Baked Feta Pesto Squash Casserole
This casserole recipe is my macro-friendly take on the delicious dish. Filled with warm flavors from additions like basil, pesto, and chicken for protein, it will completely satisfy your comfort food cravings!
Ingredients:
-1,200g roasted spaghetti squash (about 2 smaller squashes roasted)
-8.5 oz cooked, shredded chicken breasts (can use lb to increase protein in this dish) or can use ground turkey/chicken of choice
-150g diced sweet yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
-2 cups grape tomatoes
-1 Knorr pesto seasoning packet
-90g (about 2/3 cup) fat free mozzarella
-3oz light feta cheese from Trader Joe’s
-3oz fat free feta (can do 6 oz of one)
-1 tsp minced garlic/ garlic powder, italian seasoning, sea salt
-1/2 packed fresh basil
-optional red pepper flakes to make it a bit spicier
Instructions:
-Preheat your oven to 400°F.
-Cut your spaghetti squash in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds from the center. Spray the squash with olive oil cooking spray. Then, sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt and place face down on a baking sheet covered in tinfoil.
-Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the squash can be shredded with a fork.
-While the squash is baking, grease a casserole dish. Then, place the block of feta cheese, fresh herbs, sliced cherry tomatoes, and diced onion in the dish.
-Place casserole dish in the oven on the same rack as the squash and bake for 30 minutes.
-Next, let's start preparing the shredded chicken… I put mine in the instant pot on poultry mode for 18 minutes with 1 cup chicken broth to cover/steam breasts. IF using ground meat like chicken or turkey—— Heat a skillet to medium-heat and spray with cooking oil. Then, add the ground meat, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the meat is done.
-Grab a small sauce pot. Add the Knorr Pesto Seasoning packet and cook according to instructions on the bag. NOTE: If you want to make this more macro-friendly, spray cooking spray into the pesto instead of using olive oil. You’ll have to spray a decent amount, but I’ve done it before and it works.
-Once the spaghetti squash, feta, and vegetables are done baking, remove from the oven. Shred the spaghetti squash
-Then, stir in the cooked chicken after shredding it or the ground turkey/chicken. Add the pesto sauce and keep stirring.
-Top the casserole with mozzarella cheese. Broil at 500°F for 3-5 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble/brown.
-Serve hot or put into meal prep containers for the week!
This makes 5 servings, one is: 243 calories (4f/24c/27p) 437grams
Search in MFP: “Lifting Lex’s Pesto Squash Casserole” to log it!