Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This is another recipe I’ve tried in my ongoing saga to get my kids to eat more vegetables. Alfredo sauce is a huge hit in my house and, surprisingly, all of my girls will eat broccoli. Thus, I figured I’d try to mix these two items with another veggie.

The result was this casserole. I actually hesitate to call it a casserole because this term has ho-hum connotations. This dish is anything but that; it’s absolutely amazing!

Ingredients

(Adapted from this recipe.)

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Several dashes salt and ground black pepper
• A dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
• 1 ½ cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. With a sharp knife, carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and rub the insides with the olive oil. Place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet that you have lined with parchment paper. Bake 40 to 60 minutes, or until the cut sides are turning golden and the interiors of the squash are easy to pierce through with a fork. Allow the squash to cool for about 20 minutes before fluffing the interiors with a fork to make the squash look like spaghetti.

While the squash cools, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and prepare the sauce. Place the milk and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and heat until it just begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, stir with a whisk until melted. Turn off the heat, stir in the yogurt, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken and broccoli, then gently stir in the squash. Place the mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the casserole is thoroughly heated and the cheese on top of it is melted and bubbly. Yield: 5 servings.

Notes

This is such a cheesy, flavorful dish! The sauce is rich and creamy, and it tastes wonderful with the squash. The broccoli is there, but its flavor is very subdued. I added some red pepper flakes to give the sauce a little kick, but you can skip this or add in something else to give it a little extra flavor (thyme or basil would be good options).

My kids and I loved this but, in the interest of being honest, I will tell you that my husband did not. He liked the sauce, but asked why it couldn’t be served over pasta. If you knew him, this wouldn’t surprise you! He loves pasta, but is very picky when it comes to vegetables. I’ll definitely make it again, but I’ll do so for lunch when he is at work.

How do you like to prepare spaghetti squash? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Shared at the following:

Creative Inspirations, Weekend Potluck, Busy Monday, Tuesdays with a Twist, and Encouraging Heart and Home.