This recipe is one of my favorite ways to serve spaghetti squash! I find plain spaghetti squash a bit dull, so I love this recipe with butter cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, and plenty of lemon. It’s easy and absolutely delicious. It keeps well, too. Leftovers make a perfect lunch the next day. If you have other varieties of winter squash in the kitchen, try our roasted butternut squash, roasted acorn squash, or this parmesan roasted delicata squash!
Key Ingredients
Spaghetti Squash: Choose a firm spaghetti squash without any soft spots. It should feel heavy for its size. I’m also picky about the stem and like to choose squash with it still intact (look for it to be dry, short, and rounded). I roast my squash for this recipe. For more tips on roasting spaghetti squash, see how to cook spaghetti squash. Chicken: I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe, but chicken breasts work really well, too! Use what you have or love. I cook the chicken in butter and olive oil. Parmesan: I love Parmigiano-Reggiano, but other cheeses work great here. Try a sharp cheddar, feta, creamy goat cheese, or Gruyère. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s flavorful so it bumps up the flavor of our roasted squash. Lemon: I use lemon juice to deglaze the pan after cooking the chicken. It brightens up the chicken’s flavor and mixes nicely with the butter in the skillet. Parsley: I use a generous amount of fresh parsley for color and flavor. It’s optional, but I love it!
How to Make Spaghetti Squash with Chicken
I roast my spaghetti squash before mixing it with the chicken. You do this the same day or ahead of time (roasted spaghetti squash lasts a week in the fridge). To roast it, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and rub the flesh with oil. Then, roast the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet until tender in a 375°F oven. While the squash roasts, you can prepare the chicken. I cut it into 1-inch pieces, season them with salt, and then cook them in a skillet with olive oil and butter until browned on all sides and cooked in the middle. Then, I squeeze in fresh lemon juice to help scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. From there, you can stir in the spaghetti squash, cheese, and parsley and season as needed with salt and pepper. It’s easy and delicious! 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for roasting the squash 1 tablespoon butter 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 lemon, halved 3/4 cup grated parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, 2 ounces 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 2Use a heavy chef’s knife to cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Pierce the knife into the middle of the squash and cut it from stem to end, but don’t try to cut through the stem (it’s too tough). Remove the knife, then pull the two halves apart. 3Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Lightly drizzle the cut side of each squash half with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. 4Place the squash on the baking sheet with the cut side facing down. 5Roast the spaghetti squash halves until they are soft and easily pierced with a knife, 40 to 50 minutes. 2Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter sizzles, add the chicken thighs and cook until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook another 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. 3Add the juice of half a lemon and cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. 4When the squash is ready, flip the halves so that the cut side is facing up and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. 5Run a fork through the flesh to separate the “spaghettilike” strands, and place in the skillet with chicken. Stir in most of the cheese, parsley, and some fresh ground pepper. Serve with more cheese and an extra squeeze of lemon juice on top.
