Keto Low Carb Cheesy Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash is a delicious Italian recipe when you want a healthier spin on pesto pasta.
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Have you jumped on the stuffed spaghetti squash craze? I, myself, took a while to try it out and truthfully I was skeptical. But I found that the spaghetti squash really does work! So now I am converting some of my classic, popular recipes into low carb, keto recipes using spaghetti squash as the base.
I am a huge fan of pesto pasta recipes, such as this Pesto Caprese Penne Pasta which is one of the most popular recipes on the site. You can find all of the pesto recipes here! Finding a way to make a healthier spin with spaghetti squash was mandatory in my mind. I like to use homemade fresh basil pesto (get the recipe here!) but you can use any jarred or store bought kind. This stuffed spaghetti squash is full of basil pesto, chicken, and cheese. You can add any mix ins you like, which I am a huge fan of! Tomatoes, corn, zucchini, onion, and pine nuts are just a few ideas.
I love spaghetti squash recipes because they are a great way to feel like you are eating pasta but in a healthier way. While it is not exactly the same, I was pleasantly surprised the first time I had spaghetti squash. Think of it as a crispier angel hair pasta. The texture and little crunch made me a fan! If you are trying to work your way toward squash noodles, you can always cook a little of a regular noodle and mix it in.
Stuffed spaghetti squash is also pretty filling! I find that one squash just 2-3 pounds is enough to feed four people. The fiber and nutrients, plus the mix ins, seem to fill me up pretty quickly. You can either leave the Keto Low Carb Cheesy Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash in the shell, and cut into sections, or scoop everything out and serve like you would pasta.
Find more spaghetti squash recipes here!
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash (2-3 pounds)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- vegetable oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Be careful as it is tough to cut through. Place the squash on towels if necessary to keep it in place.
- Remove the seeds by scraping the inside of each half with a spoon.
- Drizzle the inside of each half with the vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly to handle.
- While the squash is cooking, cook the chicken (if not cooked already) as preferred. I just drizzle with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook in the oven while the squash is cooking. Leftover chicken is perfect for this as well. Remove the chicken when done and cut into strips.
- Fluff up the interior of each squash by using a fork and shredding at the squash flesh. This will make the "noodles"!
- Add 1/2 cup of the pesto to each squash boat and mix to combine with the squash.
- Top each squash boat with the chicken (or toss it throughout the squash with the pesto in the step above).
- Sprinkle the cheese across the top of each squash boat, over the squash and chicken. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. If you want browned cheese, you can pop the squash under the broiler once the cheese is melted (just make sure it is no longer on parchment or silicone or anything else that would burn!).
- Drizzle with some additional pesto if desired. Serve immediately.
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