Spaghetti Squash w/ Chicken, Bacon and Pesto

Sounds like a winning combination, right?  It is.

We’re eating a lot of squash these days… and most of us are loving it.  While my boys aren’t always too crazy about acorn and butternut, they don’t grumble about spaghetti squash.  And Livi (my 4 year old)?  She likes it all.  She says it’s “deeeeeeelicious.”

Oh, and once again, I feel the need to apologize for my less-than-stellar photography.  Don’t judge the recipe based on my picture… you’ll miss out.  The picture sucks, but the recipe definitely does not.

Ready to get cooking?

Here’s what you need:

• one large spaghetti squash
• one lb. boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 5 strips of bacon
• 2 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
• 1 big handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 4 peeled garlic cloves
• salt and pepper

Here’s what you do:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Cut squash in half length wise, remove the seeds (I use an ice cream scoop for this), and place face down in a large baking dish.  Fill the dish with water about halfway.

2. Bake for about 40 minutes.  Squash should be slightly under cooked.

3.  While the squash is cooking, you can make the pesto and set it aside.  Throw the following into your food processor and process until smooth.

• 1 big handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp. parmesan cheese (if dairy is not part of your life– sorry skip it)

4.  Now cook your bacon.  Melt butter or coconut oil over medium heat and cook bacon until it starts to crisp.

5.  Add chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and cook all the way through.  Turn heat to low.

6.  When the squash is done (and cool enough to handle), use a fork to scrape out the “spaghetti” strands and add to chicken and bacon mixture.

Note:  Unless you are trying to remove your finger prints, I recommend wearing an oven mitt to hold the squash while you scrape it out.

.  Stir in the pesto until well combined and heated all the way through.  Adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.

8.  Leave me a comment and tell me how much you love it.

And here are some other squash recipes you might will enjoy:

• Pesto Shrimp & Spaghetti Squash
• Squash Porridge
• Roasted Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup
• Latik:  Filipino Squash Stew
• Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Shared at:  Fight Back Friday, Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday