Enjoy a delicious twist on an Italian classic with this chicken alfredo spaghetti squash recipe. It’s lower in carbs, extremely filling, and lighter than your traditional pasta dish but it’s so delicious! Spaghetti squash can seem daunting but this is actually a pretty simple recipe.
As an Italian, I absolutely love pasta. However, sometimes it is hard for me to control the portion size. Therefore, spaghetti squash is one of my favorites ingredients when I want a huge bowl of pasta but not all the calories or carbohydrates. I’m always coming up with new ways to make it!
This dish offers all the comforting flavors of Alfredo pasta, with perfectly al dente spaghetti squash, while being lower in calories and packed with protein and calcium. {Gluten-Free}
Why I Love This Recipe:
- It’s creamy, decadent, and only 339 calories per serving.
- This dish is healthier than your traditional chicken alfredo.
- Low in carbs, and high in protein (40 grams per serving!).
- Easy to make – with no mushy strands of spaghetti squash.
- A guilt-free alternate to pasta.
- 7 simple ingredients.
How to Make This Spaghetti Squash Dish
This delicious low carb chicken alfredo makes about 4 large servings – possibly 5 but I would recommend increasing the amount of chicken.
I recently updated this recipe and it was just as good as I remembered! The key here is really to not overheat the sauce and don’t use anything other than 2% milkfat cottage cheese or higher. Otherwise, the sauce might curdle or break.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti Squash: The larger your spaghetti squash is, the more servings this recipe will make. A larger spaghetti squash could easily feed at least four people (with huge servings).
- Chicken Thighs or Breasts (1-1.5 pounds). I love chicken thighs with this recipe and I recommend 1.5 pounds for a more filling meal.
- 2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese (one cup): I find that 2% small curd cottage cheese works just fine in this recipe while keeping it lower in calories. It is subtle in flavor and the perfect substitute for heavy cream. A higher fat cottage cheese would add even more creaminess and decadence.
- Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup): Adding parmesan to any dish just makes it better. More cheese can be added for a thicker sauce.
- Garlic Cloves (4-6): The garlic is roasted in the oven with the spaghetti squash which provides a deep, mellow flavor. Yum!
- Peas (about 1 1/2 cups): I really love adding peas to this dish for some added texture and a burst of color. Frozen, canned or fresh!
- Chicken Broth (1/3 cup): Incorporating the broth helps make the sauce silky smooth when combined with the cottage cheese and roasted garlic.
- 1/2 large onion, diced, optional
Step-By-Step Directions
1. Assemble all ingredients
Gather all ingredients – including a baking sheet, saucepan, and blender (or food processor or Nutri-bullet). Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut and season spaghetti squash
Cut the spaghetti squash crosswise. Remove the pulp and seeds with a spoon (or if you’re messy like me, your hands). Spray each half with avocado oil, and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Put cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with 2-4 garlic cloves under each half of the squash.
Season chicken thighs with the same spices.
3. Cook the spaghetti squash and chicken thighs
Put the spaghetti squash in the oven and set a timer for 30-35 minutes, depending on the size of your squash. The squash should be al dente, easy to shred with a fork but not mushy.
Cook the chicken thighs or breasts with whatever method you prefer. I prefer to air fry the chicken while the squash is cooking.
4. Let the spaghetti squash rest for 10-20 minutes
Take the spaghetti squash out of the oven and turn them on their sides so the steam can escape. Let rest for 10-20 minutes.
5. Blend cottage cheese, chicken broth, and garlic cloves
Combine the cottage cheese, chicken broth, and garlic cloves in a blender. Blend until smooth.
6. Make the Cream Sauce
Saute diced onion in a pan on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, until the onions start to soften. Turn the heat down to load and add the cottage cheese, broth and garlic mixture to the pan. Season with black pepper, salt and garlic powder if preferred.
Let the mixture heat up, stirring often. After about 3-4 minutes, incorporate the peas and most of the parmesan cheese – leaving a little bit to garnish when the dish is complete. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
7. Add spaghetti squash and chicken
Once the squash has rested, use a fork to pull away the strands – starting from the sides and scraping towards the middle. Add the squash to the saucepan. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and incorporate into the sauce as well (or add sliced chicken on top of each bowl).
