These Chicken Caprese Spaghetti Squash Boats are a low carb dinner idea that's bursting with flavour and topped off with a balsamic glaze!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Spaghetti squash – this recipe is intended for spaghetti squash but if you’d like to create your own spin on this low carb pasta, use zucchini noodles.
- Olive oil – or another neutral oil like sunflower seed oil, grapeseed oil or avocado oil.
- Chicken breast – chicken thighs will work well in this recipe and may offer a juicier cut of meat.
- Cherry tomatoes – grape tomatoes, standard salad tomatoes or plum tomatoes will work. However, plum tomatoes will be drier.
- Bocconcini cheese – fresh mozzarella will work well in place of bocconcini.
- Fresh basil – fresh basil is the best choice for this recipe. In a pinch, use spinach leaves instead.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
Balsamic glaze
- Balsamic vinegar – this is the only way to make a balsamic glaze.
- Brown sugar – if you’re in a pinch, use another sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
How to make spaghetti squash boats
- Microwave then bake the squash.
- Scrape out the flesh.
- Add the chicken to the boats and cook.
- Make the balsamic glaze.
- Bake with the tomatoes and cheese.
- Top with fresh basil, drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve!
Is spaghetti squash healthy?
Yes! Spaghetti squash is a nutritious vegetable that is most commonly known for its spaghetti texture. It’s high in lots of nutrients and is a popular low carb substitute for traditional pasta.
Here are just some of the nutritional benefits of spaghetti squash:
- Low in carbs and calories
- Rich in antioxidants including vitamin C and beta carotene
- Great source of fibre, which helps your digestive health
Frequently Asked Questions
Spaghetti squash has become a popular healthy alternative to regular pasta because of its thin strands that are similar to noodles. Though it looks similar to pasta, it does taste different and has a slightly neutral and sweet flavour. When you combine it with the chicken, tomatoes, bocconcini, basil and balsamic glaze, you’ll hardly notice the difference!
For this recipe, you’ll need to cook the spaghetti squash on it own for about 25 minutes before adding in the toppings and cooking for longer. The total cooking time is about 45 minutes, but trust me, it’s worth it!
Caprese chicken is an Italian chicken dish that consists of chicken topped with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze. This recipe is a low carb spin on the classic made in spaghetti squash boats!
Storing and reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat the spaghetti squash in the oven at 350° Fahrenheit until fully warmed up.
Freezing this recipe
Unfortunately, this dish is not freezer-friendly. That being said, you can definitely freeze the squash on its own – just make sure to scoop out the noodles before freezing. The squash will last in the freezer for up to 6 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight then follow the regular cooking instructions.
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More low carb recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on storing this recipe for later.
Chicken Caprese Spaghetti Squash Boats
Ingredients
- 2 spaghetti squash, cut in half
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, diced
- 1 package Cherry tomatoes
- 1 package Bocconcini cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Balsamic Glaze
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Microwave each spaghetti squash for 2-4 minutes in the microwave to soften them (the amount of time will depend on how large they are and how difficult they are to cut into). Cut spaghetti squash in half then scrape out seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper then bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and scrape out flesh using a fork. It won't be cooked through and it doesn't have to be perfect, even if you just get a little bit up the rest will come up during cook time. Top each spaghetti squash with raw chicken, then place back in the oven another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make balsamic glaze (if not using storebought) by bringing balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes on med-low heat until it reduces and thickens.
- Remove spaghetti squash from oven again, and add cherry tomatoes and bocconcini cheese. Bake another 10 minutes until cherry tomatoes start to burst and cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven, generously top with fresh basil leaves, then drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Jessi Anderson says
My whole family raved about this!!!! Made just as recipe says. We will definitely be making again!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you all enjoyed!
Deborah Parton says
Hi Taylor
Looking forward to trying this with left-over turkey breast, but I think the cook times for the squash need adjusting. What do you suggest? I am a novice cook so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Deborah! You can cook the squash for 40 minutes total. I would still have the leftover turkey go in the oven for at least 5-10 minutes so it’s heated through, so take the squash out after about 30 minutes and then top with your turkey and cook 10 minutes. Sprinkle some water overtop of the turkey so it doesn’t dry out and you’ll be golden!
Courtney says
Not good. Chicken was NOT done Wnd followed this recipe to the T. Had to pick it out and cook it on its own. Recommend cooking chicken before hand.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Courtney – the chicken is cut up into bite-size pieces then cooked in a 425 F oven for 20-22 minutes. This provides more than enough cooking time for the chicken to cook through. Wondering if you ended up using more chicken than the listed amount (perhaps you had very large breasts), or if some other variable such as oven temperature affected your chicken (each model of oven varies).
Janea says
I’m super excited to make these, but I was wondering if you could recommend an alternative to the balsamic glaze on top? The smell of balsamic vinegar puts me off so I don’t eat it at all, but I also don’t want these to be too dry if you still think it should have something drizzled on top. I’m thinking the juice from the tomatoes will make that not a problem, but just thought I’d ask! Thanks.
Taylor Stinson says
You definitely don’t need to add the balsamic glaze don’t worry 🙂 Everything should still tasty good/be juicy enough without it!
Jennifer says
Add other spices! I added a generous amount of whole garlic cloves at the beginning of the recipe with the olive oil. Turned out soooo amazing l!
Annie says
Thank you for this beautiful recipe!
Carol L says
Could you be more specific? 1 “package” is extremely vague: packages are just about any size. Plus, some buy not in packages, but rather by weight. (cheese) Even by individual count. (cherry tomatoes)
Thanks. These do look appetizing. I’m on the keto diet, and I think I could easily adapt this to it.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Carol – the cheese is usually in a 200g package, and the cherry tomatoes I buy by the pint. Hope that helps!