Thai Chicken Spaghetti Squash Bowl Healthy Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 3/4 cup cashews (pieces)
- 1 + 1/2 tsp coconut oil, divided
- 1 cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 4 tbsp tamari or low sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, divided (more to taste)
- 2 cups red cabbage, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 2 tbsp jalapeño pepper, minced (I remove seeds)
- 1 lime, juice of
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/4 tsp salt + a pinch, divided
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees F. Wash squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Punch randomly with a fork, place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper/aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, preheat large non-stick skillet on medium and add cashews. Toast until lightly brown, stirring frequently and watching closely not to burn. Transfer to a large bowl. Return skillet to medium heat and add 1/2 tsp coconut oil. Add bell pepper and cook with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl with cashews and set aside.
- Return skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 tsp coconut oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add chicken and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and draining liquid if necessary. Add fish sauce, 2 tbsp of say sauce, 1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes and cook for 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally. As the liquid evaporates, you will have to stir more frequently to get that nice golden crust and flavour on each chicken piece. Transfer to a bowl with cashews and bell pepper, along with cabbage, cilantro, green onions, jalapeño pepper, lime juice, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix gently to combine and let the flavours "marry" each other while you are getting spaghetti squash ready. Feel free to adjust saltiness and spiciness of the dish with extra soy sauce and red pepper flakes to suit your taste. This dish is mild, perfect for kids.
- Remove squash from the oven, let cool until it's safe to the touch and separate into strands with a fork.
- To serve, place desired amount of spaghetti squash in a bowl and top with chicken and veggies mixture. Serve hot. For a kid friendly version, I serve this Thai Chicken over whole wheat spaghetti.
Storage Instructions: Refrigerate spaghetti squash and chicken veggie mixture separately, covered, for up to 2 days. Do not freeze. Source