Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe

While spaghetti squash isn't quite as neutral-tasting as noodles, it too tends to take on the flavor of the sauce and cheese it's topped with. As developer Erin Johnson says of this cheesy chicken spaghetti squash recipe, "I like making this dish when I want the flavors of chicken spaghetti, but don't want the pasta." To make this winter squash look a little more noodle-like, Johnson likes to cut the squash into rings before baking it. This spaghetti squash slicing secret, she explains, "creates longer strands, making the overall appearance more reminiscent of pasta."

This particular chicken spaghetti (squash) dish is not Italian-style, since Johnson opts to use a cream-style sauce made from condensed soup. She kicks up the flavor with the addition of sliced jalapeños and also tells us, "I like to top this with salsa and sour cream and serve it with a side salad."

The base of this casserole is spaghetti squash cooked with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It also includes chicken breasts, an onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, and jalapeños, with sour cream and condensed cream of chicken and mushroom soup binding everything together. Colby Jack cheese is used as a topper, while garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika add some extra flavor.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Using a sturdy knife, slice the spaghetti squash into rings approximately 1 inch wide.

Remove the seeds from the center of each ring and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Drizzle the rings with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Bake for 35 minutes or until the flesh is tender and easily separates into pasta-like strands, remove to cool and reduce the oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and add chicken. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon each of the garlic and onion powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika. Cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.

Add the cooked chicken to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Scoop the squash strands from the peel using a fork. Put into a bowl and set aside.

Add the onion, mushrooms, and peppers to the chicken and stir well to thoroughly mix.

Add the soup and sour cream to the chicken and vegetables and stir well.

Fold in the squash.

Season with the remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

Add in 1 cup of cheese and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a greased 13x9-inch pan.

Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 35 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted.

Serve warm with your favorite toppings.

While some recipes can't stand for too much alteration, this isn't one of them. As Johnson tells us, "This recipe is very substitution-friendly." One substitution you may need to make involves the soup. If you can't find cream of chicken and mushroom, Johnson says, "You can also use just cream of chicken condensed soup." Cream of mushroom soup would work, as well.

Johnson also suggests switching up the bell pepper colors and adding (or subtracting) jalapeños to alter the spice level, while she notes that you can always add some other vegetables if you wish. The cheese, too, can be swapped — Johnson says, "I like to use Colby Jack cheese, but cheddar or pepper Jack are also great substitutions." If you'd like to replace the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with thighs, these will probably cook at the same rate because the meat is cut into pieces, but a handy thermometer will let you know for sure.

This cheesy chicken spaghetti squash casserole is a fairly sizable one as it makes six servings, but there's no need to worry if you can't finish it all up in a single day. Johnson says that any leftovers should be good for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, while they can also be frozen if you need to keep them for a longer period of time. If you freeze individual portions in microwave-safe containers, you can have a meal in minutes the next time you want some cheesy chicken goodness.

If you're into meal prepping, Johnson says the casserole works for that, as well. "I like to prep all the ingredients and then mix [them] together immediately before baking," she says, but also notes that the casserole, once assembled, can be refrigerated for a day before being cooked. You could also pre-assemble that same casserole and freeze it, as well, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking it as per the recipe directions.