Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash
Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash brings together tender roasted squash strands with browned chicken sausage, crisp broccoli and bell pepper, and a bold pesto accent lifted by sun-dried tomatoes. It’s hearty yet light, herb-forward, and slightly garlicky with sweet-tart pops from the tomatoes—great for a weeknight dinner when you want comfort without heaviness.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook50 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 51 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 27 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 93 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 38
- Heart Health
- 77
- Metabolic
- 55
- Digestive
- 31
- Inflammatory
- 51
- Performance
- 54
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 2
Sprinkle the squash with Italian seasoning and set it upside down on a rimmed baking tray. Pour in about 1 inch of water.
- 3
Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes; the squash strands should pull away easily when scraped with a fork.
- 4
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook and stir the sausage, uncovered, in the hot pan until mostly browned and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and bell pepper. Reduce the heat to low and add the squash strands. Sprinkle the basil, rosemary, and Italian seasoning on top and drizzle with olive oil. Stir in 2 big spoonfuls of pesto, adding more to taste, then add the sun-dried tomatoes. Let it simmer over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes. Serve.
- Calories 369.86 kcal Moderate 18%
- Protein 20.81 g Good Source 42%
- Carbohydrate 41.38 g 15%
- Total Fat 17.12 g High 22%
- Saturated Fat 3.07 g Moderate 15%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 55.86 mg Moderate 19%
- Sodium 728.41 mg High 32%
- Dietary Fiber 10.07 g Good Source 36%
- Total Sugars 13.71 g --
- Added Sugars 1.25 g Low Source 3%
- Calcium 158.08 mg Moderate 12%
- Iron 3.98 mg Good Source 22%
- Potassium 1314.13 mg Good Source 28%
- Vitamin A 109.89 mcg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin C 105.2 mg Good Source 117%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Tomatoes 🍅
About This Recipe
Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash is an Italian dinner recipe made with 10 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 20 mins, serves 6, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Broccoli, Fresh Basil, Fresh Rosemary, and Green Bell Pepper. Each serving provides about 369.86 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash?
- It is an Italian recipe made with 10 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash made of?
- The main ingredients are Broccoli, Fresh Basil, Fresh Rosemary, Green Bell Pepper, Italian Chicken Sausage. The full list of 10 is above.
- What goes well with Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash?
- Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash?
- About 1 hr 20 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 50 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 369.86 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 10 ingredients and 4 steps.
- Is Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash healthy?
- Italian Chicken Pesto with Spaghetti Squash has an easyChef Pro health score of 52/100. Per serving, it provides 369.86 calories and 20.81 g of protein, or 42% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron, potassium and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 728.41 mg (32% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.07 g (15% of the Daily Value). It contains Tomatoes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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