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2.03.20

Paleo Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash {Whole30}

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Whole 30 Egg Free No Added Sugar

This creamy paleo chicken Alfredo is packed with flavor, quick to throw together and great for weeknights!  Tossed with perfectly “al dente” spaghetti squash, this meal is gluten free, dairy-free, low carb and Whole30 compliant.  

Is there anything better than a creamy “cheesy” (but no cheese!) sauce?!  I’ve come to love making cheesy dairy free sauces with cashews.

Trust me – it took awhile for me to warm up to the idea of cashews creating deliciously creamy sauces – but hey – it works!

Whether it’s for my chicken burrito casserole, roasted garlic chicken pizza, or bacon cheeseburger casserole, there’s really no better way to create a paleo and Whole30 friendly sauce that tastes shockingly like it’s loaded with dairy.

Enter today’s Paleo spaghetti squash chicken Alfredo!  It’s simple and quick with just the touch of a button on your blender.  The chicken is juicy and flavorful and the spaghetti squash is cooked just right (not mushy!)

What You Need to Make Paleo Chicken Alfredo

The Alfredo sauce is cashew based sauce that’s super creamy and perfect tossed with spaghetti squash.  I used unflavored, unsweetened almond milk for this recipe because I thought coconut milk would overpower the flavor a bit.  You can use whichever one you prefer or have on hand.  Here’s what you’ll need for the recipe:

  • Raw cashews
  • almond milk or coconut milk, unsweetened
  • garlic
  • lemon juice 
  • nutritional yeast
  • 1 med/large spaghetti squash 
  • Avocado oil or avocado oil spray 
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • dried oregano 
  • dried basil 
  • Fresh Basil or parsley for garnish 

How to Make Paleo and Whole30 Chicken Alfredo

Make the Cashew Alfredo Sauce first.  In a high-speed blender (I used a VItamix), combine all ingredients. Blend until completely smooth.  Sauce should be warm by the end of blending, if not, transfer it to a saucepan to heat before serving.

For the Spaghetti Squash and Chicken, roast your squash first.  See tips below (and the recipe box!) for the best way to do this.

Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the oregano and basil all over.   Heat oil or ghee over medium-high heat and add chicken to the skillet.  Cook 5-6 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium to avoid burning the outside, if necessary.  

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from pan to a cutting board and let it sit a few minutes.  Slice it into strips or bite size pieces using a sharp knife. 

Use a fork to scrape the “spaghetti” strands from the squash and place in a serving bowl.  Top with the Alfredo sauce and chicken, then garnish with basil and/or parsley as desired.  

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash for Paleo Chicken Alfredo

I prefer my squash “al dente” which means that overcooking it is just about the worst thing ever!  Therefore, I like to undercook it just a touch since it tends to continue to soften after coming out of the oven.

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.   Cut the squash in half lengthwise (it roasts faster!) and scoop out the seeds and strings. Spray the inside of the squash with avocado oil spray or brush with oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.

Place squash face down on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, depending on size and preference for softness.  You can press down gently on the back of the squash to see if it’s tender.  Once it’s just a little bit tender, remove it from the oven and wait until it’s cool enough to handle before proceeding.

I hope you’re ready for a delicious way to enjoy spaghetti squash – with the most delicious creamy Alfredo sauce that just happens not to contain any dairy.  You’ll love it, I’m sure – grab everything you need and let’s go!

Paleo Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash {Whole30}

Paleo Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash {Whole30}

This creamy paleo chicken Alfredo is packed with flavor, quick to throw together and great for weeknights! Tossed with perfectly “al dente” spaghetti squash, this meal is gluten free, dairy-free, low carb and Whole30 compliant.
Author: Michele Rosen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: low carb, Paleo, Whole30
Keyword: chicken, low carb, paleo, spaghetti squash, whole30
Servings: 6 servings
Print this Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review
4.47 from 107 votes

Ingredients

Cashew Alfredo sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups cashews no need to soak
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp Dried basil optional

Spaghetti Squash and chicken:

  • 1 med/large spaghetti squash
  • Avocado oil or avocado oil spray
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil or ghee
  • Fresh Basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cashew Alfredo Sauce:

  1. In a high-speed blender (I used a VItamix), combine all ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Sauce should be warm by the end of blending, if not, transfer it to a saucepan to heat before serving.

Spaghetti Squash and Chicken:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Spray the inside of the squash with avocado oil spray or brush with oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.
  2. Place squash face down on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, depending on size and preference for softness. I prefer my squash al dente and roast for about 22 minutes. You can press down gently on the back of the squash to see if it’s tender.
  3. Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the oregano and basil all over.
  4. Heat oil or ghee over medium-high heat and add chicken to pan.
  5. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium to avoid burning the outside, if necessary.
  6. Once chicken is cooked through, remove from pan to a cutting board and let it sit a few minutes. Slice it into strips or bite size pieces using a sharp knife.
  7. Use a fork to scrape the “spaghetti” strands from the squash and place in a serving bowl. Top with the Alfredo sauce and chicken, then garnish with basil and/or parsley as desired. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal
Carbohydrates: 13g
Protein: 30g
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 108mg
Sodium: 644mg
Potassium: 579mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Vitamin A: 27IU
Vitamin C: 4mg
Calcium: 80mg
Iron: 4mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PaleoRunningMomma on Instagram and hashtag it #PaleoRunningMomma

Shop Products and Ingredients:

 

Want More Paleo and Whole30 Dinner Recipes?  Try One of These!

Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash 

Chicken Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Boats 

Lemon Chicken Piccata 

Chicken Burrito Casserole

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Chicken Marsala with Bacon 

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Paleo Running Momma! 

