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Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken

Spaghetti squash is great on its own, but we love to play up its textural element by baking it with chicken, spinach, and cheese for the perfect scoop (plus cheese, because why not).

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Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken on a baking sheet topped with parmesan and basil
Photography by Gayle McLeod

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.

spaghetti squash, chicken, spinach, parmesan, mozzarella, heavy cream, shallot, olive oil and spices in bowls

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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.

a spaghetti squash halved, with seeds removed and being brush with olive oil on a baking sheet
a spaghetti squash that has been halved, seeds removed and brushed with olive oil face down on a baking sheet ready to roast
butter, shallot and garlic being cooked in a skillet
butter, shallot garlic, heavy cream, mustard, spices, spinach, basil and parmesan being cooked in a skillet

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.

creamed spinach in a skillet made with butter, shallot garlic, heavy cream, mustard, spices, basil and parmesan
roasted spaghetti squash being scooped out of the skins on a baking sheet next to salt and pepper
roasted spaghetti squash filled with chicken and mozzarella ready to be baked in the oven
roasted spaghetti squash filled with chicken, mozzarella and creamed spinach on a baking sheet

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.

roasted Spaghetti Squash filled with Creamed Spinach, Chicken and mozzarella, topped with parmesan on a baking sheet
Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken topped with parmesan and fresh basil on a baking sheet

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 large skillet

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:

Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken topped with parmesan and fresh basil in a bowl

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!

Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken

  • Serves: 4
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  45 min
  • Calories: 731

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash (about 4-5 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 3 cups shredded chicken, warmed
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Creamed Spinach

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
  • ¼ cup minced fresh basil, optional, plus more for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 425° F with a rack in the center position. Grease a rimmed sheet pan or large baking dish with olive oil.

  2. Brush the inside of the squash with olive oil. Place cut side down on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on. Carefully flip the squash and using a fork, scrape the flesh to loosen the spaghetti-like strands. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Make the creamed spinach. While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, but not browned, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

  4. Stir in the heavy cream, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg, and cayenne and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

  5. Add the Parmesan, spinach, and basil, if using, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the spinach, about 5 minutes longer.

  6. Fill each piece of squash with shredded chicken dividing evenly. Add the creamed spinach, dividing evenly. Top with the mozzarella. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, remaining basil, and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories731
  • Protein41 g
  • Carbohydrates43 g
  • Total Fat27 g
  • Dietary Fiber12 g
  • Cholesterol155 mg
  • sodium1062 mg
  • Total Sugars15 g

Spaghetti Squash with Creamed Spinach and Chicken

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Leslie Almack

    Is there a reason to not use fresh spinach?

    Fresh spinach has a lot of water that will come out when you cook it down. The benefit of using frozen spinach is that after it thaws, you can squeeze out the liquid.

  • Susy Sevilla

    I like this recipe but I would love to know how I can make this healthier. Is there an alternative to the butter, heavy cream and cheese?

    You could just cut the amounts down. It would be less creamy and less cheesy but it would still be great! You can use a little olive oil in place of the butter.

  • Pam

    Can I substitute kale for the spinach ? I have potassium issues.

    Sure thing!

  • Kari

    was delicious. Came together very easy. i added more spinach (total 2 boxes of frozen spinach) also added a little bit of chopped tarragon. will be making again for sure!

    Thanks Kari, glad you loved it!

  • Brian

    This delivered huge on flavor. I had left over creamed spinach in the freezer from the holidays, smoked the chicken on the smoker and all four of my kids cleaned the their plates and asked for seconds. Wouldn't change a thing.

    Thanks Brian, so glad everyone loved it!