Cheesy Pesto Chicken Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

By Jennifer

4 Person

90 Minutes

395 Calories

Cheesy Pesto Chicken Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash for. the. win. Say hello to the best spaghetti squash of your life! Recipe yields 4 servings and 2 large portions. Skip the starchy noodles and layer all the tasty components of a cheesy pesto chicken lasagna into a perfectly tender baked spaghetti squash. I LOVE this delicious gluten-free dish!

Ingredients

fresh parsley and/or basil to garnish
4 oz. mozzarella, sliced or grated
1/2 cup chopped tomato plus extra for topping
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning blend
3/4 tsp. dried parsley
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 cups chopped chicken (cooked via your favorite method)
1 spaghetti squash (approx. 2-3 pounds)

Method

01

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
02

To prevent sticking, rub the rim of the squash's flesh with a teeny bit of olive oil or simply place a little water inside your baking dish. Both work great!
03

Place inside a baking dish or atop rimmed, lined baking sheet [some liquid will escape] and roast face-down for 40-60 minutes.
04

Cooking time will depend on the size and the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender inside.
05

The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days awaiting it's stuffing with your lovely lasagna ingredients. You can also make the whole shebang one weekend and pop it in the fridge until about 35 minutes before dinnertime. Wind up with a little bit leftover? It reheats marvelously the following day! Now let's get back to the recipe!
06

If they aren't already in one, add your cooked squash to baking dish. Cook chicken via your favorite method or squirrel away leftovers from the previous night's dinner to use in the lasagna.
07

Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss in 1/4 cup of pesto. Set aside. Next, whisk up an egg yolk [or grab the whites from one large egg] into your ricotta and add freshly grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and your favorite Italian seasoning blend.
08

Set aside. Line each cooked spaghetti squash with chopped tomato or a thin layer of your favorite red sauce! Top each with your seasoned ricotta; pile it on! Next add your pesto chicken [it'll start to look a mile high at this point, just go with it!] and sprinkle with some extra chopped tomato.
09

Top with sliced or grated mozzarella and cover the baking dish in foil, leaving a little room at the top [like a tent!] so the mozz doesn't stick.
10

Bake at 350 degrees F for around 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
11

Garnish with fresh parsley and/or basil leaves and dig in!
12

Leftovers taste phenomenal the next day and can be reheated via oven or microwave; up to you! You can absolutely use your favorite red sauce in place of the chopped tomato or go all out and use a little of both!

Related Tags

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

Pasta Recipes

Cheesy Pesto Chicken Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

4.4

( By Jennifer )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 4 servings
Calorie 395 Kcal
Prep Time 15 Mins
Cook Time 75 Mins
Total Time 90 Mins

02 Ingredients

fresh parsley and/or basil to garnish

4 oz. mozzarella, sliced or grated

1/2 cup chopped tomato plus extra for topping

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning blend

3/4 tsp. dried parsley

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)

2 cups chopped chicken (cooked via your favorite method)

1 spaghetti squash (approx. 2-3 pounds)

03 Method

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

Step 2

To prevent sticking, rub the rim of the squash's flesh with a teeny bit of olive oil or simply place a little water inside your baking dish. Both work great!

Step 3

Place inside a baking dish or atop rimmed, lined baking sheet [some liquid will escape] and roast face-down for 40-60 minutes.

Step 4

Cooking time will depend on the size and the once rock-hard exterior of the squash will be visibly softened with a tender inside.

Step 5

The squash can be roasted and stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days awaiting it's stuffing with your lovely lasagna ingredients. You can also make the whole shebang one weekend and pop it in the fridge until about 35 minutes before dinnertime. Wind up with a little bit leftover? It reheats marvelously the following day! Now let's get back to the recipe!

Step 6

If they aren't already in one, add your cooked squash to baking dish. Cook chicken via your favorite method or squirrel away leftovers from the previous night's dinner to use in the lasagna.

Step 7

Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss in 1/4 cup of pesto. Set aside. Next, whisk up an egg yolk [or grab the whites from one large egg] into your ricotta and add freshly grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt, and your favorite Italian seasoning blend.

Step 8

Set aside. Line each cooked spaghetti squash with chopped tomato or a thin layer of your favorite red sauce! Top each with your seasoned ricotta; pile it on! Next add your pesto chicken [it'll start to look a mile high at this point, just go with it!] and sprinkle with some extra chopped tomato.

Step 9

Top with sliced or grated mozzarella and cover the baking dish in foil, leaving a little room at the top [like a tent!] so the mozz doesn't stick.

Step 10

Bake at 350 degrees F for around 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Step 11

Garnish with fresh parsley and/or basil leaves and dig in!

Step 12

Leftovers taste phenomenal the next day and can be reheated via oven or microwave; up to you! You can absolutely use your favorite red sauce in place of the chopped tomato or go all out and use a little of both!

04 Author