Sometimes the simplest meals are the easiest to forget about. For me, that’s roasted spaghetti squash with some sauce and cheese. I get caught up in testing recipes or trying new ones from cookbooks and magazines. Then I completely forget about some of my simple favorites, like this one.
My husband grows the most beautiful spaghetti squash. I don’t mind buying it, but something about homegrown gets me really excited to eat it. Since I don’t always remember to pick one up from the store, the garden makes it very convenient to have one for an easy dinner. If you aren’t a gardener like my husband, just pick one up, along with some sauce and cheese for a healthy meal. It’s actually quite delicious even plain with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
If we don’t have them growing, and I can remember to buy them from the store, I love to keep a couple in the pantry. They last for a long time and when you need a healthy dinner, it’s a great thing to cook. It takes a while to roast in the oven, but other than that, spaghetti squash is one of the easiest, most minimal ingredient meals. Cut, clean out the seeds, throw a little olive oil and salt on it, then roast. That’s it! How simple is that? With this one, I add some sauce and top with mozzarella then bake for just a few more minutes to make more of a spaghetti dish. It’s so filling and delicious, you won’t miss the pasta.
Ingredients needed for the Thai-Inspired Chicken Salad
- Napa cabbage, shredded. You could also use a full bag of pre shredded cabbage
- Carrots
- Bell pepper – red is the best in this salad
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
- For the Dressing
- Peanut butter
- Rice vinegar
- Tamari
- Garlic
- Honey
- Sesame oil
- Ginger – fresh but dried works in a pinch
- Lime
How to make Chicken Tacos
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Drizzle a little olive oil, salt, and pepper over the inside.
- Place the squash halves cut side down, meaning the ‘meat’ of the squash in face down on a baking sheet.
- Roast then remove. Allow to cool until you can handle the squash. Using a fork, scrape the insides creating ‘spaghetti’
- Add sauce and cheese if you’re adding that, then cook for just a little longer. Until cheese is melted
Why we love this recipe…
- A hearty, filling salad
- Full of tons of fresh vegetables to make you feel good and stay full.
- Protein packed too!
- Easy and makes plenty of leftovers if needed.
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Tips for the Chicken Salad
- You can cut and take out the seeds earlier on, then just bake it when you’re ready. Of bake early too and cut add the sauce and cheese when you are ready to serve
- Cook an extra one for easy meals later in the week.
- If you cook extra, change up the toppings with some meatballs, pesto, or a difference pasta sauce. Even plain is very good!
Ingredients
Method
- Start by finely dicing bell peppers and onion. I find a food processor is an easy and quick way to do this.
- In a large skillet, heat a little oil and saute the onion and peppers for about 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic and seasoing with 1tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook for a minute.
- Add the chicken and break it apart with a spatula. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes. Let the filling cook for about 5 – 10 more minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Prep the toppings and warm the tortillas while the chicken is cooking.
- Assemble tacos and enjoy!
