Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is the best dinner recipe for when you're craving some slightly lightened-up comfort food! Inspired by the classic broccoli cheddar soup, this meal features steamed broccoli, sautéed chicken and a simple cheddar sauce, all stuffed inside some perfectly roasted spaghetti squash.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- medium pot
- large pan
- whisk
- spatula
Ingredients
For the Roasted Spaghetti Squash:
- 1 large spaghetti squash 4-5 lbs*
- olive oil or spray
- salt + pepper
For the Steamed Broccoli:
- ½ lb broccoli florets cut down into very small florets
- salt
For the Sautéed Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces**
- salt
- olive oil
For the Cheddar Sauce:
- olive oil
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp gluten free 1-1 flour (or normal AP flour)
- 1 cup milk (at room temp, I used 2%)
- ½ cup chicken broth (as needed, can sub more milk instead)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded & at room temp is best)
- salt + pepper to taste
For Topping:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Then, remove all the seeds and stringy parts. Place spaghetti squash cut-side-down on the baking sheet and use a fork to pierce holes all over the skin.
- Flip the spaghetti squash over, spray the inside with cooking oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip the spaghetti squash cut-side-down again and transfer to the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes (time will vary based on size). The spaghetti squash is done when it easily strings apart with a fork and is al-dente when tasting.
- Meanwhile, add cubed chicken to a large bowl and season heavily with salt. Let that sit at room temp while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This will help make the chicken more tender and flavorful.
- Fill a medium-sized pot with water and bring it to a boil. Heavily salt the water. Once boiling, add the broccoli florets and let cook for about 3 minutes, or until vibrant green but still a little bit crunchy. Drain and set broccoli aside.
- Bring a large pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken. Spread out evenly in the pan but then don't touch it for about 2-3 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side or until nearly done through (it'll continue cooking in the oven later). Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add a bit more olive oil. Then, add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add in the butter and let it melt. Then, add in the flour and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes or until the flour smell has gone away.
- Slowly, add in milk little by little, stirring constantly. If it seems too thick, add in the additional 1/2 cup of broth (or milk), stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and add in the cheese. Stir until it's become fully melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- ***SEE NOTE - Once spaghetti squash is done roasting, use a fork to remove some of the strands. Add them to the cheese sauce along with the cooked chicken and broccoli. Toss to coat it in the sauce.
- Stuff the mixture back inside of the spaghetti squash boats and top with a bit more shredded cheddar. Bake for another 10 minutes, then switch to broil for a few more minutes at the end to get it golden! Garnish with parsley & enjoy!
Video
Notes
*NOTE: If you can't find one this big, get two smaller ones instead. **NOTE: To save time, feel free to substitute an equal amount of shredded rotisserie chicken. Then, skip steps 3 and 5. **NOTE: At this point, you have two options - 1) serve the broccoli cheddar chicken mixture over the cooked spaghetti squash or 2) stuff the broccoli cheddar chicken mixture back into the spaghetti squash boats and cook for about 10 more minutes. Either way is great! The one difference I notice is that with option 2, the liquid from the spaghetti squash causes the cheddar sauce to get a little thin. It may spill out of the spaghetti squash a bit if your spaghetti squash doesn't sit perfectly level. If you go with option 1 instead, just make sure your chicken is fully cooked in step 5.