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Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Kale is a squeaky clean and satisfying meal, loaded with zesty, rustic flavor! Perfect for those who love to eat clean, or folks who follow a ketogenic, whole30, or Paleo lifestyle.
I made this recipe for the first time back in 2014, and it has not only been a staple ever since, it has also inspired many-a-spaghetti-squash recipe.
For instance, my Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash, Mixed Vegetable Spaghetti Squash Marinara, and Spaghetti Squash Bolognese all employ the same concept: spaghetti squash + loads of saucy goodness.
It covers all the bases! It’s loaded with protein and antioxidants from the chicken and kale. The spaghetti squash provides a low-carb alternative to pasta and contains complex carbs and fiber, and the saturated fat content is low, which makes this healthy dinner recipe perfect for those who are mindful about their macros.
This clean and straight-forward recipe is marvelous for a myriad of eaters, as it is low-carb, paleo friendly and Whole30 compliant. It is ideal for anyone who loves a filling good clean meal!
Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for this easy spaghetti squash recipe. The great news, is you can find the full list of ingredients at any grocery store.
Ingredient Notes:
Spaghetti Squash: The star of the show! Pick up one medium-sized spaghetti squash for roasting.
Avocado Oil: For roasting the spaghetti squash and sautéing the onion and chicken. Olive oil works too.
Yellow Onion and Fresh Garlic Cloves: Bring big bold flavor to make the meal taste nice and inviting.
Baby Bella Mushrooms: A magical sidekick to chicken, fresh mushrooms add heartiness and earthiness to this savory meal.
Boneless Chicken Breast: A big boost of lean protein makes this easy dinner recipe so filling and satisfying! Chicken thighs work too. The chicken breasts get chopped into bite size pieces for quick cooking.
Chicken Broth: To whip up a light sauce, we need a little broth. Chicken bone broth or chicken stock work great.
Fresh Kale: Added fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients!
Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice: Lemon juice and zest add a burst of vibrant citrus.
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Fresh Thyme: Our seasonings. Add them to your personal taste.
Recipe Customizations:
- Toss in cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes for a kick of tangy flavor.
- Serve the meal with fresh grated parmesan cheese on top.
- Swap the raw chicken out for rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Replace the kale with fresh spinach.
- Omit the onion and garlic to make recipe low-FODMAP.
- Replace the chicken with 1 pound of ground beef or ground turkey.
- Add more vegetables. Broccoli and/or cauliflower would be great!
- Stir 1/4 cup of dry white wine into the sauce for added flavor.
How to Make Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chicken:
Begin by roasting the spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet for 40-50 minutes at 400 degrees F. For a detailed tutorial, follow my instructions on How to Roast Spaghetti Squash.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the recipe. Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is deeply golden brown, and almost caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.
If at any point the onion begins to burn, reduce the heat to medium heat and add broth to deglaze the pan. This allows the browned bits to be incorporated into the sauce for extra flavor.
Add the garlic, mushrooms, and chicken and continue cooking until the mushrooms have softened and the chicken has browned slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth, thyme, sea salt, and lemon zest and bring to a full but gentle boil. Add the kale leaves and cover the skillet. Cook until kale has wilted and chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Once the spaghetti squash has finished roasting, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool enough to handle. Use a fork to release the spaghetti-like strands from the squash and place them in a large bowl.
Transfer the chicken mixture to the bowl with the squash and toss everything together until combined. Taste for flavor and add sea salt, and/or lemon juice to taste.
Serve in big bowls, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The best part about this healthy dinner recipe is that it can easily be made in bulk for meal prep so you can enjoy it throughout the busy workweek.
If you enjoy spaghetti squash recipes, also try out some of my other favorites!
More Healthy Spaghetti Squash Recipes:
- Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
- Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti Squash
- Spinach Artichoke Pesto Spaghetti Squash Bowls
- Roasted Garlic Kale Spaghetti Squash
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Spinach
Enjoy this squeaky clean spaghetti squash recipe!
Chicken Mushroom Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized spaghetti squash, roasted
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil, (or olive oil)
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves large garlic, minced
- 3 cups baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped into sixths
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced into strips, about 1 to 1.5 lbs
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 cups kale leaves
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Roast the spaghetti squash using these instructions and set aside until ready to use
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the recipe. Heat the avocado oil to medium-high and add the onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is deeply brown, and almost caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. If at any point the onion begins to burn, reduce the heat to medium-low and add broth to deglaze the pan.
