Spaghetti Squash Gets A New Job
We’ve been there before–we spied spaghetti squash at the grocery store and thought “That sounds good.” And then when we get home the next thought is, “But what to do with spaghetti squash?” It’s served as the non-noodle spaghetti, and a simple salt and pepper side for too long, so we set out to give it a new purpose. For weeknight dinners, we love recipes that we can turn to that feel especially un-recipe-ish, if you catch our drift. This easy stuffed spaghetti squash is exactly what we want when this feeling strikes. It combines creamed spinach (which feels rich and healthy at the same time), shredded chicken, and a generous sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, all in a roasted spaghetti squash.
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Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, A Quick Primer
This recipe has three main components to assemble before you can get a steaming, cheesy scoop into your mouth. You’ll roast the spaghetti squash in the oven, while you prepare the easy creamed spinach stovetop-side. Our baked spaghetti squash recipe calls for shredded chicken, which you can prepare in advance and warm when assembling. You can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this even more of a breeze. Now for the fun part: fill each halved spaghetti squash with chicken and creamed spinach and top with the shredded mozzarella (okay if some falls into your mouth on the way to topping the squash). Bake these baddies in the oven until golden, bubbly, and irresistible. Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, you finish them with another sprinkle of parm, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes before they hit the table.
How To Make Spaghetti Squash
With some squash, we’re looking at you butternut squash, they’re easier to manage if you cut the tips off before slicing lengthwise. But here’s our recommendation for how to cut spaghetti squash. Using a sharp knife (which is safer than using a dull knife!), cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. If you feel intimidated by the skin of the quash, you can make a starter knife mark to get things going. Once you’ve halved the spaghetti squash, scoop out the seeds and discard them. Next let’s discuss how to cook spaghetti squash. Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil and place it cut side down on the sheet pan. And now on to how long to cook spaghetti squash–bake for 40 minutes, or until the squash is very tender (this is the “perfect scoop” part we’ve been talking about). For a very thorough look at this process, see our How To Cook Spaghetti Squash for pictures and guided tips.
How To Make Creamed Spinach
You’ve been looking for a great homemade creamed spinach recipe, and we’re here to help. Making creamed spinach from frozen is super easy and requires a few of our favorite things: butter and cream! You’ll make the creamed spinach while the spaghetti squash is in the oven by cooking a shallot and garlic in butter, then adding the cream and seasonings to the skillet and cooking until it reduces down. Add the parmesan and spinach, and basil if using, and cook until it’s thick and creamy, about another five minutes.
Tools You’ll Need
A sharp kitchen knife. We emphasize “sharp” here, because the skin of squash can be quite thick, and it’s actually safer to use a sharp knife to avoid any accidents.
A spoon for scooping the seeds.
A sheet pan or large baking dish.
A pastry brush (if you don’t have one, you can drizzle the olive oil and use your fingers as a brush)
A Squash For Every Day Of The Week
Squash has such a wide variety of uses, and it’s almost impossible to count the ways we’ve already cooked them up. Here’s a few of our top hits:
Sometimes you feel like a (butter)nut: Especially when it’s Butternut Squash Soup or Butternut Squash Quesadilla with Caramelized Onion
Sometimes you don’t: How to make Roasted Acorn Squash, for something like our delicious Maple Roasted Squash Salad
And sometimes it’s the squash is actually a pumpkin, like in our Slow Cooker Chicken Pumpkin Curry
Now We’re Stuffed
We love to see your kitchen creations! Snap a photo of your stuffed spaghetti squash with chicken and creamed spinach and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
