Spaghetti Squash Chicken Parmesan & Homemade Marinara Sauce

The Spaghetti Squash is a hidden gem when it comes to winter vegetable and a lighter alternative to pasta. The texture is a little al dente when cooked and plays well with a marinara sauce.  Preparing the sauce and squash with a breaded chicken breast and nutty Parmigiano add additional layers of flavor and protein.

A variety of tomatoes will bring out individual characteristics - the farmers market had earthy Vine, hearty Beefsteak and sweet Roma.

Once finished, the meat of the Spaghetti Squash can be pulled from the walls with a fork and tossed, leaving an organic bowl for serving.

What you will need:

Cutting Board
Cookie Sheet
Large Saute Pan
Food Processor 
Large Pot
Large Knife - to split the squash

Ingredients:

 Spaghetti Squash - The brighter yellow the better
 Tomatoes - 4lbs Cored, Quarter and Deseeded
 Garlic - 4-5 cloves minced
 Red Onion - 1 bulb minced

 Fresh Basil - 2 Tbsp chopped

 Fresh Parsley - 1/8 Cup chopped

 Bay Leaf - 2 leaves

 Red Chili Flakes - 1 Tbsp

 Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp

 Butter - 2 Tbsp

 Parmigiano - 1/2 cup grated

 Tomato Paste - 1 small can

 Red Wine - 1 Cup

 Ground Black Pepper- 2 Tbsp

 Sea Salt - 2 Tbsp

 Chicken Breast - 1 lb sliced into strips

 Eggs - 2

 Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup

Directions:

If you only have about an hour, make sure to get the squash in the oven right away.  However, if you have extra time on your hands, make the sauce first and let it simmer away while you work on the squash.  

Pre-heat oven to 375 - 400

Halve the Spaghetti Squash lengthwise. Gut and remove seeds. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt.  Bake on cookie sheet for 45 min.

While the squash is cooking, make the sauce. Blend the tomatoes in a food processor until all the chunks are liquified.  Melt butter in a deep stock pan.  Sauté onions, garlic, pepper, chili flakes and salt until soft.  Add basil, parsley and tomato puree, bay leaves - in that order. Stir in tomato paste.  Bring all of that to a slow bubble to breakdown the ingredients.  After a couple of minutes, add red wine - I like a nice dry California Zinfandel or Cabernet because of the deeper complexity and because that's what I drink while it simmers.  

Once the squash is done, pull the 2 halves out and let cool enough to be handled.  Heat up the remaining olive oil in a skillet.  Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper and chili flakes.  

Dredge the chicken in the egg mixture, coat in the bread crumbs then into the frying pan.  

Use a fork to pull the spaghetti strings from the wall of the squash inside the shell.  

With your chicken cooked, the squash tossed and your sauce simmered, it's time to combine them.  Spoon the sauce into the shell on top of the bed of spaghetti strings.  

Layer the chicken and more sauce to the brim of the shell and top with a generous portion of the grated cheese.  

Broil the dish just enough to melt and crisp the cheese.     Enjoy!