Chicken meatballs on spaghetti squash with tomato-basil sauce

Back to recipes

Chicken meatballs on spaghetti squash with tomato-basil sauce

Here is a very healthy main dish, Julie prepares light and fluffy chicken meatballs made with bulgur, which she finishes cooking in a garlic-tomato- fresh basil sauce, served on a bed of spaghetti squash. This simple recipe is nutritional and tasty.

Chicken meatballs on spaghetti squash with tomato-basil sauce

By Julie Meat + Poultry Print
Details
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1h15
Servings or yield: For 6 people
Difficulty level: Easy
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash cut in half lengthwise and seeded
For meatballs
1 lb. (500 g) shredded chicken
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) de bulgur
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 egg
1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh oregano
1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
For sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes (19 oz. / 540 ml)
4-5 fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

To cook spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 425 ˚F. Cut the squash in 2 halves, scrape out seeds and fibres out of each half. Spray oil over the cut sides of the squash, place squash on the baking sheet cut side down and bake in oven about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven when it's cooked through and soft, and let it cool.

Flip squash so that cut side faces up – that will speed up the cooling. After squash cools, scrape with a fork to remove flesh in long strands, transfer in a dish and keep ward.

For meatballs, preheat oven to 400˚F. In a microwave bowl, mix water and bulgur and cook in on maximum 1 minute (do not drain). Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add egg, basil, oregano, shredded chicken, bulgur, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Shape mixture into 24 balls and place on a paper-parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, in a large saucepan, add a drizzle of olive oil (about 3 tbsp.) with 2 crushed garlic cloves. Roast over medium heat until garlic is golden brown. Separate tomatoes steamed from its juice, drain and add to pan and let reduce over medium heat 7 to 9 minutes. Add the basil leaves and keep coking over medium-low.

After 15 minutes, remove meatballs from oven and gently add them to the pan with the sauce. Coat the meatballs with sauce, cover and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.

Warm squash spaghetti in the microwave if necessary and divide among 6 service bowls. Add 4 meatballs per plates with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and serve immediately.

Tips, Tricks + Culinary ideas

Substitute Replace chicken with turkey.
Suggestion Serve meatballs on a spaghetti.
Idea Make smaller meatballs and serve as finger food.

Preparation steps

étapes de préparation

1 - To cook spaghetti squash, preheat oven to 425 ˚F. Cut the squash in 2 halves, scrape out seeds and fibres out of each half.

étapes de préparation

2 - Spray oil over the cut sides of the squash, place the squash on the baking sheet cut side down. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

étapes de préparation

3 - Remove from the oven when it's cooked through and soft, and let it cool. Flip the squash so that cut side faces up – that will speed up the cooling.

étapes de préparation

4 - After squash cools, scrape with a fork to remove flesh in long strands, transfer in a dish and keep ward.

étapes de préparation

5 - For the meatballs, preheat oven to 400˚F. In a microwave bowl, mix water and bulgur. Cook in microwave oven on maximum 1 minute (do not drain). Set aside to cool slightly.

étapes de préparation

6 - In a large bowl, add egg, basil, oregano, shredded chicken, bulgur, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

étapes de préparation

7 - Mix well.

étapes de préparation

8 - Shape mixture into 24 balls and place on a paper-parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven 15 minutes.

étapes de préparation

9 - Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, add a drizzle of olive oil (about 3 tbsp.) with 2 crushed garlic cloves. Roast over medium heat until garlic is golden brown.

étapes de préparation

10 - Separate tomatoes steamed from its juice, drain and add to pan and let reduce over medium heat 7 to 9 minutes.

étapes de préparation

11 - Add the basil leaves and keep coking over medium-low.

étapes de préparation

12 - After 15 minutes, remove meatballs from oven and gently add them to the pan with the sauce.

étapes de préparation

13 - Coat the meatballs with sauce, cover and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-low heat.

étapes de préparation

14 - Warm squash spaghetti in the microwave if necessary and divide among 6 service bowls. Add 4 meatballs per plates with the tomato sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and serve immediately.

Meat + Poultry