This buffalo chicken spaghetti squash is hearty and satisfying, with a little spicy kick from the buffalo wing sauce, plus it's low carb, Whole30, Paleo, dairy free and gluten free, making it a healthy dinner recipe!
If you're doing Whole30, or you're eating low carb, or following a Paleo, dairy-free or gluten-free diet, you have to try this buffalo spaghetti squash dish! Perfect for meal prep or a weeknight dinner, the spaghetti squash is roasted, and then topped with crispy shredded buffalo chicken, celery and red peppers for crunch, green onions, buffalo sauce and Whole30 compatible ranch dressing. The combo is fresh, flavorful and just the right amount of spicy.
About Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
If you think that Whole30 and Paleo eating has to be boring, think again! This delicious recipe is packed with flavor, and is easy to make on a weeknight anytime you want a low carb, veggie-packed meal. The squash lightens up the dish, standing in place of pasta, but with its spaghetti-like strands, you won't even miss the noodles!
I like serving this in individual bowls, but you can also put the spaghetti squash in the bottom of a casserole dish, top with the crispy chicken and veggies and serve it as a buffalo chicken spaghetti squash casserole if you're feeding a crowd.
If you're short on time, you can use rotisserie chicken rather than cooking the chicken breasts on the stovetop or Instant Pot, and it's easy to cook the spaghetti squash the day before and toss it all together for a quick healthy dinner.
I love this dish because:
- It's hearty and filling, despite being low-carb, dairy-free and gluten-free—it's a nutritious meal the whole family will love!
- It uses simple ingredients and is packed with veggies like spaghetti squash, celery and bell peppers.
- It has just the right amount of kick with the buffalo sauce, and the ability to turn up the heat if you want it!
How to make Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Cook the spaghetti squash. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then take the whole squash and chop off the ends of the squash (about ½ inch each side) and cut your squash into rounds that are about 1 inch wide. Next, remove the seeds and the spaghetti squash guts by running a butter knife along the inside of the ring, and discard the guts. Place the squash rings on the parchment paper-lined sheet pan, drizzle each side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the squash in the preheated oven, and cook for about 40 minutes, until the squash is fork tender (pay attention to the tenderness rather than the timing here, as larger squashes may require a longer cook time).
Cook the chicken. While the squash is in the oven, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon avocado oil or coconut oil and swirl pan to coat with the oil. Add boneless skinless chicken breast and ½ cup water. Once the water begins to simmer, reduce to medium heat and cover. Cook chicken for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through to 165°F. Move chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly before shredding with two forks. You can skip this step if you're using pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken, or cut your time by cooking the chicken breasts in an Instant Pot.
Make the squash "noodles." Let the squash rings rest until they're cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes) and then use your hands to peel away the shell of the spaghetti squash from the cooked flesh. Once the rind is off, you can gently pull the squash ring apart and separate strands into your “noodles.” Place your spaghetti squash strands in a large bowl and set aside.
Chop the toppings. Chop up the celery, bell peppers and green onions, and mix together in a bowl, then set aside.
Crisp the chicken. Set your oven to broil on high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (you can use the same baking sheet that you used for the spaghetti squash to cut down on dishes!) and spread the shredded chicken out evenly on the lined baking sheet, then season with dried parsley, dried dill weed, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir to distribute the spices. Next, add the buffalo sauce and Frank's Red Hot sauce to the chicken and toss until chicken is evenly doused by the sauce. Place the chicken under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until it starts to get crispy and golden brown in places. Stir and flip the chicken so the non-crispy parts can get some oven lovin' and place back under the broiler until all the chicken is evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Bon appetit! Divide the squash "noodles" among plates or bowls and top with the buffalo chicken mixture and chopped veggies. And don't skimp on a generous drizzle of ranch dressing, extra buffalo sauce and green onions!
Frequently asked questions
This dish is great on its own, but you'll want to drizzle the buffalo chicken with plenty of Whole30 compatible ranch dressing (or blue cheese dressing, if you're not doing Whole30 / not dairy free) and sprinkle it with green onions.
Buffalo chicken spaghetti squash makes great leftovers for another dinner or lunch—simply store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and rehear in the microwave. This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
If you want to freeze this recipe, I'd recommend freezing the spaghetti squash separately from the chicken mixture. Once frozen, the spaghetti squash and chicken should keep for up to three months. However, I'd recommend freezing any leftover chicken before crisping it under the broiler and broil it just before serving, as the crispy chicken won't have the same texture once frozen.
I like to separate all the strands and then plate the spaghetti squash just like you would spaghetti, and pile the chicken and vegetable mixture on top, then drizzle with extra buffalo sauce and ranch. However, if you prefer a "stuffed" spaghetti squash, you can simply cut the squash in half lengthwise and roast it, stuffing the chicken and vegetables in the cavity once it's roasted. Either way works!
Yes! If you have rotisserie chicken in your refrigerator, you can simply shred it, toss it with the buffalo sauce and continue with the recipe as directed, instead of cooking the chicken yourself.
Substitutions
- No red or yellow bell pepper in your fridge? You can substitute the same amount of any color bell pepper you have on hand.
- If you want to turn the heat up a notch, swap the ⅓ cup of mild buffalo sauce for a spicier buffalo sauce, or use ⅔ cup of Frank's Red Hot in the recipe. You could also use a different hot sauce if you have one you love, but keep in mind that could change the flavor profile of the dish.
- If you want to make the dish more mild, use ⅔ cup of mild buffalo sauce only, omitting the Frank's.
- All out of green onions? Top your spaghetti squash with chopped cilantro or parsley instead!
Related recipes
Looking for more Whole30 dinner recipes? Try some of my Whole30 favorites:
Before you go...
If you make this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash and love it, please leave me a comment and leave a star rating for this recipe! I love to hear from you and I do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram—seeing your delicious creations is my favorite!
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Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash (Whole30 + Paleo)
Description
This buffalo chicken spaghetti squash is hearty and satisfying, with a little spicy kick from the buffalo sauce, plus it is Whole30, Paleo, dairy-free and gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 ribs celery, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ yellow bell pepper, diced
- ⅛ tsp dried parsley
- ⅛ tsp dried dill weed
- ⅛ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅓ cup mild buffalo sauce
- ⅓ cup Frank’s Original Red Hot
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Ranch dressing, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice both ends from squash and discard. Slice spaghetti squash crosswise into 1 to 1 ½ inch rounds, removing the seeds by running a knife along the inside of each ring.
- Place squash on the baking sheet and drizzle both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until squash is fork tender and squash rind is easily removed. Baking time will depend on the size of the squash, with larger squash requiring more oven time.
- While the squash is cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. avocado or coconut oil and swirl pan to coat with the oil. Add chicken and ½ cup water. Once the water begins to simmer, reduce heat and cover. Cook chicken for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Move chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly before shredding with two forks.
- Once squash is tender, allow to cool 10 minutes before peeling away the rind and using your hands to separate the “noodles.”
- Combine chopped celery, bell peppers and green onions in a bowl; stir to combine and set aside.
- Set the oven to broil on high. Add shredded chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet, season with dried parsley, dried dill weed, onion, powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine; add buffalo sauce and Frank's Red Hot to the chicken and toss until chicken is evenly doused by the sauce.
- Place the chicken under the broiler and allow it to crisp. When the chicken gets crispy and brown in places, stir and place back under the broiler until all the chicken is evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.
- Divide the squash "noodles" among plates or bowls and top with the buffalo chicken mixture and vegetables, drizzle with ranch dressing, extra buffalo sauce, top with green onions and serve.
One more thing!
This recipe is a part of my Whole30 collection check it out!
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