Friday: Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms and Spinach

Since I landed such a good deal on spaghetti squash last week, I need to get creative with it.  This dish sounds amazing!  All my faves.  And it would be very easy to convert to vegetarian by simply omitting the chicken.  I may serve with some bread or a small salad.  **note:  even if you're not a fan of squash, you should really give this particular squash a chance.  It does not have a strong flavor to it and basically picks up the flavors of the dish itself.  Be daring!**


You can also save time by cooking the squash in the microwave. 

• YIELD: 6 Servings
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 1 (3.5-pound) spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Poblano pepper
• 8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup cup julienne sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
• 1 1/4 cup cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 6 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Preparation

• 1. Preheat broiler.
• Cut poblano in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 5 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and chop.
• 3. Reduce oven temperature to 400 °.
• 4. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash halves cut side down in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add water to measure 1/2-inch deep. Bake at 400 ° for 45 minutes. Turn squash over; bake an additional 15 minutes or until tender; cool. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove strands to measure 6 cups. Keep warm.
• 5. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Cool and crumble. Increase heat to medium-high; sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to drippings in pan and cook 4 minutes; remove from pan.
• 6. Heat remaining 11/2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan and cook 3 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, reserved bacon, Poblano, garlic and Italian seasoning to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook 4 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add wine to pan and cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add reserved chicken, chicken broth, tomatoes, and spinach to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Place about 1 cup squash on each of 6 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup chicken mixture and 2 teaspoons remaining cheese.

Cooking Light 
MARCH 2009