Active time: 20 minutes Total time: 45 minutes
Whether you’re gluten-free or just want to eat more vegetables, this is a good choice. Pad Thai is a favorite at Thai restaurants, where it is prepared with rice noodles and generous amounts of oil. In this vegetarian version, spaghetti squash replaces rice noodles and gives the dish a sweet touch, so you don’t need to add sugar.
Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 teaspoons of avocado oil
- 1 pound (450 g) chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots, grated
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup (50 g) green onion, chopped
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup (4 g) cilantro leaves, whole
- 1/4 cup (37 g) unsalted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
To cook the squash: Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and discard. Place the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 20 minutes. Cook the squash until you can separate the strands with a paring knife; do not overcook. Let cool on a rack until you can handle the squash. Scrape the inside of the squash with a fork to separate the strands, then remove the strands from the skin and transfer 4 cups of squash to a bowl. Cancel.
Meanwhile, combine the tamari, lime juice and zest in a cup and set aside.
When the squash is cooked, coat a large sauté pan with avocado oil and place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast, red pepper, carrots, and crushed red pepper and cook until the vegetables soften and the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the egg whites, scramble and cook until set, breaking them up with a spatula as they cook. Then add the green onions, bean sprouts and spaghetti squash and mix.
Add the sauce to the pan, stir to coat everything with sauce, then garnish with cilantro and peanuts and serve.
For: 4 | Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 343; Total fat: 14 g; Saturated fat: 3 g; Monounsaturated fat: 2 g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 86 mg; Sodium: 555 mg; Carbohydrates: 20g; Dietary fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 34g
Originally published January 16, 2020; Updated January 2026
The position Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
