Keto, Paleo, Vegan option
This main dish is scrumptiously paired with a side salad. You can show some self-love by making it to enjoy at home or dazzle any potluck by sharing it. You can play with mushrooms that you have available in your area but my current favorites are oyster and shitake mushrooms. I’ve also played with taking the mushrooms, cooking them with garlic and oil, adding a handful of pine nuts, then blending them into a creamy white sauce and pouring it over the chicken and spaghetti squash. So if you prefer saucy pasta, do this, if not stick with what I have below.
This recipe serves 4 adults
Ingredients
l large organic spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp avocado oil for cooking and 1 Tbsp olive oil for garnishing
1 lb chicken thighs (for more flavor) or breasts diced into bite-sized pieces
2 large cloves garlic minced
1/2 yellow onion sliced thin or chopped
1 cup mushrooms (button, oyster, shitake all work and you can do some of each)
1 fresh lemon, juiced
Sea salt & pepper to taste
10-20 Fresh basil leaves for topping, chop chiffonade style
¼ cup pine nuts
Option: ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in olive oil
Vegan Option: Omit Chicken, add tempeh, more mushrooms and artichoke hearts
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pulp only, leave the flesh.
- Drizzle a small amount of avocado oil over the halves and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Place the spaghetti squash on a baking sheet cut-side down and bake for 30-45 minutes, until it is tender.
- In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add the avocado oil, garlic and onion. sauté until the onion is translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side.
- Next, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and the chicken is cooked through. (Some mushrooms need a bit more time so consider cooking them on their own. First in a bit of water. After the water is almost gone, add some oil and cook a bit longer) See my mushroom instructions here.
Add in the lemon juice and stir until combined. Remove from heat.
- Two choices for serving: A. Add the chicken and mushrooms to the half of squash and serve inside the half of squash. So each bite requires you to rake out some pasta. OR B. Rake the spaghetti squash with a fork, removing it from its skin, until you have removed all of the long pasta-like strings. Place on a plate and top with chicken and mushrooms. Serve individual portions or as a large main that everyone can serve themselves.
Serve the chicken and mushrooms over spaghetti squash, and top with fresh basil, pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil with the optional sun-dried tomatoes.
Buen Provecho!