The hardest thing about giving up pasta for a low-carb diet is losing that easy go-to weeknight meal that you can throw together with a handful of ingredients. The recipe below is the perfect replacement. It’s a one dish meal that combines vegetables and protein, but leaves out most of the carbs.
You can cook the squash ahead of time if you like. Just heat it up in the microwave before you toss it with the pesto and chicken. This makes it an even quicker after-work meal than that old pasta standby. This is delicious made with shrimp in place of the chicken, too!
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Low-Carb Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash
4
5 minutes
45 minutes
50 minutes
2 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup basil pesto
1 ½ cups shredded cooked chicken
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut each squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and brush the insides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake the squash, cut side up, on a baking sheet for about 40 minutes, until tender.
Use a fork to shred the flesh and remove it from the peel, transferring it into a large bowl.
Add the pesto and chicken to the bowl and toss to mix well. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan cheese.