got a really creamy flavor and it’s a good alternative to good-old marinara sauce. I know tomato sauce is typically the go-to, so I like to switch things up a bit. The nice thing about spaghetti squash, just like regular spaghetti, is that you can pretty much mix it with anything.
If you prefer a vegetarian option, just take out the chicken, or swap out the chicken with a vegan meat substitute.
Chop up the chicken and marinate it. I use some garlic, salt and pepper.
Put some olive oil and let it heat up. I like it spicy so I use dried chilis. Let the chilis sizzle in the oil to help the spiciness come through.
Add the chicken and cook it fully. You can add other vegetables like spinach or bell peppers to add a color to the dish. I like to add fresh basil leaves for more flavor.
Add the spaghetti squash
Once the chicken is cooked, add the baked spaghetti squash. Scrape the squash from the shell into the pan. Use a fork and scrape the inside and it will come out looking like spaghetti. Add some salt to taste, and half and half cream.
Vegan option
If you are after a vegan alternative, eliminate the chicken and replace the half and half creamer with coconut milk. I like coconut milk because it’s creamy and gives the dish a nice flavor. Coconut milk also has many benefits: It lowers blood pressure and is good if you have high cholesterol; it’s full of electrolytes to give you energy; it’s also good for digestion; and — the most obvious one — it’s lactose and dairy free!
Stir everything for a few minutes until the liquid evaporates and the dish becomes thicker and creamier.
Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese (because that is my all time favorite cheese ever! Well, that and most other cheeses, I can’t help myself)!
Now enjoy your dish. You’ll want seconds for sure. The good news is, it’s a low-carb dish so don’t feel that guilty about eating more of it. Once you try it, let me know how it turned out in the comments.
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