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About Michele

More than a little into running and paleo recipes (yoga now too!) but I'm not here to rain on your grains (or anything else) so come along for the ride! I do a little too much of everything (except cleaning), and I enjoy laughing at myself. As long as I'm the one making the jokes, that is. Just kidding. So bring me your angst, your appetite and your frying pan and climb aboard!

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. Warda says

    February 4, 2020 at 3:39 am

    What can I use instead of spaghetti squash? We don’t have that here. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Erica says

    February 4, 2020 at 7:35 pm

    I made this tonight and it was delicious!!I had planned on making the Instant Pot chili, but had an evening that was surprisingly quiet for kids’ activities and had some extra time for dinner. I am still getting the hang of cooking spaghetti squash (I always second guess myself and end up overcooking), but it was still good.

    Reply
  3. Fern Vigh says

    February 4, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    I made this sauce tonight, for my husband and myself. I put it on gluten-free pasta and sliced chicken breast. He loved it, as did I. It is important to me that my husband likes what I serve and he thought this was better than the dairy choice. It’s a win. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  4. fireboy and watergirl says

    February 6, 2020 at 10:12 am

    5 stars
    What can I use instead of spaghetti squash? We don’t have that here. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Chantelle Weiss says

    February 7, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was absolutely amazing! It was so easy to make and the flavor was delicious. I did dice the chicken ahead of time and cooked it like that and added some broccoli while cooking the chicken to add some greens. This is a new family favorite, thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Sally says

    February 10, 2020 at 12:45 pm

    This was delicious. I had to change up a little as I did not have nutritional yeast and am allergic to chicken. So had turkey thigh meat one time and the next time I used ground turkey cooked with onions and garlic. This sauce is good on veggies as well. Can’t wait to try with yeast when I can get it.

    Reply
  7. Chelsea says

    February 10, 2020 at 2:13 pm

    Is there anything I can substitute Cashews with? I unfortunately have an allergy 🙁

    Reply
  8. Kristen Durant says

    February 14, 2020 at 1:28 am

    5 stars
    This dish was amazing! It tastes just like normal Alfredo, whole family loved it!

    Reply
  9. Amy S. says

    February 17, 2020 at 10:56 am

    I’ve never had the nerve to try spaghetti squash… Maybe it’s because I love pasta so much?

    Reply
  10. Kelley says

    February 27, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    5 stars
    Can you freeze the sauce and save it?

    Reply
  11. Lesley says

    April 14, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    Are almond milk and coconut milk the only milks recommended due to the consistency of the sauce they would create? I have original, unsweetened Ripple milk on hand. Do you think that would create the desired consistency of sauce as well?

    Reply
  12. mapquest directions says

    May 25, 2020 at 6:04 am

    This is a great meal that takes very little time to prepare. The food is very delicious and rich in nutrients.

    Reply
  13. Mary McKinney says

    June 20, 2020 at 5:33 pm

    5 stars
    We had this for dinner, it’s so good!

    Reply
  14. Breann Smith says

    July 8, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    5 stars
    This was really good! I was nervous about the cashews actually making a sauce but OMG it was delicious! My whole family enjoyed it including my 6 year old. Thank you for a delicious recipe

    Reply
  15. Lilane says

    August 12, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    So delicious and the whole family loved it! The kids even had seconds too!!

    Reply
  16. Jean says

    September 29, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    I did make this which was super good!! Only thing is I thought the sauce was too thick. Is that from the nutritional yeast? Also are you able to use coconut milk instead of almond milk?

    Reply
  17. Amanda says

    October 25, 2020 at 8:00 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe

    Reply
  18. McKenna U says

    January 4, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    5 stars
    I cannot get enough of this dish. I have made it for regular noodles and spaghetti squash it is perfect with both. I always add a little more garlic to every recipe, but other than that, its perfect. I have made it 3 more times since first discovering it. I honestly think I might like it more than regular alfredo sauce!

    Reply
  19. Nina M says

    January 12, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good!! Needed some great comfort food tonight and this hit the spot. Saving this recipe!

    Reply
  20. Angela says

    January 28, 2021 at 2:25 pm

    I want to try this but I am concerned my Ninja won’t make the cashews smooth. Any tips? I recall having issues making a soup with cashews, but I think that was using an immersion blender.

    Reply
  21. Amy says

    January 28, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    Any substitute recs for cashews? We have a tree nut allergy in our house.

    Reply
  22. Vance Elliot Voetberg says

    January 30, 2021 at 12:28 am

    Fantastic recipe! Tastes like authentic alfredo.

    Reply
  23. Yvonne says

    February 11, 2021 at 2:59 pm

    2 stars
    This does not taste like any decent Alfredo sauce available. I used store bought almond milk and the “Alfredo” is MUCH thicker than shown in the photo and had to be diluted further. The raw garlic is way too potent and the sauce just tastes like a tangy lemon and garlic sauce. I don’t understand how this recipe could receive such high reviews.

    Reply
  24. Dana L Archer says

    February 22, 2021 at 10:54 pm

    5 stars
    Really good taste and easy to make. My 5 year old helped. I used roasted chicken from the store as a shortcut.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Whole 30 week 2 menu | Myriah Cole, Health and Wellness Enthusiast says:
    June 27, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    […] Chicken alfredo! Suggest 6 […]

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi! I’m so happy you stopped by! My name is Michele and I’m a Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, mom of 3, and the gal behind Paleo Running Momma! Over here you’ll find real-food, clean eating family favorites that you’ll be excited to share with your loved ones. I hope you stay awhile, eat, savor, and enjoy!

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