Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash – guaranteed to be your newest buffalo chicken obsession, these addicting little buffalo chicken spaghetti squash bowls are filled with juicy shredded chicken, melted cheese, onions, and buffalo sauce.
Ingredients in this Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe
- spaghetti squash
- olive oil
- chicken
- red onion
- green onion
- green bell pepper
- cheddar cheese
- jalapeño jack cheese
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- butter
- Greek yogurt
- mozzarella cheese
- chives
Before you jump to the instructions and think, yeh, right. I’m outta here! Let me just say that the instructions look much worse than they actually are. That’s because whenever there’s a recipe where squash is involved, a lot of words will ultimately follow. So, I encourage you to read the post and the instructions because this Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe is a million times worth it.
Promise.
To help make this spaghetti squash recipe a little easier I’m going to break down the cooking steps.
- Cook the spaghetti squash.
- Cook the chicken breasts OR use leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Mix together the healthier semi-homemade buffalo sauce.
- Chop the vegetables and shred the cheese. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Assemble and bake.
How to cook spaghetti squash
step one. Cook the spaghetti squash.
Depending on your schedule, you can do this step ahead of time. Cooking time varies but usually ends up being around 45 minutes. Often I will cook the spaghetti squash and the chicken the night before and finish the remaining steps the following night.
There are many different ways to cook spaghetti squash. However, in order to make the spaghetti squash bowls shown in these images, you will have to cook your spaghetti squash this way.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a large, sturdy knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from the middle of the squash.
- Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Place each half cut-side-down and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes to one hour. Remove from the oven and use a fork to scrape out the stringy “spaghetti” flesh.
Learn all about how to cook spaghetti squash in this post and for more spaghetti squash recipes check out,
- BBQ Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Kale
- Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach and Goat Cheese
- Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
step two. Cook the chicken.
As soon as the spaghetti squash is in the oven baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the chicken breasts. Allow the water to return to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. I have found that this is the easiest way to cook chicken that will be shredded after it is cooked. You can walk away and 30 minutes later you’ll have perfectly cooked juicy chicken.
Alternatively, these cheesy buffalo chicken spaghetti squash bowls would also be amazing with pre-cooked or leftover rotisserie chicken. Costco, anyone? Canned chicken would also be great if you forgot to add chicken to the list, it’s 7 pm, and hungry people are depending on you to get them fed.
Whatever works, my friends.
How to make Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash vegetarian
Although chicken is not a mandatory, must-have, ingredient in this spaghetti squash recipe, it’s very important for one major reason- texture. Shredded chicken prevents these stuffed squash boats from becoming a mushy cheesy mess (although still totally delicious).
If chicken isn’t your thing, however, there are ways to add some non-meat textures back into the recipe.
- Tempeh. Who’s tried tempeh? Personally, it’s one of my favorite meat alternatives that isn’t tofu and crumbled up, I think it would add great texture and flavor to these Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Bowls.
- Veggies. More crunchy veggies is a great way to not only eat more vegetables but also play with the texture. Celery, corn, and extra bell pepper would be my top picks.
- Lentils cooked al dente. The same would apply to beans. Of course, overcook either of these and then you’ll really have a hot mess of (delicious) mush on your hands.
step three and step four.
By this point, the chicken is taking a nice boiling bath and the spaghetti squash is cooking into delicious tender noodles. Now is the perfect time to chop, shred, and mix all those other ingredients responsible for making this Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe so addicting.
The Buffalo Sauce
You have many different options when it comes to buffalo sauce, and if this is your first time making a buffalo recipe, this can be very confusing. I know I was! So today, I am going to tell you exactly what I used for this recipe. It may look familiar if you’ve tried my Buffalo Turkey Meatballs, as it is the same sauce.
You’ll need-
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- Butter
- Plain Greek yogurt
The addition of the Greek yogurt mellows out the heat (great for anyone who is sensitive to spicy foods) and adds an extra layer of creaminess without adding actual cream. The Greek yogurt also cuts the butter in half, helping to cut calories and fat without compromising flavor.
Once the buffalo sauce is made, transfer the chopped veggies and cheese to an extra large mixing bowl.
Step five. Assemble
With everything prepared- the buffalo sauce, the chicken, and the spaghetti squash, it’s time to assemble these bad boys into knock-your-socks-off Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Bowls.
Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven and allow them to cool. Then, use a fork to carefully scrape the spaghetti squash from their bowls- do not puncture the skin, it will be delicate. Transfer all those beautiful noodles to the same bowl as the cheese and onion. Shred the chicken and add that, too.
Remember, BIG MIXING BOWL.
Add the buffalo sauce and mix everything together. Divide the mixture between the squash bowls and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake and BOOM!
I will warn you- these go fast and leftovers do not last long. If you do plan to make these with any hope of having leftovers for yourself, make extra.
More buffalo chicken recipes,
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bowls
- Buffalo Turkey Meatballs with Easy Meal Prep Bowls (reader fav!)
- Buffalo Chicken and Cauliflower Taquitos
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Easy Buffalo Cauliflower
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (the BEST!)
- Easy Baked Buffalo Chicken Recipe
If you try this cheesy buffalo chicken spaghetti squash recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
RECIPE CARD
Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 spaghetti squash - medium
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts - (approximately 1 pound)
- 1 small red onion - diced
- ½ cup green onion - chopped
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- ½ cup cheddar cheese - shredded
- ½ cup jalapeño jack cheese - shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter - melted
- ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup mozarella cheese - shredded
- 3 tablespoon chives - chopped
- Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- First, prepare the spaghetti squash. Slice each spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat the cut-side of the of the spaghetti squash with olive oil. Place the squash face side down on the lined baking sheet. Roast the squash for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until fork tender and easily pierced with a forked.
- As the squash is roasting, prepare the chicken. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the chicken breasts and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Allow chicken to cook in the pot for 30-40 minutes, or until no longer pink in the middle and cooked through. Remove chicken to a place to cool and shred with a fork.
- Transfer chicken to a medium bowl. Combine with the diced red onion, green bell pepper, sharp cheddar and jack cheese, salt and pepper, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, the melted butter, and Greek yogurt. Mix well.
- Once the squash has cooled, use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash from their bowls, taking care not to puncture the skin. Save the spaghetti squash bowls as they will be reused.
- Transfer spaghetti squash to the bowl with the cheese and buffalo shredded chicken. Gently mix to combine.
- Evenly divide spaghetti squash and chicken mixture between the spaghetti squash bowls. Top with mozzarella cheese (or cheese of choice) and place face up on the prepared baking sheet. Cover the baking dish and squash with foil, creating a tent to prevent the foil from touching the cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove the foil tent and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- 9. Garnish with fresh chopped chives and serve with additional buffalo sauce, Ranch dressing, or Blue Cheese dressing, if desired. Enjoy!
Jessica's Notes
- for easy meal prep- prepare the spaghetti squash and chicken ahead of time. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
This is so good but pretty HOT!! Does spaghetti squash really have zero fiber?
Thanks for pointing that out Linda. It was not calculated correctly, as I accidentally put the # unit as “medium”, rather than as a note, so the butternut squash was not calculated. I just fixed it and recalculated it 🙂
This was delicious and comforting on a rainy day! I subbed a few things based on why I had in the fridge- I used broccoli instead of a pepper and cream cheese instead of yogurt. I also threw in a grated carrot and blue cheese crumbles. Really good and very filling. Thanks for a great recipe!