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This Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe is filled with juicy chunks of chicken, tender broccoli, and an easy cheesy filling. Comforting and surprisingly healthy, the whole family will love digging into this low carb and gluten-free chicken and broccoli stuffed spaghetti squash.
Cheesy Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Relatively mild in taste, Spaghetti Squash has quickly become everyone’s favorite low carb substitute for noodles and rice. With only 42 calories per 1 cup and a badge of approval from the Paleo crew, it’s easy to see why so many people have jumped on board.
While there are many ways to enjoy spaghetti squash, my personal favorite is to stuff them full of juicy chicken, veggies, and gooey melty cheese.
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite stuffed spaghetti squash combos – garlic chicken, tender broccoli, and cheese! Healthy, low-carb, and loved by all ages!
Especially my broccoli-loving 7-year-old.
The ingredients are simple:
- Spaghetti squash
- Olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Broccoli florets
- Cream cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
Spaghetti Squash
If this is your first time tackling this fantastic winter squash, check out my post completely dedicated to the Spaghetti Squash. I share everything I know about this delicious low carb vegetable, including everything you need to know about cooking, cutting, and eating it.
To make this recipe we’re cutting our spaghetti squash in half and baking in the oven. This method allows you to scrape out the spaghetti squash strands and then twice-bake them in the original shell (translation – make a “boat”).
If you prefer to cook your spaghetti squash a different way, that’s ok, too. Just keep in mind that different methods may result in a more watery squash. Furthermore, you may find that rather than re-baking everything in the spaghetti squash shell, you may need to bake the chicken, broccoli, cheese, and squash mixture in a casserole dish.
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Variations
There are so many fabulous variations to this recipe. Here are some ideas:
Protein – ground beef, ground turkey, taco meat, shredded pork, meatballs, beans
Veggies – spinach, kale, bell pepper, onions, cauliflower (watery veggies like zucchini are not recommended)
Cheese – ricotta, feta, goat cheese
Herbs – oregano, thyme, basil, parsley
How to Cook Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
First, you need to decide what you want to stuff inside your spaghetti squash. In this case, we’re adding chicken, broccoli, and cheese.
1. Cook your spaghetti squash:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut your squash in half lengthwise (stem to end- as shown in the images) and scoop out the seeds.
Use a pastry brush (or your hands) to coat the entire surface of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove from the oven and allow the squash to cool for several minutes before scraping out the delicious strands of cooked squash with a fork.
- TIP: you can cook the squash the day before. Store in the refrigerator until ready to stuff and bake.
2. Cook the chicken and broccoli mixture:
When your squash has finished cooking, saute the chicken over medium-high heat until it is nearly cooked. Once the chicken has been browned, remove it to a clean plate to rest.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and broccoli. Stir often to prevent burning.
- NOTE: At this stage, you’re only just starting to cook the broccoli, so don’t worry about trying to get the broccoli nice and soft.
Add the chicken back to the skillet and let it finish cooking.
- TIP: If things start to burn and stick to the bottom of the skillet (particularly the garlic or shallots) add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the skillet.
3. Combine and stuff the squash halves:
Grab a large (yes, large) mixing bowl and mix together the cream cheese with the Greek yogurt. Add the chicken and broccoli, the parmesan, and half of the mozzarella cheese.
Mix well then add the cooked spaghetti squash strands. Mix again, very gently.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide the spaghetti squash mixture between the spaghetti squash bowls and top with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.
Tent your baking dish with foil, be sure the foil isn’t touching the cheese.
4. Bake:
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the foil tent and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
How to Serve
Fortunately, this really is a meal within itself. Loaded with vegetables and protein, I frequently enjoy a squash boat for dinner and call it a day.
You may easily serve this as a side dish with a few other healthy recipes. Here are a few of my favs-
Salad – Cucumber salad or tomato salad
Fruit – A side of fruit or a whole fruit salad
More veggies! Roasted brussels sprouts or asparagus!
Try These Other Squash Recipes,
How to Roast an Acorn Squash <— helpful tutorial!
Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach and Goat Cheese <— Low-carb!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
How to Roast Butternut Squash <— helpful tutorial!
Butternut Squash, Zucchini, and Spinach Lasagna <— reader favorite!
If you try making this Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 large chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 shallots, minced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 4 tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1.5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
Cook Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub the squash clean and dry thoroughly. Cut the squash in half using a sharp, stable and reliable knife. Cut the squash in half lengthwise (stem to end- as shown in the images). Scoop out the seeds.
- Drizzle the squash with olive oil and use a pastry brush (or your hands) to brush over the entire surface of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on the lined baking sheet.
- Place squash in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
- When cool enough to handle, gently scrape out the squash with a fork to remove the flesh in long strands.
For the Chicken and Broccoli
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Remove the chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and shallots to the skillet. Sauté the shallots for 2-3 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, and cook until fragrant- approximately 30 seconds.
- Add the broccoli and 1-2 tablespoons of water to the skillet. Mix well and cover. Allow the broccoli to steam for 2 minutes before uncovering. Return the chicken back to the skillet. Continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese with the Greek yogurt. Add the chicken and broccoli to the cream cheese mixture, mixing well to combine. Stir in the parmesan cheese and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese with the chicken and broccoli.
- Transfer the cooked strands of spaghetti squash to the mixing bowl with the chicken, broccoli, and cheeses. Gently mix to combine. Evenly divide spaghetti squash and chicken mixture between the spaghetti squash bowls. Top with mozzarella cheese (or cheese of choice) and place face up on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking dish and squash with foil, creating a tent to prevent the foil from touching the cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the foil tent and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or red pepper flakes, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Save time by preparing the spaghetti squash the day before.
- To get golden, bubbly cheese, broil the stuffed squash for 1-2 minutes just before serving.
- Try adding other vegetables such as kale, spinach, or bell peppers or mix with delicious sauces like pesto, marinara, or meaty spaghetti sauce.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is delicious! I made two very minor changes. I usedonin instead of shalot, because I didn’t have shallots. I also transferred the mixture into a baking dish instead of putting it back into the squash shell. I wi definitely make this again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Using onions in place of shallots is a perfect substitution, and transferring it to a baking dish is a smart and easy alternative. Thanks for sharing your feedbackโI appreciate it, and I’m thrilled you’ll make it again!
Hello question how much squash did u use? We cooked several and removed strands and were putting mix in a glass dish to bake . I have through recipe and comments canโt find how many cups of squash u used .
This was really good! Baked in a casserole pan rather than the squash bowls. Will make again! May switch up the vegetables and/or cheese next time. Thank you!
It was excellent. I added some mushrooms and substituted sour cream for the yogurt and onion for the shallots. I also split the spaghetti squash and cooked 10 min in the microwave and only 10 min in preheated oven. I’ll certainly make it again.
Thanks for the excellent feedback and rating, Michael ๐
Just pulled from the oven looks amazing can hardy wait to try it out
Hello, thank you for sharing your recipe. It was/is amazing. Quick question, can you freeze leftovers and have them hold up?
Yes, you can freeze Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. To do so effectively, first let the prepared dish cool completely. Then, portion it into suitable sizes for freezing, and wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Alternatively, you can use freezer-safe containers. Make sure to label them with the date. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven or microwave. Keep in mind that the texture of the spaghetti squash may change slightly upon freezing and thawing, becoming a bit softer, but it should still be enjoyable.
This was delicious! It had great flavor. I made it as written except cooked it in a 9×13 pan. Iโd say it makes 5-6 main course servings.
Thanks for both the great feedback and notes, Janine ๐