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}
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:
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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:
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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.
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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.
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Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the oregano and basil all over.
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Heat oil or ghee over medium-high heat and add chicken to pan.
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Cook 5-6 minutes on each side, lowering the heat to medium to avoid burning the outside, if necessary.
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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.
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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
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
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Any substitute recs for cashews? We have a tree nut allergy in our house.
Fantastic recipe! Tastes like authentic alfredo.
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.
Really good taste and easy to make. My 5 year old helped. I used roasted chicken from the store as a shortcut.
Great sauce. Used it for sweet potato and lentil noodles instead of spaghetti squash and it was super smooth and delicious. Thank you
Also, forgot to add that I toasted the garlic on high heat on a frying pan before adding in to the blender. 👌🏼
Can I substitute almonds for the cashews as we have a cashew allergy?
So delicious! Her recipes never disappointment. I only made the Alfredo sauce and used GF pasta with grilled salmon. My dairy-gluten eating husband even loved the sauce!
New favorite alfredo recipe!! So good and easy!!
Loved this recipe so delicious 🤤
Only problem was my ninja didn’t get the sauce as smooth as it shows in the picture but I still enjoyed the flavor.
This was not your typical Alfredo. Granted I had to use cashew butter which made it much thicker than it may have been, but nothing a little water couldnt fix. I have to say ive never eaten anything so delicious with spaghetti squash. I threw blackened chicken on top and dairy free parm and I am blown away. This kinda reminded me of a Thai style in a way, you can def taste the nuttiness of this! So good thank you!