Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Mushrooms for Two

Savory and delectable, Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Mushrooms is one of our favorite “Cooking for Two” comfort food recipes.

Recently I read an article on My Fitness Pal that said couples who cook and work well together in the kitchen are more satisfied in their relationships

That’s a pretty amazing claim, isn’t it? Bob and I have been cooking together for several years, but we had no idea it adds so many benefits to our relationship. We just enjoy doing it as part of our daily routine.

The article also states “creating couples meals that not only taste good but are nutritious as well can help to promote a healthy lifestyle.” We’ve been trying to eat healthier foods, and one thing we both love is spaghetti squash. In his online research, Bob found that spaghetti squash is high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Adding spaghetti squash to your diet can aid in weight management, colon health, cancer risk reduction, and dental health (because it’s high in Vitamins A and C). It has mostly replaced pasta in our meal plans.

One of our favorite Cooking for Two recipes using spaghetti squash is this Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Mushrooms. The ingredients are pretty simple:

• One small spaghetti squash
• Olive oil
• Chicken
• Baby Bella mushrooms
• Spinach
• Garlic
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Thyme, salt, and pepper

We start by roasting the spaghetti squash

There are various methods you can use, but we like to cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and rub the inside with olive oil. After we sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each half, we roast the squash cut side down on a foil-lined pan at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the tip of a knife easily pierces the skin. (You can also scoop out a little of the squash and taste it to see if it’s done to your liking.) When it has cooled enough to handle it, we scoop out all of the insides into a bowl, cover, and set aside.

We like to use chicken tenders when we’re Cooking for Two

We’ve found that two tenders is usually a perfect serving size for one person. They also thaw and cook quickly, so they’re perfect for when we’re throwing something together at the last minute. While the squash is roasting, we sauté the chicken in some olive oil in a large skillet. Once the tenders have browned on both sides and are cooked through, we remove them from the pan, slice them into bite-sized pieces, and set them aside.

Then we place the mushrooms in the pan and cook them until they are browned and starting to soften

(You can drizzle in more olive oil if you need to.) We add the minced garlic, the thyme, and the chopped fresh spinach when the mushrooms are almost done. When the garlic is fragrant and the spinach is wilted it’s time to mix it all together.

We add the spaghetti squash and chicken into the mixture in the pan, scraping up the browned bits for extra flavor

Then we fold everything together over medium heat until the whole mixture is heated through. The final touch is to add the grated parmesan cheese. For this recipe, we recommend that you grate it yourself from a block of good quality parmesan. The cheese is really the pièce de résistance that makes this sooo good!

We divide the Parmesan Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Mushrooms up between two plates, and top it with a bit of freshly ground pepper and coarsely ground salt.

And we’re ready to dig in! We like to have a little side salad (and maybe a buttered roll or slice of baguette) with this dish. But it’s really a full meal all by itself.

Writing this post is making me crave this! I may have to pick up a spaghetti squash and add it to this week’s menu.

Let us know in the comments if you try this recipe. Or if you have a favorite spaghetti squash recipe of your own, feel free to share. Bon appetit!