“Volumetrics” at its finest. What is volumetrics, you ask? It’s eating large quantities of food with a high level of nutrients for a low level of calories. It’s what hungry girls like me do on a daily basis without even realizing it anymore. Can’t tell you how nice it was to dig into a “bowl” of spaghetti squash (40 calories per cup!) with zucchini, lean chicken, nutrient rich tomatoes and just enough cheese to make it seem like a total indulgence.Â
I made this meal for our first dinner home after a family vacay down the shore. Though we’re a generally healthy bunch of people, there are still more chips, pizza, and donuts than I eat in a typical week. I was ready for vegetables. With a relatively low number of ingredients, this was a quick and easy weeknight dinner that I’ll definitely be making again. We had one half leftover and it made for an amazing leftover’s lunch the next day. My husband popped in mid-afternoon and went right to the fridge, looking for “that bowl thing”. Too bad for him, I’d already finished it off and I didn’t feel a little bit badly.
Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Serves 4
2 small (or 1 large) spaghetti squash, halved and seeds scraped clean
2 chicken breasts
1 (15 oz) can Hatch red enchilada sauce
1 medium zucchini, finely diced
4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
Pepper to taste
8 oz. Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place squash halves, cut side down, on a dish and spoon 1-2 tbsp. of water onto the plate or dish. Microwave ten minutes (if you have two small squash, do one – two halves – at a time).
2. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add chicken and reduce to low. Cook chicken at a bare simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove and shred or chop chicken.
3. When squash are cool enough to handle, scrape the insides into a large mixing bowl. Add chicken, enchilada sauce, zucchini, tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
4. Place squash shells on foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon mixture back into squash shells. Top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes to heat through and, if desired, move to top rack and broil until cheese is bubbling and brown.
