Everyone’s favorite zesty chicken meets everyone’s favorite pasta substitute in this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash. Full of ranch dressing, juicy chicken, and Frank’s red hot for one of the most crave-able and comforting dinners. Did I mention these spaghetti squash boats come together in under 30?!
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Is Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Healthy? Keto? Paleo? Gluten Free?
Spaghetti squash is an extremely low calorie vegetable with a surprising amount of fiber–using it instead of traditional spaghetti adds another serving of vegetables to the menu, and hardly any carbs. That said, this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash uses ranch dressing, butter, and cheddar cheese, all of which may be off the menu depending on your goals…
- Keto + low carb – Absolutely! All ingredients used here are low carb and keto friendly thanks to our low carb vegetable substitute for traditional pasta.
- Paleo – No, ranch dressing, butter, and cheese are not paleo ingredients. Feel free to use paleo swaps for these if you wish!
- Gluten free- Yup! Thanks to spaghetti squash this dish is gluten free.
Ingredient For Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
We’ll essentially stuff all the traditional buffalo chicken ingredients into spaghetti squash boats, and bake them together with extra cheese. What’s not to love?!
- Pasta – spaghetti squash is my personal favorite pasta substitute. Check out my tips below for getting it just right.
- Chicken – any cooked and shredded or cubed chicken will do here. This is one of the rare occasions where I used canned chicken and love it (The only other case is for my canned chicken salad).
- Sauce – a combination of Frank’s red hot and ranch dressing is all you need. Frank’s is important, as it has a delicious vinegar base and isn’t too spicy. You can try any other hot sauce, just know it won’t be the same.
- Toppings – cheddar cheese, blue cheese, and green onions.
Potential Ingredient Tweaks
Although we love this recipe as is, you can tweak the ingredients slightly for similar results. Here are a few ways to add your spin:
- Swap the noodles. Most veggie noodles will do here–think butternut squash noodles or zucchini noodles. Skip the shirataki noodles, they’re best in stir-fries.
- Add spice. Frank’s red hot isn’t very spicy. You can use their spicy version, or add jalapenos or spicy seasoning.
- More protein? Increase the amount of chicken added, or substitute ranch dressing for Greek yogurt.
How to Slice and Prep Your Spaghetti Squash
Since we’re keeping the spaghetti squash in “boat” form, you’ll want to slice it directly through the center. Keep in mind that the stem is tough and hard for most knives to get through. Here are some tips:
- Place a damp paper towel under your cutting board to prevent it from sliding.
- Place a kitchen towel over the squash so you can more easily grip it and keep it in place.
- If you have any trouble (which can happen if your knife isn’t super sharp, or if your squash stem is extra firm), remove the top of the spaghetti squash, including the stem. Then slice your squash through the center.
What to Serve With This Buffalo Chicken Casserole
A drizzle of ranch, with blue cheese crumbles and green onions are a must no matter how you’re serving this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash. That said, it’s a pretty complete meal on its own, especially for those of us following a low carb eating plan. If you want to bulk it up, here are a few ways:
- Serve it with a side of toast, or baguette for a great way to soak up the extra sauce.
- Use chips and serve it as a dip, almost like this keto buffalo chicken dip. If you do this, chop up the noodles before attempting to dip.
Reheat, Storing, and Freezing Tips
An added benefit to this dish is the large quantity it makes–it’s perfect for meal prep during busy weeks. Here’s how to maximize leftovers:
- To store: Store leftovers in your fridge separately from the fresh green onion topping and blue cheese crumbles.
- To reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave, with a damp paper towel on top.
- To freeze? I don’t suggest freezing this buffalo chicken spaghetti squash–squash is loaded with water. When you reheat it from frozen, the sauce will get watered down.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 small spaghetti squash
- 2 pounds chicken breast cooked + shredded
- 3 ribs celery sliced
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F, option to line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice your squash in half, and remove the seeds using a spoon. Place squash cut side down on prepared baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until your squash shred easily with a fork, about 35 minutes. (psst–you don't want to overbake the squash, as the pasta will become mushy).
- Once the squash is done cooking and cool enough to handle, flake the flesh using a fork and shred it into "spaghetti". Add it to a large bowl. Place the spaghetti squash shells back on the baking sheet, cut side up.
- Add the chicken, celery, half the green onions, ranch dressing, and Frank's red hot, and toss to combine.
- Fill spaghetti squash shells with combined filling. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar, and bake in oven until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through about 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and blue cheese crumbles before serving, and enjoy!
