When my dad was about 2 or 3 years old, his family went out to dinner to an Italian restaurant. Since it was a special occasion, my grandparents decided to let him order off the adult menu. My dad, a big fan of spaghetti, decided to order the adult spaghetti plate. When it came time to order, the waitress laughed at my dad and told him she didn't think he could finish even half of the meal. To make a long story short, my dad, when he was practically a baby, finished a whole adult portion of spaghetti. Every single piece.
Since I love to cook so much, I decided to recreate this dish that my dad adores. Oh, but wait. I decided to recreate a healthy version. A version that would allow you to eat the equivalent of the adult spaghetti plate my dad ate when he was little. One that wouldn't require the metabolism of a 2 year old to burn off. One that would have you wanting more. One that has a vegetable as a base...what?
If you actually read through my whole little story, you're probably thinking, "Katherine, seriously, you're making spaghetti with vegetables and NO noodles?" It sounds gross, but it's not. Really. By the end of this post Spaghetti Squash will be your new best friend. Your summer body will thank you.
Juicy Chicken with Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients:
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 large yellow bell pepper
- 1 large orange bell pepper
- 5 ripe plum tomatoes, about 12 ounces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 2 pounds
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh mixed herbs, such as basil, mint, and parsley
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds.
Place on a baking sheet or dish, cut side down, and bake for 45 minutes or until soft.
Using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash to get "strings."
Set aside.
Cut peppers into 1/4-inch pieces. Coarsely chop the tomatoes to about the same size as the peppers. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and increase the heat to high. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft.
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Heat the other 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in another 9- or 10-inch skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the chicken to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute.
Serve on top of or on the side of spaghetti squash.
Enjoy! Let me know what you think about ditching noodles! I love it!