Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein

Ordinarily, I love me an entrée salad for dinner. Protein, lots of veggies, some crunch factor, and a tasty dressing. But salads don't have quite the same curb appeal in Winter months. I mean, who wants to come home to a cold bowl of vegetables? Not I!

In an effort to reduce the carbs and watch my waistline, particularly after the holiday season, I like to create recipes with plenty of protein and veggies served hot. Spaghetti Squash is a fabulous ingredient for these sorts of recipe creations! Being that they're already pretty noodle like, I figured I'd riff on a classic Chinese stir fry. And thus, Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein was born.

My husband and I waffled back and forth on whether this recipe should be branded as Lo Mein or Chow Mein. "Mein" refers to noodle. Where as "Lo" and "Chow" refer to the noodle cooking technique. Evidently a "Lo" noodle is tossed where as a "Chow" noodle is fried. Whatever you call it, this Spaghetti Squash noodle dish is delicious!

Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein

Ingredients

For the chow mein sauce

· ½ cup oyster sauce

· 2 tsp sesame oil

· 2 tbsp soy sauce

· 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

· ½ cup chicken stock

· 2 tsp cornstarch

For the stir fry

· 2 medium spaghetti squashes, halved and seeded

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· ½ tsp salt

· 2 tbsp vegetable oil

· 4 garlic cloves, minced

· 2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thin

· 2 cups shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)

· 6 scallions, sliced into 2in pieces

Preheat oven to 425F.

For the sauce…combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly.

For the stir fry…Place the spaghetti squash boats cut-side up on greased baking sheets. Drizzle the squash with olive oil. Season with salt. Roast for about about 60 minutes or until the squash easily flakes away from the rind with a fork. Remove the spaghetti squash from each rind. Discard the rinds and set the spaghetti squash aside.

Add the vegetable oil to the bottom of a large skillet or wok. Over high heat, sautee the garlic for 20 seconds until fragrant then immediately add the diced chicken before the garlic burns. Continue to stir until the chicken is cooked through – about 3-5 minutes. Add the sauce, and continue to stir until thick. Add the cabbage coleslaw mix. Once wilted, add the spaghetti squash and scallions to the pan. Toss to combine with the sauce and chicken.

Serves 4

Gluten Free Friendly! Check to ensure your Oyster Sauce and Soy Sauce bottles are free from wheat. I order Wok Mei GF Oyster Sauce via Amazon.