Ingredients
For the casserole:
- 2 spaghetti squash medium, halved with the seeds scraped out (about 2 1/2 pounds each)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt
- 1 pound raw chicken breast cut into chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup gluten- and dairy-free crackers crushed (I used Lance Gluten-Free Original)
- Fresh parsley minced (for garnish)
For the homemade condensed soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery thinly sliced
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon full-fat coconut milk divided
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk divided
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
Instructions
Prepare the Spaghetti Squash and Chicken:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper.
- Rub the oil on the insides of the spaghetti squash halves and sprinkle with salt. Roast, cut-side down, until fork-tender, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink inside, about 12-16 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Making the Homemade Condensed Soup:
- In a large, deep frying pan, heat up the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add in the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of each milk (reserving the rest for later) along with salt, garlic and onion powder, parsley, and pepper. Stir until well mixed, and bring to a boil.
- While you wait for it to boil, whisk the tapioca starch and the remaining 1 tablespoon of each milk together in a small bowl until smooth and lump-free.
- One boiling, pour the tapioca starch mixture in (while constantly whisking so it doesn't clump up!) and boil for 3-4 minutes, whisking continuously, until it really begins to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking frequently, until very thick (just a little thinner than condensed soup), about 10-12 minutes.
Assembling the Casserole:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Scrape the spaghetti squash into a large kitchen towel. You should have about 8 packed cups. Wrap the squash in the towel and wring out as much moisture as possible, then place it into a large bowl.
- Shred the chicken (you should have about 2 very packed cups) and add it into the bowl along with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt.
- Pour in the homemade condensed soup and mix everything together until well combined. (Using your hands can make this easier, even though it’s a bit messy!)
Baking the Casserole :
- Press the mixture firmly into a large baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed crackers on top, pressing them lightly into the surface of the casserole.
- Bake until the casserole is bubbly, about 45 minutes.
- Let stand for 10-15 minutes to cool, then garnish with parsley and devour!
