Chicken & Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 3-1/2 pounds spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 tbsp water
- 1-1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 3/4 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped, divided
- 3/4 tsp ground pepper, divided
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tbsp small fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish with cooking spray. Place spaghetti squash halves, cut-side down, in a baking dish or on a large rimmed plate; pour 2 tablespoons of water over the squash. Microwave on High, uncovered, until tender, about 12 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Scrape the squash flesh with a fork to create strands of “spaghetti”; place in a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, place 1½ cups half-and-half in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; add grated garlic. Cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 1 generous cup, 8 to 10 minutes, adjusting heat and whisking as needed if starting to bubble and foam up the sides of the pan. Stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt; remove from heat. Add cubed cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Gradually add ½ cup mozzarella, about ¼ cup at a time; whisk until smooth
- Add 3 cups of chicken to the bowl with the spaghetti squash. Add the cheese mixture; stir and fold to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the remaining ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes.
- Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil; broil until the cheese on top is crispy and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Top with 2 tablespoons of basil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Notes
To make ahead: Cook the spaghetti squash up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Additionally, you can prepare and assemble the casserole ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Before baking, let the casserole stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
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