Chicken Casserole

We found this interesting, no-pasta casserole recipe online...

Nutrition Profile:

No Added Sugar Mediterranean Diet Sesame-Free Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Ingredients

1 (3½-pound) spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tablespoons water

1½ cups half-and-half

1 clove garlic, grated

¾ cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped, divided

¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided

¼ teaspoon salt

1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature

1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (16 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons small fresh basil leaves

 Directions

1.      Preheat your oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-x-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish using cooking spray. Place the spaghetti squash halves, cut-side down, in a baking dish or on a large rimmed plate; pour 2 tablespoons of water over the squash. Microwave them on High, uncovered, until they are tender, for about 12 minutes. Let the squash stand until it's cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh of the squash with a fork to create strands of “spaghetti”; place it aside in a large bowl.

2.     Now, place 1½ cups half-and-half in a medium saucepan; bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add grated garlic. Cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 1 generous cup, 8 to 10 minutes, adjusting heat and whisking as needed if starting to bubble and foam up the sides of the pan. Stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, ½ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt; remove from heat. Add cubed cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Gradually add ½ cup mozzarella, about ¼ cup at a time; whisk until smooth.

3.     Add 3 cups of chicken to the bowl with the spaghetti squash. Add the cheese mixture; stir and fold to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes.

4.     Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil; broil until the cheese on top is crispy and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Top with 2 tablespoons basil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Williams, Marianne. (2024,December 19). Healthy Recipes. EatingWell.

https://www.eatingwell.com/marry-me-chicken-spaghetti-squash-casserole-8756813