Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
This blog post has been compensated by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are mine alone. #BordenCheeseLove #CollectiveBias #Ad
Mmmm. Cheese. There aren’t many foods our little family readily agrees on, but cheese is one, so dinners like this cheesy chicken enchilada stuffed spaghetti squash make their way onto our table quite a bit.
Each of us is picky in our own ways. I’m very picky about meat but have never met a fruit or veggie that I don’t get along with well.
My husband, well, he will eat most meats, but he turns his nose up at some of my veggie habits. The man will not touch a mushroom, and he only eats bananas in the form of banana bread.
The Goose. Let’s just say she is the crux of the picky problem. I’m not sure how she survives. It’s gotta be on chocolate milk and bits of kid modeling clay.
I mean the list of food that this kid will eat and not just lick and throw promptly on the floor as she laughs evilly is short and includes cheese, cereal, popcorn, and sometimes black beans and chickpeas.
This makes meals with her… fun. And a little worrisome. I’m the furthest thing from a helicopter mom, but I want to make sure she eats and puts some healthy stuff in there. So I try to find ideas that combine the gooey, melty cheese that she eats.
So teaming up with Borden® Cheese to create this cheesy chicken enchilada stuffed spaghetti squash was perfect. Not only do I love the brand because they make delicious cheese, but for them love is so important. In fact, they believe love is always an ingredient.
And for me, that’s why I cook. I cook because I love my family. I cook because I love to. I cook because it makes me feel connected to my grandmothers who taught me how to cook some of my favorite recipes like my Nana’s vegetable soup.
I know, it sounds cheesy. Pun intended. I won’t apologize for it though for two reasons:
- Cheese NEVER needs to apologize.
- And it’s true. I express my love in the kitchen.
That’s why when my kid would rather feed her dinner to the dog than eat it, it’s a little discouraging. Because I do put so much thought and effort into what I make for us.
However, this was a winner. It may have been the extra cheesiness of the dish with the Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and the Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds. It may have been the bit of zip that the dish has since she has proven time and time again that she is a fan of foods with some spice. It may have been that Goose thought the cow, Elsie, on the packaging was pretty amazing, so she spent the entire time I was cooking the meal saying, “Mooo. Mama, cow says Moooooo!”
She did that in the grocery store too. It was pretty funny when we went to Weis to buy the cheese. She made quite a few friends as she told them all that the cow says moo. Oh, to be 2 again and not shy. By the way, while I found my Borden® Cheese at Weis Markets, you can check here to see where it’s available by you.
Ingredients
For the squash
- 2 spaghetti squashes
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the enchilada stuffing
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 1 15 ounce can of black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups of frozen corn
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded and with skin and bones removed
- 24 ounces of tomato puree
- Up to 1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- ½ cup each of Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and the Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3 tbs of chili powder*
- 1 jalapeno diced**
- 1 ½ tbs cumin
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
For topping
- 1 cup each of Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and the Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds
- Fresh cilantro if desired
- Lime if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Slice spaghetti squashes in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
- While the squash is baking, heat a pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When the pot is warm, add in the peppers and garlic and cook until soft - about 5 minutes. Stir regularly.
- Add the shredded chicken, tomato puree, corn, black beans, and lime juice. Season with chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Let cook until warmed through. If needed, add in chicken or vegetable stock to thin the mixture slightly.
- Remove from heat. Let cool slightly. While the stuffing is cooling, run a fork through the spaghetti squash to make “noodles.” Clean out the squash noodles and put the noodles into a large bowl. Pour on the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir in cheese.
- Stuff the mixture back into the extra spaghetti squash shells. Top the remaining the squash halves with 1 cup each of Borden® Cheese Sharp Cheddar Shreds and the Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds. Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve hot. Top with fresh cilantro and more lime if desired.
Notes
**Jalapeno optional.
I can’t wait to try this! Always trying to incorporate more veggies!
I would never think to stuff spaghetti squash with any protein, let alone an enchilada. But i like it!
That sounds delicious. I love spaghetti squash but the rest of my family is meh on it. I love the idea of putting a chicken enchilada inside! #client
Yum! That looks amazing! I have to try this!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Ok now my family never liked spaghetti squash but I bet most of them might try it is I made it this way.
This is great for me. I want to add more veggies and less potatoes. This could actually hit the spot. Who doesn’t love chessy goodness. I would eat it striaght out of the squash with tortilla chips lol.
Oh, wow! These look like Heaven in my mouth! haha So yummy!
This looks so very delicious. It has been so cold this season and this would be the perfect warm your insides kind of dinner. Thanks.
This is a great way to get extra veggies in while still enjoying Mexican food. Awesome idea!
Can’t wait to try this!
This looks so good! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Wow, does this ever look good! I reallylike spaghetti squash but would never think to fill it like an enchilada.
Wow, does this ever look good! I reallylike spaghetti squash but would never think to fill it like an enchilada.
This recipe combines two of my favorite things- spaghetti squash and enchiladas! Must make this week! Thank you
I have a spaghetti squash that I have been trying to figuring out what to do with it that isn’t traditional! This is such a great idea!
I have been wanting to try spaghetti squash and this looks like the best way to try it! Thanks for sharing!
This is such a great idea for spaghetti squash. I will definitely give it a try.
Don’t worry about Goose. If you keep putting things in front of her, eventually, she will widen her food repertoire. I laughed when I read her nickname. I called my daughter Goose when she was little, too.
This looks amazing! I’ve never heard of spaghetti squash but now I want to try it!
http://www.mysweetgenevieve.com
This looks fantastic and like a recipe I can handle!
Yummy recipe. Pinning for later.
This recipe looks absolutely delicious! I pinned it and will definitely be cooking this up.
What a unique delicious recipe! Pinning for later!
I love spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta and anything cheesy enchilada is a win in my book !
I am a huge mushroom lover and thought my husband was too. FINALLY, after 15 years of marriage he tells me “I don’t really like mushrooms” lol Yes, we all have those picky eaters. THIS, however, sounds absolutely fabulous!
I have absolutely never heard of this recipe – sounds delicious! Definitely want to try it!
Wow, this dish looks amazingly good! I was pleasantly surprised to read the directions and see that it’s pretty easy to make too. Thanks for sharing, I will definitely be making this very soon!
Looks very yummy! Squash is a great veggie, too 🙂
Sayyyy whaaaaat?! I NEVER would have thought to do this but it looks and sounds AAAAA-MAZING!
This is such a creative dish! Perfect for when you want enchiladas but want to cut down on carbs.
So many ways to use spaghetti squash! I love the idea for an enchilada theme!
Omg using spaghetti squash for this is so cool!
These look so good! Need to try them soon!!
Okay…. if your baby eats this…….. I have GOT to try it for my two!! They are super picky… I’m with you… don’t know how they are surviving ha
I love Spaghetti squash, and although the rest of my family is less than enthusiastic about it, I think they might go for this recipe. It looks super yummy! P. S. – I love how your little girl was totally obsessed with the cow on the packaging. Isn’t it funny how little kids latch on to things like that?
I’m not too much a fan of squash, but I would for certain eat this!
YUM! I am always looking for ways to make spaghetti squash into a meal
OMG my mouth is watering! This looks SO good and I love spaghetti squash! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely have to make this!
This looks and sounds awesome! My hubs loves anything with enchilada in the name, so we will definitely have to try this one out!
This sounds and looks amazing!!
What a unique recipe! Sounds super yummy too!