Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats
Try this Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Butter Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats recipe, or contribute your own.
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp coconut or avocado oil
- 1 tsp himalayan pink salt
- 4 small spaghetti squash ( 1 1/2 lbs each)*
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger dried**
- 3 oz (1/2 can) tomato paste
- 14 oz can coconut milk full fat
- Carbohydrate 3.70853625611383 g
- Cholesterol 394.6253619 mg
- Fat 8.56100891792708 g
- Fiber 0.440399505179742 g
- Protein 157.840814659416 g
- Saturated Fat 2.26599740491041 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1333g)
- Sodium 216190.39468057 mg
- Sugar 3.26813675093409 g
- Trans Fat 2.28109985933459 g
- Calories 765 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with unbleached parchment paper. Poke skin randomly with a fork and bake for 30 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add garlic and onion; sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala, ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper; sauté for 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add tomato paste and mix it well with (incorporate into) onion and spices. Add coconut milk and stir until combined. Now add chicken, and stir to coat. Cover, cook for 15 minutes and turn off the heat.
- Remove cooked squash from the oven and turn it over wearing mitts and with a help of a fork. It will cool this way faster; about 10 minutes. To make “spaghetti†, grab one half wearing a mitt and separate the flesh into strands with a fork. Divide butter chicken mixture evenly among the boats, return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Serve hot with extra whole wheat spaghetti on a side if you wish.
Managing the Oven Load
Timing the squash requires matching your oven capacity to the yield. When roasting four 1 1/2-pound squash halves at 375 degrees F simultaneously, air circulation matters immensely. Crowding baking sheets traps moisture, preventing the skins from developing the structural integrity needed to hold fillings without collapsing.
Adapting Proportions in Smaller Kitchens
Halving this preparation for a single diner presents distinct mathematical challenges with canned ingredients like coconut milk and tomato paste. Because dividing a 14-ounce can leaves awkward remainders, freeze leftover coconut milk in ice cube trays for future curries, measuring precisely 2 ounces per cube to maintain proper sauce viscosity.
Freezing and Reheating Safely
Assembled boats keep in the refrigerator for up to three days, though freezing alters the texture of roasted squash strands significantly. Thaw refrigerated portions entirely overnight before reheating them at 350 degrees F until the internal chicken reaches 165 degrees F, draining any excess liquid released during the thaw cycle before serving.
