Marry Me Chicken-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Marry Me Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is sure to make anyone fall in love. Tender, antioxidant-rich spaghetti squash is the base for this rich, creamy dish featuring tangy Greek yogurt, soft goat cheese, bright, slightly tart sun-dried tomatoes and sun-dried tomato pesto. Protein-rich rotisserie chicken brings in a salty element that is complemented by subtle heat from crushed red pepper, and a drizzle of acidic, slightly sweet balsamic glaze on top brings it all together. Keep reading for our expert tips, including why you should use soft goat cheese instead of the harder, crumbled variety.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• It’s important to use soft goat cheese because it will combine with the yogurt, whereas crumbled cheese won’t.
• Yogurt adds creaminess to this dish, but for an even richer version, replace the yogurt with ricotta.
• To make this recipe vegetarian, swap in chickpeas for the chicken.

Nutrition Notes

• Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash that provides a variety of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fiber in spaghetti squash will help feed your beneficial gut bacteria and keep things moving through your gut. 
• Combined with the fiber from the spaghetti squash, the protein in the rotisserie chicken makes you feel satisfied. While rotisserie chicken is a definite timesaver and fits into a healthy diet, it tends to be higher in sodium than if you roasted the chicken yourself. Some stores sell reduced-sodium rotisserie chicken but if yours doesn’t and you’re watching your sodium intake, try our recipe for the Best Poached Chicken. It takes just 15 minutes of prep time and comes together quickly—and you have control over how much salt you use. 
• Sun-dried tomatoes and pesto are a winning flavor combo. Pesto is typically made with olive oil, basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and garlic, but it can be made with any herb, nuts and oil. Sun-dried tomato pesto is basically a typical pesto with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes. Many brands also add tomato paste or pulp and may use cashews or walnuts. In any event, pesto provides healthy fat and fiber. Since sun-dried tomatoes are simply dried whole tomatoes, like whole tomatoes, they too provide vitamins A and C and some fiber.