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2021 means hard, unattainable diets for so many, but it doesn’t have to! You can still have your favorite creamy Italian dish while cutting carbs. This spaghetti squash chicken alfredo with broccoli and shrimp is everything you love about creamy cheesy alfredo, but without the guilt. A lighter alfredo sauce plus the substitution of a veggie for heavy pasta, but it still tastes as good? You wouldn’t believe it until you try it!
Cooking Spaghetti Squash
Now if you have never worked with spaghetti squash before, it can be a bit intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Back when I went keto, this was my favorite go-to when I was missing pasta (so basically every day). You remember angel hair Pasta Roni as a kid? That is the best way I can describe the texture. Like a slightly overcooked, but still perfect in every way, angel hair pasta that just gets coated in ever sauce!
And making it is so easy! Simply cut a 3-4lb squash in half and remove the seeds and membrane (like a pumpkin). Use the largest, sharpest knife you have, as it will take a little elbow grease to cut through and can be dangerous with a dull knife. If that scares you, poke a few holes in it with a fork and microwave for about 4 minutes. This will make it more tender to cut.
Season the insides of both halves with salt and pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil (about 1 1/2 tbsp). Rub the olive oil all around and place the squash skin side up on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 35-40 minutes depending on the size, until it is visibly tender. Once done, let it cool slightly so it is easy to handle, and use a fork to scrape the “spaghetti” out. I leave a thin layer of the flesh in the skin so it is stable, because I like to restuff mine!
Lighter Chicken Alfredo
Lightening up this chicken alfredo doesn’t stop with kicking pasta to the curb. A lighter calorie alfredo sauce will help you feel guilt free too! Begin 1/2 lb of boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 in cubes. Season them with 1 tsp of italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and salt and pepper. Add them to a hot pan or skillet over medium heat.
I use this Gotham Steel deep square pan for just about every sauce I make! It is wide enough to get a nice sear or saute on proteins, and deep enough to let a large volume of sauce simmer. Also deep enough to toss the pasta right in! Not to mention the fryer basket and steamer rack it comes with!
Cook the chicken until it is no longer pink. Add in 1 minced clove of garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of low sodium or reduced fat chicken stock. Let the stock simmer until it reduces by half. Pour in 1 cup of half and half and 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese in the pan and simmer until it begins to thicken.
Next, add in 1 tsp of lemon zest and 1 1/2 cups of bite size fresh broccoli florets. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green and barely tender. If using frozen broccoli, defrost or steam according to package directions and drain excess water. Add directly to the spaghetti squash, NOT the alfredo, or it will become too soft.
Spoon the alfredo sauce and chicken into the bowl with the squash and mix to combine. Add in 6-8 oz of peeled and deveined raw shrimp and stir. Don’t add the shrimp to the pot on the stove or it will overcook! Now, take the alfredo squash filling and stuff it back into the squash skins.
Top with 1/2 cup of reduced fat mozzarella and 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Reduce the oven heat to 350 and bake for 20 min, turning on broil to brown the cheese for the last 3-5 (optional). Top with chopped parsley and serve! Viola! The perfect healthy yet indulgent meal for two: spaghetti squash chicken alfredo with broccoli and shrimp.
Want More Low Carb Dinners?
- Sun Dried Tomato Salmon
- Salsa Fresca Chicken
- Avocado California Chicken
- Grilled Steak With Chimichurri
- Buttermilk Braised Chicken
- Cajun Steak And Shrimp
Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash about 3-4lbs
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ½ lb boneless chicken breast
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ⅔ tsp onion powder
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tbsp light cream cheese
- ⅔ cup reduced fat parmesan cheese divided
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1½ cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets or frozen, defrosted
- 6-8 oz medium raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- ½ cup reduced fat mozzarella
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and membrane with a spoon. Drizzle and coat the inside with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place skin side up on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 min (depending on weight) or until visibly tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- While the squash is baking, dice chicken into ½ cubes. Season with italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper and place in a hot skillet over medium high heat.
- Cook for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add in garlic and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, allowing to come to a simmer until reduced by half.
- Add half and half and ⅓ cup of parmesan cheese. Simmer until thickened enough to coat a spoon.
- Add in lemon zest and fresh broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli turns bright green and is just shy of tender.
- If using frozen broccoli, steam in microwave according to package directions (if not already defrosted)drain excess water, and set aside. Adding frozen directly into sauce will will cause the sauce to be too thin/watery.
- With oven mitts on (as the squash will be hot), carefully use a fork to pull the "spaghetti" out of the squash halves, leaving a thin layer of the flesh in the skin to keep the skin stable enough to act as a bowl. Place spaghetti in a large bowl.
- To the bowl, add alfredo sauce with chicken and broccoli (or add defrosted, drained broccoli directly) to the bowl. Add in raw, peeled shrimp. DO NOT cook shrimp in the sauce on the stove, as it will become overcooked and tough.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
- Top stuffed spaghetti squash with mozzarella and remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, turn on the broiler to brown the cheese (optional).
- Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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