Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

5 from 10 votes

This Chicken, Bacon & Ranch Stuffed Spaghetti Squash boats recipe is one of the most delicious dinners ever, not to mention unbelievably simple to make! It’s made with only wholesome ingredients, so it’s completely Whole30, Paleo, Keto, and Gluten Free friendly.

Close up side view of a hand holding a fork, taking a bite out of the finished dish.

About this Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Recipe

It’s been two years since I had a garden of my own, and I find myself really missing it lately. Dirt in my hands has always been a therapy for me, but I also miss getting to eat all the delicious goodies from the garden!

There’s truly nothing like meals made with homegrown produce. Some of my all-time favorite recipes are super simple but oh so fresh, made with the best summer tomatoes or zucchini.

Thankfully, my mother in law was kind enough to share some of her garden’s harvest with us, and last week she gifted us a beautiful homegrown spaghetti squash.

I’d been toying with the idea of coming up with another stuffed spaghetti squash recipe, so I already knew exactly what I’d be making with it!

Close up side view of one bite of the spaghetti squash, chicken, bacon and ranch on a fork.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You’ll love this recipe, for a few reasons:

  • Chicken bacon ranch is one of the most fabulous flavor combinations! It’s always a hit with the kids.
  • In this recipe, the baked spaghetti squash ties the whole dish together and gives it you the feeling of eating pasta without actually eating pasta.
  • The cooked spaghetti squash strands are about the size of thin spaghetti or even angel hair pasta and have a super mild flavor!

Possibly the best thing about spaghetti squash is that you get to serve your finished dish inside the squash boats, making the presentation a part of the fun!

You may also like: Stone Fruit Caprese Chicken, Foil Wrapped Salmon with Snow Peas, Roasted Butterfly Chicken.

What is Spaghetti Squash?

Spaghetti squash is one of those magical vegetables that makes everything so much better. It’s basically the bacon of vegetables. Sure, you could exist without it, but why would you want to?

Spaghetti squash is a popular low-carb, gluten-free substitute for pasta due to its mild flavor and versatility in dishes. It’s a type of winter squash with a unique, stringy texture that resembles spaghetti noodles when cooked. It has a hard outer shell that ranges in color from pale yellow to bright orange, and its flesh separates into long, thin strands once baked, roasted, or microwaved.

This squash is rich in vitamins A, C, and B6, along with potassium and fiber, making it a nutritious addition to meals. It’s commonly paired with sauces, herbs, and seasonings, and can be enjoyed on its own or incorporated into casseroles, salads, and other recipes.

The recipe ingredients on a white board labeled: chicken breasts, bacon, spinach, ranch, coconut milk, spaghetti squash, and nutritional yeast.

Recipe Ingredients

Get your shopping lists ready! Here’s what you need to make the recipe:

  • Spaghetti Squash: A medium spaghetti squash will weigh about 3 pounds and will yield enough to serve 4 people. In this recipe I cooked the spaghetti squash in the oven, but you could save yourself a step and cook spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot, if you wanted to.
  • Chicken Breasts: I get most of my meat delivered and share all about that in my Porter Road review. You can always save time by using leftover cooked chicken or by buying a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.
  • Nitrate Free Bacon: I always try to use sugar-free, nitrate-free bacon. Naked Bacon Original is my first choice!
  • Ranch Dressing: we love our homemade ranch which we usually have on hand. Store bought favorite is Tessemae’s!
  • Coconut Milk: Light coconut milk works best in this recipe!
  • Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast is the secret to giving this a bit of a cheese-y kick that’s Whole30 and Paleo-friendly. For a Keto friendly substitute, use shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • Baby Spinach: A little goes a long way in this recipe! The spinach adds a little extra texture and flavor.
  • Ranch Seasoning: I occasionally like to sprinkle a little homemade ranch seasoning in this mix to add extra ranch-y flavor, but that is completely optional!

How to Make Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I’m walking you through this recipe step by step. If you’re new to cooking or haven’t tried a recipe like this before, I’m here for you! And I’m about to show you that it’s easier to make than you might think.

First get out a baking sheet and a skillet.

Two cooked spaghetti squash halves on a baking sheet.

1. Cook the Squash.

Roasting spaghetti squash is super easy! First, preheat your oven. While it’s preheating, poke a few holes in the skin of your squash with a fork, then microwave it for 2 minutes. This will soften the ultra hard skin just enough to make it easier to cut through. Allow it to cool.

Cut the squash in half from the stem to the bottom. Use a spoon to scrape away the seeds. Drizzle the cut side with a little olive oil, season lightly, and lay face down on a baking sheet and roast.