8. Season with spices and serve!
Combine the squash with the sauce. Sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese on top. Ready to serve!
This cottage cheese sauce is a bit looser. Feel free to add a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it up, if preferred, or more cheese!
Tips for Success
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Cut the Squash Lengthwise?
Of course! You could even pour the sauce and chicken into each halve of the squash, and top with mozzarella cheese and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes for a delicious Alfredo bowl.
Can I Cook the Squash in the Air Fryer?
If you have a smaller squash, both halves might fit in the air fryer at the same time – and it cooks much faster! I recommend 375-400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. This works best if you cut the squash lengthwise. You could also cook each halve separately in the air fryer, and it might work out to be the same time as in the oven.
Is This Recipe Allergy Friendly? Gluten-Free?
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but not dairy-free. To make it dairy-free, use a dairy-free cottage cheese or Greek yogurt as well as parmesan.
How Long Can I Store in the Fridge?
This recipe makes for great leftovers for up to 4 days in the fridge! I don’t recommend freezing, though, as the creamy sauce might break.
Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash: Lighter Version (Made with Cottage Cheese)
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 blender or food processor
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1 cup 2% cottage cheese, or higher milkfat
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup chicken broth plus, more as needed
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese add more to thicken sauce
- 1/2-1 cup frozen peas
- 1-1.5 pounds chicken thighs or breasts rotisserie chicken works, too!
- 1 Tbsp. Avocado oil or spray
- 1 tsp Garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
- 1/2 large onion, minced optiona;l
Instructions
- Assemble all ingredients and equipment. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the spaghetti squash crosswise. Scoop out the pulp and seeds. Spray with avocado oil. Season the inner squash with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Season the chicken thighs with the same spices.
- Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with two cloves of garlic underneath each half. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes. The squash strands should be easy to pull away with a fork but not mushy.Cook chicken thighs per your preference. I prefer to use an air-fryer while the squash is cooking.
- Once squash is done cooking, let is rest on its side for 10-20 minutes.
- Combine chicken broth, roasted garlic, and cottage cheese in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Saute diced onion in a pan on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, until the onions start to soften. Turn the heat down to low and add the cottage cheese, broth and garlic mixture to the pan. Stir in the peas. Let the mixture heat, stirring often.
- After about 3-4 minutes, incorporate most of the parmesan cheese – leaving a little bit to garnish when the dish is complete. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
- Using a fork, pull the spaghetti squash strands away from the outside of the squash and towards the middle.
- Combine the sauce with the squash. Slice chicken and add to pan, or serve on top of each bowl. Garnish with parmesan on top! Enjoy!
- Add more chicken broth if the sauce seems too thick. Add more parmesan if the sauce seems too thin. A tablespoon of cornstarch can also thicken up the sauce.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 339 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 12.8g | 16% |
| Saturated Fat 4.9g | 24% |
| Cholesterol 115mg | 38% |
| Sodium 468mg | 20% |
| Total Carbohydrate 12.7g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.2g | 4% |
| Total Sugars 2.3g | |
| Protein 43.1g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 197mg | 15% |
| Iron 2mg | 12% |
| Potassium 444mg | 9% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Hope You Enjoy!
I love using cottage cheese in replace of heavy cream to increase the protein and calcium content of dishes. This recipe is one of my favorites when I am craving a huge bowl of pasta, and I find I like it just as much as traditional Alfredo.
Feel free to customize this dish however you want to. Greek yogurt would be a great substitute for cottage cheese.
I loved it! The spaghetti squash was so easy to cut this way, and didn’t get mushy at all.
I followed the directions to the letter and I ended up with a very curdled mess in my pan. It became runny and not thick. I turned the heat to low just as it said to.
Oh no! I am so sorry that happened! I have made this recipe multiple times and have never had that issue. I wonder if it’s because some stoves run hotter than others and maybe I should change the temperature to low instead. The sauce usually thickens up when the cheese is added.