Pesto chicken spaghetti squash
Tender strands of roasted spaghetti squash tossed with pesto, chicken and burst cherry tomatoes, a light dinner that still feels like pasta night.
- 60 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 2
- About $5.33 a serving
- 630 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 1 spaghetti squash, about 3 lb
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 630 calories, 34 g protein, 41 g carbs and 39 g fat, and costs about $5.33 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 400°F and line a with .
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
Cut the squash in half from stem to tail and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Dolly’s tip: If it’s rock hard, stab it a few times and microwave it whole for 3 minutes. It cuts much more easily.Rub the cut sides with 2 teaspoons of the oil, the salt and the pepper, and lay the halves cut side down on the pan.
25 minutes.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 25 min
the tomatoes and chicken with the remaining oil, scatter them around the squash, and 12 to 15 minutes more, until the tomatoes burst and a fork slides easily into the squash.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Timer: 13 min
Food safety: Rotisserie chicken, deli meat, canned tuna and cooked shrimp are already cooked. Keep them cold until you use them, and heat them until steaming hot if the recipe warms them.
Let the squash cool 5 minutes, then scrape the flesh into long strands with a fork.
Timer: 5 min
Dolly’s tip: Scrape across the squash, from side to side, and the strands come out long like noodles.the strands in a bowl with the pesto, chicken and tomatoes, and serve with the parmesan on top.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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