- Add the garlic, mushrooms, and chicken and continue cooking until the mushrooms have softened and the chicken has browned slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, thyme, sea salt, and lemon zest and bring to a full but gentle boil. Add the kale leaves and cover the skillet. Cook until kale has wilted and chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Once the spaghetti squash has finished roasting, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool enough to handle. Use a fork to release the spaghetti strands from the squash and place them in a large bowl.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the bowl with the squash and toss everything together until combined. Taste for flavor and add sea salt, and/or lemon juice to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
haha oh my, I’m glad that it all worked out in the end for you! That would stress me out sooo much! (and sort of did, as I was reading your story). Annnd that pretty much explains why I chose the host I did (because I’m hopeless with technology). But on a much brighter note, your recipe looks totally delicious 🙂
YUM. Spaghetti squash is one of my go-to’s for dinner during the week. I love adding garlic to it! Definitely will be trying it out with some mushrooms, kale and chicky next time! Maybe a little crusted red pepper for a kick? 🙂
I love your no-tech rule!! I had to restore my site once (and once only, thank goodness) and I also had my provider do it. Afterwards, my email account disappeared. Fun was had by all! NOT 😉
Your spaghetti squash dish looks mouthwatering!! Like, I want some NOW!! This couldn’t come at a better time as I keep making the same old (tasty) dish with spaghetti squash and it is SO time to branch out!!
I’m glad you got yo shiz figured out, because it was giving me high blood pressure, too, and it’s not even my site! Ah!
Stress eating to the rescue.
For whatever reason I’m still laughing at the fact that the support tech burped three times, haha! You’re the best storyteller ever.
But I’m so glad you got the problem fixed! I panic whenever something isn’t working right with the blog and it’s not even my main source of income so I can imagine how freaked out you must have felt. Sausage to the rescue, lol!!
Oh, and anything with the word garlicky and kale is a win in my book. 🙂
Noooo! My blood pressure went up just reading that! Ugh. Glad it worked out! This dish looks like total comfort food! Sign me up for a big bowl.
IIII know, right? Things like this have to happen from time to time to remind me how delicate this thing called technology can be…and how big of a pain in the ass it is when it’s broken, ha!
Oh my gosh. I can feel my heart constricting just reading this post. I would have been an emotional disaster…and I would have eaten ALL THE THINGS in my house. Glad it’s all fixed up now. Whew.
Things did get pretty ugly for a how minute…my chocolate stash was in danger of being eradicated in one fell swoop, but thankfully my host fixed the issue before any desperate chocolate-eating measures were taken 😉
I know how you felt, Ju! That has happened to me before, too! I did something wrong with the code and my website disappeared. Luckily I called the host company and they were able to to fix the problem. I am very happy you got everything fixed.
And this spaghetti squash looks very very yummy!!
Yum to spaghetti squash and yuck to losing half your site with one little blip! Glad it got restored 🙂 Also yuck to the guy burping on the phone! That is just gross… but he is probably not pleased about working on Sundays. I love that you spend your weekends tackling blog coding projects! Except maybe stop doing that, hah.
I think I would have fell over and died. I don’t deal well with tech related stress. I think I would have reached for my old pal bacon for comfort. This recipe needs to make its way into my life.
Oh man I would have been freaking the frack out! I’m so glad you got it worked out, I’d really miss delicious recipes like this spaghetti squash one!
This looks PERF!!! Mmm like all I want to eat all week! All the best flavors in one dish. Yes!
Thanks, Lina! It’s definitely a winner. I could seriously make this meal every week and not get sick of it 😀
I’m really into this spaghetti squash thing right now. I’m actually roasting one for myself for dinner when I get home from work. I’m assuming that it reheats ok, because I don’t think I can handle a whole one, since the Schaidles grow humongous ones. And this looks so yummy! Glad Stephie helped you out. She can be a smart one, that’s for sure.
Cheers to spaghetti squash! I hope you enjoy yours tonight. I like to re-heat spaghetti squash on the stove top instead of the microwave – it works out really well 🙂 And that Steph, she sure is a genius, and I’m betting it has a lot to do with being raised by her two genius parents 😉
Oh my gosh I would have freaked out!! So glad you were able to get the backup loaded and things turned around. This recipe looks great – I love spaghetti squash and have so much kale eeek! Will be making a vegetarian version of this for sure 🙂 Thanks for sharing
Technology…when it’s broken, it totally sucks. But I tell ya what, I couldn’t have been happier just to see my site back in working order. Gotta love these little hiccups. Lemme know how you like the chicken-less recipe! I bet adding some black beans would be fab!
Oh my gosh, that has happened to me before, too! Months ago, I was fiddling around with the code, and changed something that made my website turn into a blank screen. I FREAKED OUT! Thankfully, it was the weekday, and I was able to call someone to help me restore the site to a back-up. So glad you got everything fixed. The tech guy’s burping was just an added bonus, right?
This is one mighty fine bowl of spaghetti squash!
The white screen of death!!! OMG…I’ve heard the horror stories but have yet to experience that one. Glad you got yours back lickety split. And yes, burpy tech man just made the whole experience that much more delicious 😉
This is my BIGGEST fear! Since I’ve been fiddling with my site recently, I was convinced that I would totally just screw something up. I haven’t so far (knock on wood!), but if I do,I know who to call! : )
Oh girl, I’m knocking on wood for you, too. Tech stuff is not my jam at all. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that all continues to go well with the changes you’re making, and yes, feel free to reach out any time if you have issues. If nothing else, I know who to call when the shit hits the fan 😉