Best 6 Italian Chicken Pesto With Spaghetti Squash Recipes

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Italian chicken pesto with spaghetti squash is a satisfying and healthy weeknight dinner option, perfect for a quick meal that brings together fresh, bold flavors. With its tender chicken, creamy pesto sauce, and spaghetti-like squash, this dish offers a unique and delicious twist on classic Italian pasta. Using a combination of simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, this recipe yields a flavorful and satisfying meal that will impress your family and friends.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

PESTO CHICKEN SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPE BY TASTY



Pesto Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: spaghetti squash, oil, salt, black pepper, boneless, skinless chicken thighs, green beans, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes

Provided by Joey Firoben

Categories     Dinner

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon oil, plus more for drizzling
salt, to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
½ lb green beans, trimmed
1 cup basil pesto
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Using a fork, pierce holes along one side of the spaghetti squash.
  • Microwave the squash for 5 minutes to make it easier to cut open.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
  • Transfer the squash to a roasting pan and drizzle with oil. Season the flesh with salt and pepper, and flip the squash so that the cavity faces down on the pan.
  • Bake for 40 minutes until the squash is easily pierced with a knife.
  • Once out of the oven, use a fork to pull the threads out of the spaghetti squash.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and sear them on each side for about 4 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing into cubes.
  • Toss the green beans into the pan and sauté until they've started to soften.
  • Add in the spaghetti squash, pesto, and chicken, and toss until well combined.
  • After the mixture is heated through, toss in the cherry tomatoes and give the pan one last toss to help everything come together.
  • Remove from heat and serve.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 304 calories, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 16 grams, Sugar 6 grams

ITALIAN CHICKEN PESTO WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH



Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash image

This is a great new paleo version of your favorite Italian recipe with spaghetti squash. I like to sprinkle a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over mine.

Provided by tclark23

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
6 links Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pinch chopped fresh basil, or to taste
1 pinch chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
1 pinch Italian seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash®), or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ (7 ounce) container pesto, or to taste
10 sun-dried tomatoes

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Sprinkle squash with Italian seasoning and place upside-down on a rimmed baking tray. Add about 1 inch of water.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes; strands of squash should easily pull away when scraped with a fork.
  • Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage, uncovered, in the hot skillet until mostly browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and bell pepper. Reduce heat to low and add squash strands. Sprinkle basil, rosemary, and Italian seasoning, on top and drizzle with olive oil. Stir in 2 big spoonfuls of pesto, adding more to taste, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.3 calories, Carbohydrate 42 g, Cholesterol 37.2 mg, Fat 26 g, Fiber 7.9 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1825.1 mg, Sugar 19.6 g

ITALIAN CHICKEN PESTO WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH



Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash image

This is a great new paleo version of your favorite Italian recipe with spaghetti squash. I like to sprinkle a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over mine.

Provided by tclark23

Categories     Pesto Chicken

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
6 links Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pinch chopped fresh basil, or to taste
1 pinch chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
1 pinch Italian seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash®), or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ (7 ounce) container pesto, or to taste
10 sun-dried tomatoes

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Sprinkle squash with Italian seasoning and place upside-down on a rimmed baking tray. Add about 1 inch of water.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes; strands of squash should easily pull away when scraped with a fork.
  • Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage, uncovered, in the hot skillet until mostly browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and bell pepper. Reduce heat to low and add squash strands. Sprinkle basil, rosemary, and Italian seasoning, on top and drizzle with olive oil. Stir in 2 big spoonfuls of pesto, adding more to taste, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.3 calories, Carbohydrate 42 g, Cholesterol 37.2 mg, Fat 26 g, Fiber 7.9 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1825.1 mg, Sugar 19.6 g

ITALIAN CHICKEN PESTO WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH



Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash image

This is a great new paleo version of your favorite Italian recipe with spaghetti squash. I like to sprinkle a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over mine.

Provided by tclark23

Categories     Pesto Chicken

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
6 links Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pinch chopped fresh basil, or to taste
1 pinch chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
1 pinch Italian seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash®), or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ (7 ounce) container pesto, or to taste
10 sun-dried tomatoes

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Sprinkle squash with Italian seasoning and place upside-down on a rimmed baking tray. Add about 1 inch of water.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes; strands of squash should easily pull away when scraped with a fork.
  • Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage, uncovered, in the hot skillet until mostly browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and bell pepper. Reduce heat to low and add squash strands. Sprinkle basil, rosemary, and Italian seasoning, on top and drizzle with olive oil. Stir in 2 big spoonfuls of pesto, adding more to taste, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.3 calories, Carbohydrate 42 g, Cholesterol 37.2 mg, Fat 26 g, Fiber 7.9 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1825.1 mg, Sugar 19.6 g

ITALIAN CHICKEN PESTO WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH



Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash image

This is a great new paleo version of your favorite Italian recipe with spaghetti squash. I like to sprinkle a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over mine.

Provided by tclark23

Categories     Pesto Chicken

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise
6 links Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pinch chopped fresh basil, or to taste
1 pinch chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
1 pinch Italian seasoning (such as Mrs. Dash®), or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ (7 ounce) container pesto, or to taste
10 sun-dried tomatoes

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Sprinkle squash with Italian seasoning and place upside-down on a rimmed baking tray. Add about 1 inch of water.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes; strands of squash should easily pull away when scraped with a fork.
  • Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook and stir sausage, uncovered, in the hot skillet until mostly browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and bell pepper. Reduce heat to low and add squash strands. Sprinkle basil, rosemary, and Italian seasoning, on top and drizzle with olive oil. Stir in 2 big spoonfuls of pesto, adding more to taste, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Let simmer over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.3 calories, Carbohydrate 42 g, Cholesterol 37.2 mg, Fat 26 g, Fiber 7.9 g, Protein 22.4 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1825.1 mg, Sugar 19.6 g

CHICKEN & SPAGHETTI SQUASH



Chicken & Spaghetti Squash image

While dreaming up a healthier pasta dish, I decided to experiment with spaghetti squash. After a few tries, I settled on this delicious casserole bursting with flavor but not fat. Christina Morris, Calabasas, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h5m

Yield 5 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 medium spaghetti squash (4 pounds)
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Steps:

  • Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 14-16 minutes or until tender., Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the tomatoes, pesto, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Cover and process until blended; set aside. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; set aside., In a large skillet, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in remaining oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, chicken and reserved tomato mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes., When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. In a large ovenproof skillet, layer half of the squash, chicken mixture and reserved crumb mixture. Repeat layers., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 348 calories, Fat 14g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 63mg cholesterol, Sodium 493mg sodium, Carbohydrate 32g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

Tips:

  • For the spaghetti squash, choose one that is firm and has a deep yellow color. This indicates that it is ripe and has a good amount of flesh.
  • When cooking the spaghetti squash, be sure to pierce it several times with a fork before baking. This will help the steam to escape and prevent the squash from exploding.
  • Once the squash is cooked, let it cool slightly before handling it. The flesh will be very tender and can easily break if you try to work with it too soon.
  • When making the pesto, use fresh basil leaves for the best flavor. If you don't have fresh basil, you can use dried basil, but the flavor will not be as good.
  • If you don't have pine nuts, you can substitute another type of nut, such as almonds or walnuts.
  • Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper before cooking. This will help to enhance the flavor of the chicken.
  • To prevent the chicken breasts from drying out, cook them over medium heat and do not overcook them.

Conclusion:

This Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash is a delicious and healthy meal that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. The spaghetti squash is a great low-carb alternative to pasta, and the pesto adds a flavorful and aromatic touch to the chicken. This dish is sure to please everyone at the table!

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