Shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, cheese and spaghetti squash combine for a perfect low carb solution to chicken enchiladas. Use the squash shell instead of a bowl and you have “stuffed spaghetti squash”.
1largespaghetti squashhalved lengthwise and seeded
1 ½cupsred enchilada saucedivided
½teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonspice mixI used harissa, use your favorite spice mix - many would work
1cupshredded pepper Jack cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Add the chicken to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the chicken about 15 minutes, or until no longer pink on inside. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool a bit so you can handle it.
2 skinless chicken breasts
While the chicken is cooking, microwave the squash by placing the halved, seeded squash on a plate flesh-side down and microwaving for 10 minutes (or until flesh is tender).
1 large spaghetti squash
When the chicken is cool enough to work with, shred the chicken breasts with two forks or your hands and place in a large bowl.
When the squash is cool enough to work with use a fork to scrape the squash from the shells into the bowl with the chicken. Set the intact shells aside. Add 1 cup enchilada sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp spice mix to the chicken/squash mixture. Mix everything together thoroughly.
Place the shells on a broiler-safe pan and divide the mixture between the shells. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and the shredded cheese.
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese, 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
Bake on the lower rack for 10 minutes. If a deeper browned cheese crust is desired, move pan to the upper rack and turn the broiler to high for a couple of minutes (watch carefully).
To serve, cut each shell in half (they are filling, 1/4 shell is often enough for 1 serving). I considered this recipe to be 2-4 servings depending on the person.
Notes
The type of protein can be easily switched up. Ground pork sauteed until no longer pink would be a good substitution for chicken. Hamburger or ground beef would work fine also. Any protein of your choice would work as long as it is shredded or fine enough to mix well with the somewhat delicate strands of squash.If you like my articles about cooking and gardening, subscribe to my weekly newsletter, where I share free recipes and gardening tutorials.