To test a spaghetti squash for doneness, poke the skin with a paring knife. The knife should easily and smoothly pierce through the skin with and flesh without much pressure.

Tip: If you’d like to skip a step, you can buy pre-cooked spaghetti squash (I’ve seen it at Costco and other grocers). Alternately, you can prepare the spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot if you have one.

Collage of process shots showing bacon cooked in a skillet, chicken breasts cooked in a skillet, and the chicken, bacon, and spinach cut into bite sized pieces on a cutting board.

2. Prepare the Other Ingredients.

While the squash is cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then set the cooked bacon aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Use the same skillet to cook the chicken, about 6-7 minutes per side, or until cooked though. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 F. Set it aside.

Once the chicken and bacon are cool enough to handle, dice them into bite-sized pieces and roughly chop the spinach leaves.

Process collage showing all the ingredients in a large glass bowl, then all mixed up.

3. Put It All Together.

Use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash out of the skin into a bowl. Add the diced chicken, bacon, spinach, nutritional yeast, ranch and coconut milk. Toss well until fully combined.

Spoon the chicken and squash mixture into the squash skins or a large bowl. Top with a little extra ranch, some crumbled bacon and cracked black pepper, and you’re in business. Enjoy!

Note

If the spaghetti squash is still warm when you mix the ingredients, the spinach will wilt nicely without becoming overcooked and mushy. I like a little texture so my preference is to mix it raw, but you can sauté the spinach lightly before mixing if you prefer it cooked down a bit more.

Top down of two spaghetti squash halves filled with the chicken, ranch, and bacon mixture on a baking sheet.

FAQ

How do you reheat the dish?

To reheat the dish before serving, loosely cover with foil and bake in the oven at 375 F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Is it freezer friendly?

Yes! To freeze the recipe, transfer the squash mixture to a gallon sized plastic freezer bag. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag, seal, and place in the freezer for up to two months. 

What can I use instead of spaghetti squash?

If you don’t like or don’t have spaghetti squash, you can substitute zucchini noodles or palmini. Both are Whole30 compatible and Keto friendly alternatives. If you can have gluten and grains, you can also substitute thin spaghetti or angel hair.

More Easy Dinner Recipes

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I’d love to hear about your experience making it, and I’d love to see it, too — Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram!

Close up of a hand holding a fork, taking a bite of the finished chicken, bacon and ranch stuffed spaghetti squash.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

This Stuffed Spaghetti Squash recipe is one of the most delicious dinners ever, not to mention unbelievably simple to make! It's made with only wholesome ingredients, so it's completely Whole30, Paleo, Keto and Gluten Free friendly.
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Laura Miner

Ingredients

  • 1 large spaghetti squash about 3 lbs.
  • 1 pound chicken breasts or repurpose leftover cooked chicken to save time
  • 8 ounces bacon sugar-free
  • 1 cup baby spinach chopped
  • 2/3 cup ranch dressing
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 4 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoons ranch seasoning optional, see note below

Video

Instructions

Cook the Spaghetti Squash

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (20°C). While it preheats, microwave your spaghetti squash for about 2 minutes (this softens it a bit to make it easier to cut). Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  • Drizzle the flesh with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lay cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes, until soft and cooked through.

Cook the Bacon and Chicken

  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Set it aside on a paper towel to cool.
  • (If using leftover or already cooked chicken, skip to the next step.) Season the raw chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper. In the same skillet as the bacon, cook the chicken over medium heat for for about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked through. Set the chicken aside.

Assemble and Serve

  • Use two forks to scrape the hot spaghetti squash from the skin, scooping it into a large bowl. Dice the chicken and bacon into bite sized pieces and chop the spinach.
  • Add all of the ingredients except about 2 tablespoons of chopped bacon to the bowl and toss to mix well.
  • Spoon the the chicken mixture into the squash skin halves to serve as squash boats or serve family-style in large serving bowl. Drizzle with a little extra ranch and sprinkle the reserved crumbled bacon and serve.

Notes

To store: Store covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
To reheat: Loosely cover with foil and bake in the oven at 375 F for about 15-20 minutes.
To freeze: Transfer the squash mixture to a gallon sized plastic freezer bag. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag, seal, and freeze for up to two months. 
Ranch Seasoning: If using ranch seasoning, you can buy your favorite store bought mix, or make it homemade by following this recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25spaghetti squash | Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1319mg | Potassium: 1044mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1065IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg
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5 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating





3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe was so yummy! We made the chicken the day before in the instant pot and used the air fryer for the spaghetti squash to make prepping this meal easier. The flavors were delicious!