Description
Creamy Tuscan Chicken and Spaghetti Squash combines tender seasoned chicken, spaghetti squash, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan in a rich cream sauce. It’s a comforting Italian-inspired skillet dinner packed with color and savory flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and julienne-cut
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Carefully pierce the spaghetti squash several times toward the center with a sharp knife. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 8–12 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool.
- Season the bite-size chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and the center reaches 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 1–2 minutes, until they begin to soften and become fragrant.
- Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the heavy cream. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream is hot and gently bubbling.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and baby spinach until the cheese melts and the spinach begins to wilt.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir gently to coat the chicken in the sauce.
- Once the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, then use a fork to scrape the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.
- Add the spaghetti squash strands to the skillet and gently toss until evenly coated with the creamy Tuscan sauce.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking the spaghetti squash. Tender strands with a little structure hold up better in the cream sauce.
- Finely grated Parmesan melts more easily and helps create a smoother sauce.
- Drain the sun-dried tomatoes before adding them so excess oil doesn’t make the sauce overly heavy.
- For the best texture, turn off the heat before stirring in the Parmesan.
- Chicken is safely cooked when its thickest pieces reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a small splash of heavy cream.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat or in short microwave intervals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 175 mg