Winter squash is one of my favorite vegetables to cook with in the fall. There are so many ways to prepare it. Spaghetti squash is one very versatile varietal of the squash family that I absolutely LOVE. In this recipe, I use it as a base layer in a scrumptious casserole bake. I pair it with smoky cumin chicken thighs, turkey bacon, spinach, topped off with a slight kick from the crushed red pepper. This yields a 9x13 pan and fed me for lunch for the entire week (and surprisingly enough I didn't get sick of it!). It is not calorie dense so use it as a side or double the portion of chicken to make it more of a main dish. A great vegetarian option, substitute the bacon and chicken for cumin roasted chickpeas. Kale would also work well if you don't have spinach on hand.
Spaghetti Squash Bake
1 large Spaghetti Squash
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. butter
5 thin turkey bacon slices
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt and Pepper
1-15 oz. can of low sodium diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 tsp/-1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half and drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt. Roast the squash cut side up in the oven fro 25-30 minutes or until tender and easy to shred with a fork. While the squash is roasting, crisp the bacon in a skillet for about 3-4 minutes each side then set aside. In a large skillet, heat butter. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and cumin on each side then add to the skillet. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes each side. Once cooked, remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a plate (reserving juices and butter in the pan). In the same pan, add tomatoes, bay leaf, spinach, and red pepper. Combine all ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes until flavors combine. Prepare a 9x13 pan greasing with butter. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Using a fork scrape the spaghetti squash away from the skin so that it shreds. Press squash into the 9x13 pan creating the first layer of the bake. Remove bay leaf from tomato/spinach mixture. Layer half of the tomato mixture over the squash. Cut chicken and bacon into cubes/pieces. Layer all of the chicken and bacon on top of the tomato, then finish with the rest of the tomato/spinach mixture. Bake the entire casserole for about 20-25 minutes or until set and piping hot.
I hope you give this recipe a try, it is tasty and so easy to throw together. Alright all, I'm going to skim through my many cookbooks and internet recipes for some upcoming posts. Suggestions always welcome!
