This recipe for Curried Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Breasts is a splendid mix of sweet and savory flavors. Made with simple ingredients on one sheet pan for convenience and easy clean up, this chicken and spaghetti squash dinner is a fuss free, yet ultra-flavor meal you and your family will love.
OptionalGarnishes: Pumpkin Seeds, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Lemon Wedges
Instructions
Marinate Chicken Breasts: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter. In a Ziploc bag, or shallow bowl, combine the melted butter with 2 ½ tablespoons of honey, dijon, 1 teaspoon each - curry powder, cumin and ground ginger. Stir in ½ teaspoon salt. Add the chicken breasts and turn to coat. Seal, or cover, and transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
Preheat Oven and Prep Pans: Adjust oven racks to top and bottom third position and then preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Prep Spaghetti Squash: Drizzle the insides of each half of spaghetti squash with olive oil and then season generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash - cut-side down - onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake Squash for 15 minutes: Transfer the squash into the oven - on bottom rack - and roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile Prep Chicken Breasts for Baking: Remove the chicken breasts from marinade and transfer the chicken to the second baking sheet. Next, brush the top of the chicken with any of the remaining marinade in bag, then discard the marinade.
Bake Chicken and Spaghetti Squash: When 15 minutes of cooking is up for the squash, open the oven door and rotate the pan of squash from the bottom to the top rack. Then, add the baking sheet of chicken to the oven on the bottom rack.Bake for 30 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom halfway through, or until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
While the Chicken and Squash are Baking, Make the Sauce: Heat the remaining ¼ cup of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of curry powder and ginger, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup of honey and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and a pinch of pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Reduce heat to low and keep the curry sauce warm until ready to use.
Garnish and Serve Curried Spaghetti Squash with Chicken: Use a fork to scrape the squash into strands and transfer to a serving bowl and toss with cilantro and half of the sauce. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and crushed red pepper flakes. Top with chicken and serve with lemon wedges and remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
The chicken breasts do require time to marinate. While I recommend letting them sit in the marinade overnight for the most flavor, you can get away with letting them marinate for as little as 2 hours.
Make sure you adjust your oven racks to the top and bottom third positions because you will be placing the chicken breasts on one sheet pan and the halved spaghetti squash on another. To ensure even cooking, you will need to rotate the pans from top to bottom during roasting.
Cook your spaghetti squash CUT SIDE DOWN. I have tried cooking spaghetti squash both ways, cut side up and cut side down. I have found cooking it cut side DOWN allows the squash to get a little caramelization and prevents the squash from becoming too dry.
Saucy! I am a big fan of this honey curry sauce, so the recipe reflects that. Therefore, if you aren’t a sauce boss or fanatic, I recommend considering cutting the sauce measurements in half.
Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.