Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I love carbs. There, I said it. Oh? Most people also love carbs? Got it. Let’s get real, carbs are one of the best things on Earth. Unfortunately, you can have too much of a good thing (a really good thing).

I actually try to steer clear of carbs for dinner at the recommendation of my doctor. Boo. Being an adult sucks. Because of this, I’ve tried all of the veggies in place of carbs recipes from Pinterest (ok, not all, but a pretty significant amount). I recently tweaked this awesome recipe that I found for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash by The Real Food Dieticians, and let me tell you – this stuff is amazing!

Buffalo flavored anything is my jam. I’m not ashamed to say that I buy Frank’s Red Hot in bulk, and yes, I put that shit on everything. I could eat buffalo chicken dip by the boatload, and don’t get me started on actual chicken wings. Are you disgusted by me yet, or are you more of a kindred spirit? Either way, try this recipe.

 

You could definitely tweak this to make it fit your dietary needs if you have them. Vegetarian? Use soy meat. Doing whole 30? Click on over the original because they’ve already got it all figured out for you ;). If you’re trying to cut back on carbs, while also saving a little time, I’ve got you covered. I chose to make this easy peasy by using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. If you’d rather use your own chicken, then just prepare using your favorite method while the spaghetti squash is in the oven.

Let’s get to it!

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Adapted from The Real Food Dieticians

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• ½ Rotisserie Chicken
• ½ cup hot sauce (my favorite is Frank’s Red Hot)
• ½ red bell pepper diced
• 1 stalk celery finely chopped
• 2 green onions – white and green chopped
• Optional – ranch for drizzling
• Optional – cheese of choice (to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the ends off the spaghetti squash and then cut it in half (lengthwise). Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and roast in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. If squash isn’t tender, then return to oven (to test, try to prick it with a fork). Remove when done, and set aside to cool.
• While the squash is roasting, shred the rotisserie chicken, or prepare chicken with your favorite method and shred. Place chicken in a bowl with the hot sauce, bell pepper, celery and green onion.
• Once the squashed has cooled enough to handle, use a fork to remove the spaghetti squash strands by running it down the length of the squash. Make sure to leave enough flesh to hold the filling.
• Add spaghetti squash strands to bowl with chicken mixture, and stir to combine. Spoon into spaghetti squash shells, and top with cheese if desired. Place back into the oven for about 10 minutes to warm through and melt cheese. I like to finish the final minute with the broiler turned on.
• Drizzle with ranch, sprinkle on some extra green onion or chopped celery and enjoy!

Are you a buffalo/hot sauce lover? What hot sauce do you always reach for? What’s your favorite food indulgence? Have you tried subbing veggies for carbs? Let me know in the comments below!