Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
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If you love the flavor of buffalo chicken but want a healthier way to enjoy it, this stuffed spaghetti squash is for you. It’s a family-friendly dinner made with wholesome ingredients, and it’s filling and delicious!
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Why This Recipe is a Family Favorite
This spaghetti squash recipe is super simple to make. You only need 7 ingredients, and just a little prep work.
While the squash roasts in the oven, you’ll prepare the buffalo chicken and creamy sauce in a skillet on the stove top.
The buffalo sauce adds a slightly spicy, rich, buttery flavor, and the ranch seasoning, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast lend creamy, zesty, and cheesy flavors.
By the way, if you love the flavor of buffalo sauce, my recipe for Instant Pot buffalo chicken is also really easy to make!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are some important, mom tested cooking tips. I make buffalo chicken spaghetti squash often, so I’ll prevent you from a failed attempt.
- Roast the squash face down. This allows it to steam and caramelize slightly, giving you more tender, flavorful strands.
- Let the squash cool slightly before stuffing it. This avoids a soggy texture and ensures the squash isn’t too hot to touch.
- Simmer the sauce long enough for it to thicken. Rushing this step can leave it watery instead of creamy.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I really enjoyed this recipe. I am not big on nutritional yeast, so I put in some dried onion bits instead. Very yummy.
–Heather
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Chicken Breasts. Use plain chicken breasts or my marinated buffalo ranch chicken for extra tender and flavorful chicken! To save some time, you can use shred rotisserie chicken (remove the skin first). Or, make my recipe for Instant Pot shredded chicken!
Spaghetti Squash. You want a squash that feels heavy for its size, without any mushy spots or large cracks in the skin.
Ranch Seasoning. Use my homemade Ranch seasoning or buy your favorite brand.
Coconut Milk. Use full fat coconut milk for a thicker, creamier sauce. If you can tolerate dairy, you can substitute with either Half & Half or heavy cream.
Buffalo Sauce. Use my homemade buffalo sauce recipe or buy your favorite brand.
Nutritional Yeast. Don’t skip the nutritional yeast. It adds a cheesy flavor to the sauce while also thickening it.
Recipe Variations
Use different toppings. Make this dish taste like buffalo wings by topping it with blue cheese crumbles, a drizzle of ranch dressing, or a dollop of sour cream with more ranch seasoning.
Add extra veggies. Stir in fresh spinach leaves for an added boost of vegetables. They blend well with the buffalo sauce and make the meal feel even more hearty!
If you’d like to avoid turning on your oven, you can cook the spaghetti squash in an Instant Pot or Air Fryer.
How to Make the Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This is only a summary of the steps. For the full instructions, see the recipe card! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Prep and cook the spaghetti squash. Use a very sharp knife to cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out all the seeds, then rub oil and seasoning on the flesh. Roast the squash cut side down on a sheet pan.
Helpful Tip
To test if the spaghetti squash is cooked through, slide a sharp knife through the skin. It should easily pierce the skin and slide smoothly through the flesh.
- Dice and season the chicken. Cut the breasts into bite-sized pieces and season them with salt and pepper.
- Cook chicken in a large skillet over medium heat. Grab your largest skillet, and heat the oil in it over medium heat. Add the diced chicken to the hot oil and cook for about 6 minutes, turning it over often, until it's browned on the outside.
- Make the buffalo sauce. Whisk the sauce ingredients together right in the skillet with the chicken. Then, bring it to a simmer so it can thicken.
- Lower the heat, then allow everything to cook for another 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. After a couple of minutes, the sauce will thicken and become creamy.
- Assemble the stuffed spaghetti squash.
By now, the spaghetti squash should be done cooking, so take it out of the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Use two forks to fluff the strands.
You can serve this meal as stuffed spaghetti squash boats, or scrape the strands out and serve them in bowls, whichever way you prefer.
Spoon the chicken and buffalo sauce mixture over the squash. Drizzle with more hot sauce, ranch, and sprinkle with parsley and celery.
Make it kid friendly: If you love buffalo sauce but your kiddo is a little wary of spice, you can mix a small portion of the sauce with extra coconut milk or ranch to mellow it out!
Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash FAQs
Yes! You can roast the spaghetti squash and cook the chicken mixture up to 3 days in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then reheat and combine when you’re ready to serve.
To make spaghetti squash easier to cut through, poke it with a fork a few times, then microwave it for 2-3 minutes. Allow it to cool enough to handle. It’ll be softened enough to make it much easier to cut.
To refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or bag. Set in the refrigerator and store for 3-4 days.
To freeze: Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer safe container or bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Freeze for 2-3 months. Allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat and enjoy.
After you make it, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it went!
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts
- 1 medium spaghetti squash 2.5 lb. to 3 lb.
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 2.5 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup sliced celery 2-3 stalks
Serve with (all optional)
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ½ teaspoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Meanwhile, cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and spoon out the seeds.
- Drizzle the flesh of each spaghetti squash half with half of the avocado oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Place the spaghetti squash face down on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 28-35 minutes for al dente to tender strands of spaghetti squash. To test for doneness: Use a sharp knife to poke the skin. It should easily pierce the skin and slide through the flesh.
- Prepare the buffalo chicken: Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning often, for about 5-6 minutes.
- Make the sauce: Mix the celery, buffalo sauce, coconut milk, nutritional yeast and ranch seasoning in the skillet with the chicken.Bring the sauce to a simmer and lower the heat. Cook the chicken in the sauce as it simmers, for another 10 minutes. Once the chicken is done cooking and the sauce is thickened slightly, remove it from the heat.
- Assemble the stuffed spaghetti squash boats: Fluff the spaghetti squash with two forks. Either serve in the squash boats or divide the spaghetti squash strands into bowls. Spoon the chicken and sauce onto the spaghetti squash. Sprinkle with extra diced celery, ranch, hot sauce, and parsley and serve.
I really enjoyed this recipe. I am not big on nutritional yeast, so I put in some dried onion bits instead. Very yummy.
That is an excellent substitution! I’m glad you enjoyed it Heather!