Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus

Date night or weeknight, this Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus is sure to be a hit!

This post was created in partnership with our friends at Applegate.

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus is a recipe that we’ve been talking about creating (or rather, re-creating in Whole30 style) for a really long time. Actually, we haven’t just been talking about it we’ve been kind of obsessing about it, throwing out descriptors like ‘rich, creamy, smoky, fresh, bright, crave-worthy’ – because food bloggers can never just say something like ‘really good’, it always has be super descriptive and over-the-top.

If you’re wondering what took so long here’s the deal.

We like great recipes with short ingredient lists and as few steps as possible and we know you do, too. And a recipe like this normally requires multiple steps to bring it all together – not exactly a speedy weeknight dinner winner or a quick addition to your weekend meal prep. Add to that the fact that sugar-free, Whole30-compliant bacon isn’t always easy to source. Sigh.

So we reluctantly put the recipe on the back burner until recently when our friends at Applegate rolled out their new Whole30-approved Grilled Chicken Breast Strips and No Sugar Bacon. That was the nudge we needed to make this recipe dream a reality that’s suited for both weeknights and date nights.

Made without any added sugar, preservatives or fillers, the new Applegate Grilled Chicken Breast Strips are the perfect companion for any Whole30-friendly dish. Just open the package and toss them onto your favorite salad, into a soup, curry or stir-fry or wrap up a few strips with lettuce leaves for a super quick meal.

Or try them in our Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Dairy-free Chicken Spaghetti Squash Alfredo or on this Harvest Chicken Salad. Really, the possibilities are endless when you’ve got this kind of quality and convenience at your fingertips.

And the bacon? Oh, the bacon. Applegate No Sugar Bacon (also available in Organic) is everything you want in bacon but without the sugar or preservatives. We like to cook up a package of bacon during our weekend meal preps to have on hand to add to salads, lettuce wraps, breakfast hashes or serve alongside eggs and veggies.

 Wondering where to find Applegate products? Check the store locator to find a store near you.

Now, about that Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus we’ve been teasing you with.

It turns out that it’s everything we’d hoped it would be: rich, creamy, comforting and smoky. Yet still fresh and bright thanks to the addition of crisp-tender asparagus spears and fresh parsley. And by swapping out the spaghetti squash for pasta it’s not only Whole30-compliant it’s also a great way to get more fiber and slower burning carbs in your diet. In a word, we think it’s perfect and we think you’re going to love it, too.

This Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus might be free of dairy, gluten, grains, soy and sugar but it’s definitely not free of flavor or serious comfort food satisfaction!

Don’t worry, the recipe only looks long! That’s because we’ve included two methods for cooking up the spaghetti squash to give you options so you can choose the one that works best for you. So go ahead, indulge that comfort food craving of yours with this Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus.

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Let's Get Cookin'

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Asparagus

• Author: Jessica Beacom
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour (includes 30 mins inactive cook time)
• Yield: Serves 4-5
• Cuisine: Whole30, Dairy-free, Paleo

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 6 strips Applegate No Sugar Bacon, chopped
• 2 8-ounce packages Applegate Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into ½-inch pieces
• ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, soaked in warm water and drained
• ¾ cup raw cashews
• 2 ½ cups boiling water
• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ tsp. salt + more to taste
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)
• ¼ cup fresh chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Directions:

To make spaghetti squash in the oven:

1. Preheat oven to 400℉
2. Trim both ends from spaghetti squash with a large knife. Cut squash in half then cut each of the halve in half again, this time lengthwise (i.e. cut into quarters).
3. Place spaghetti squash pieces cut-side down on baking sheet.
4. Bake 25-35 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Use a fork to carefully remove strands of squash to a bowl. Cover bowl with a plate to keep warm.

To make spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot:

1. Trim both ends from spaghetti squash with a large knife. Cut squash in half then cut each of the halve in half again, this time lengthwise (i.e. cut into quarters).
2. Place rack in bottom of Instant Pot. Add 1 cup water to bottom of inner pot.
3. Arrange squash pieces on rack so that they do not interfere with lid.
4. Lock lid into place and select ‘Manual’ or another high-pressure setting. Cook for 12-14 minutes (depending on size of squash and altitude).
5. When cook time is up, flip vent valve to ‘venting’ position to ‘quick release’ the pressure. Check squash for doneness by piercing with a fork (should be tender). Carefully remove lid and use a fork to carefully remove strands of squash to a bowl. Cover bowl with a plate to keep warm.

To make the sauce and pull it all together:

1. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Place a plate over the bowl to cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes while you prepare the squash and trim the asparagus.
2. Drain cashews and place in the canister of a high-power blender.
3. Add nutritional yeast, half of the minced garlic, lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt and almond milk.
4. Blend on high for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Set sauce aside.
5. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate reserving about 1 Tbsp. of the fat in the pan.
6. Return the pan to medium-high heat then add asparagus pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender (about 4-5 minutes).
7. Add remaining minced garlic and continue to cook another 30 seconds or until fragrant then add spaghetti squash strands and garlic cream sauce to the pan. Stir to combine then gently fold chicken, sun dried tomatoes, bacon and parsley into the squash mixture. Reduce heat to medium and allow to heat through, stirring occasionally.
8. Remove from heat and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/5th recipe
• Calories: 279
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 706mg
• Carbohydrates: 11g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 34g

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This post was made possible by our friends at Applegate. Though we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are  – as always -100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.