Tuscan Chicken with Spaghetti Squash

Oh this was so good!!! Of course I guess I start most of my posts this way 😂. But there is something special about a creamy, garlicky, cheesy sauce like this that speaks to my taste buds.

I saw a picture of this recipe idea, made a few notes of ingredients and then set out to experiment. The original recipe I saw was served with gnocchi in it, which I did make and enjoy, but then … the thought of serving it over spaghetti squash sounded like an even better combination, so the experiments continued. Well, pretty much anything over spaghetti squash is good in my book 😛.

There are some dairy free and gluten free options included in the ingredients below. I prefer both of those eating styles but wanted to write down the original ingredients and include alternatives for you, then you can make adjustments to your own eating style.

INGREDIENTS -

1 spaghetti squash
2 chicken breasts, sliced in half so you have four thin pieces
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup sweet onion, minced
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil, separated
1 cup cream, or full fat coconut milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup flour, or for Gluten Free, tapioca or arrowroot flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine (or substitute with another 1/2 cup of chicken broth)
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups (handfuls) of spinach leaves
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the spaghetti squash for cooking. Slice the squash in half lengthwise then scoop out the seeds and loose strings in the middle. Rub one tablespoon of olive oil (or more if needed) all over the meaty part of the squash, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the spaghetti squash over so the meat side is down and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until a fork can be easily inserted into the meat.

Slice the chicken breasts so they are split into four thin cutlets. Sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place the flour on a plate and coat each side of the chicken breast.

Add the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a heavy pan, heat to medium. Cook chicken 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on a platter, set aside.

Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, and a little more oil if needed, and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, wine, dijon, and tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, and whisk all together. Simmer for about 10 minutes until it has cooked down a bit.

Add spinach, stir until it has softened and reduced in size, then add cream. Stir the cream in and then return chicken to the pan to warm.

Top with parmesan and enjoy!