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The Easiest Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan

Doing us all a favor and cheating with frozen breaded chicken breasts, and not feeling bad about it.  I promise they're so good!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Servings: 6 -8
Calories: 357kcal
Author: Lillie

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup Spaghetti Squash (200g) roasted or microwaved-- whatever you prefer!
  • 4 oz Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins (130)
  • 1 Tbsp. Mozzarella, grated (12g)
  • 1 tsp. Parmesan (4g)
  • 1/2 cup favorite jarred marinara sauce or homemade* (120g)
  • For Homemade Marinara
  • 1 tbs tomato paste (15)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or frozen cubes)
  • 1 can San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz)

Instructions

For the Marinara:

  • Heat a pan over medium heat with cooking spray, add tomato paste and garlic and saute for just a minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Add tomatoes, crushing with a spoon as you stir them in.
  • Simmer while you prepare everything else.

For the Squash:

  • Cut off end with stem. Then cut in half long wise and scoop out seeds with an ice cream scooper. (If it's too hard to cut, microwave for three to five minutes first to soften it a bit.)
  • Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at 425 for about 45 minutes or until tender when you poke it.
  • OR-- you can just poke it with a knife when it's whole and raw and microwave it for about 8 minutes, or until tender, rotating about half way thru.
  • If it bothers you that it gets a little watery, pull out the strands of spaghetti squash and sautee them in a pan for a few minutes with some cooking spray.  This also gives you a chance to add more flavor with a clove of garlic and some more salt and pepper if you'd like.  Fresh herbs of course if you're feeling extra fancy.

For the Rest:

  • Bake chicken according to package directions, only pull out 2 minutes early to sprinkle a little mozzarella on top if you want it!
  • Plate your 200 grams of squash.  Top with chicken, 1/2 cup marinara, a sprinkle of parmesan, and of course some fresh basil if you have it. I HAVE to if I'm not eating a salad. Dinner never looks done to me without something green!

Notes

  • Obviously you can throw jarred tomato sauce on spaghetti squash with any protein and call it a day. It's such a great easy macro-friendly meal.  And while these panko crusted chicken breasts aren't as light as super lean ground turkey or grilled chicken, they really do make all the difference to me in this dish tasting indulgent instead of like diet food. Like it balances out having squash instead of pasta for me.
  • Need more protein? Do part panko crusted, and add in some prepped grilled or rotisserie chicken from your fridge.
  • Two of my favorite jarred marinaras with the best macros are the "Rustico" one from Trader Joes and "Victoria" from Costco. Both only 6 carbs for the 1/2 cup which is NOT always the case.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.2g | Protein: 27.4g | Fat: 13.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g