Buffalo chicken stuffed spaghetti squash packs creamy, spicy shredded chicken into roasted squash halves — 33.6g protein and 19.7g net carbs. One baking sheet is all I wash when dinner's done.
Buffalo chicken stuffed spaghetti squash started as a fall experiment. I already had a stuffed avocado version for quick lunches, but I wanted something warmer that could stand alone as dinner. Once I roasted the squash and scraped those strands out with a fork, the whole idea clicked. The strands pick up sauce the way noodles do, but a whole half has about 7 grams of net carbs. Regular pasta runs around 40 grams per cup, so the math sold me before the flavor did.
I toss shredded chicken in a mix of Greek yogurt, hot sauce, and a few spices, then pile it right into the halves. The tangy filling plays off the natural sweetness of the squash, and I noticed that on the second batch I made. It's one of those flavor pairings I wouldn't have predicted, but now it's the whole reason this recipe works for me.
The cleanup is the other reason I keep making this. You eat straight out of the squash, no extra bowls or plating. Stuff it, bake for another 5-10 minutes with blue cheese on top, and bring it to the table. My kids think it's fun (they call it 'squash boat night'), and I love that there's basically one baking sheet to wash. For a recipe that looks like it took effort, the reality is closer to 15 minutes of active work.
Reader Denise mentioned straining the Greek yogurt through a coffee filter for an hour before mixing, and her sauce came out noticeably thicker with no watery pooling in the shell. I tried her method on my next batch and it's now part of my process. If your filling has ever gotten soupy at the bottom, the strained yogurt fixes it. I used to think the pooling was from the squash releasing moisture, but it was the yogurt thinning out under heat. Straining removes that extra whey before it becomes a problem.
Fall is when I make this the most because squash is everywhere at the store alongside pumpkins. You can find it year-round, but there's something about a cool night that makes a warm, stuffed squash hit different. If you want more keto chicken dinners on one pan, my keto chicken casserole is another easy option, and low carb Tuscan chicken pasta has that same creamy comfort.
Or pair the leftover filling with my keto spaghetti the next day for a completely different meal. Sasha brought a double batch to game day and it went faster than anything else on the table, so this scales up well when you're feeding more than just your own family.
Is buffalo sauce keto?
Yes, it’s basically hot sauce mixed with butter, so the carbs are nearly zero. I make my own version with Frank’s RedHot and melted butter, and it takes about two minutes. The same sauce works on my keto chicken noodle skillet and chicken cordon bleu casserole when I want that tangy heat on a different protein.
Check the label on store-bought bottles. Some sneak in added sugars or honey. I stick to ones with no sugar added, and Frank’s is my go-to because I always have it in the fridge.
How to store and reheat leftovers
I store the leftover stuffed squash in an airtight container in the fridge, and it keeps well for up to 3 days. If I know I’m making this for meal prep, I store the filling and the roasted squash halves separately. The filling stays creamier that way, and the squash doesn’t get soggy.
To reheat, I scoop the filling back into the squash half and warm it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Microwave works too (2-3 minutes), but the oven keeps the edges from getting mushy. I use the same reheat approach for my sheet pan chicken and veggies leftovers.
Can I freeze the cooked leftovers?
I don’t recommend freezing this one. The squash gets watery when you thaw it, and the Greek yogurt in the filling breaks down. I tried it once and the texture was off. If you want to freeze something, freeze just the shredded chicken plain (before mixing with the yogurt sauce), then make a fresh batch of filling when you’re ready to eat.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place it on a baking sheet skin side up, and bake for 40-50 minutes until softened.
For this step
1 large spaghetti squash
2
Make the filling
During the last 10 minutes of the squash roasting, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, add Greek yogurt, hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, dill and chive. Mix until combined.
For this step
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon chopped chives
3
Add the protein
Stir in shredded chicken and mix until chicken is fully coated.
For this step
2 cups cooked chicken
4
Shred squash
Once the spaghetti squash is done baking, carefully flip it over to show the inside. Using two small forks, lightly shred the inside of the squash to form the “spaghetti.”
5
Stuff it
Fill each ½ baked squash with the chicken mixture and top with 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese on each side. Place back in the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes until heated on top and warmed through. Garnish with fresh chopped green onions or chopped fresh chives.
For this step
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
270
Fat
5.7g
Protein
33.6g
Total carbs
25g
Net carbs
19.7g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cheese instead of blue cheese?
I get it, blue cheese is polarizing. I've made this with shredded mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and pepper jack, and they all work. Mozzarella gives you that melty stretch, cheddar adds sharpness, and pepper jack brings extra heat if you want to lean into the buffalo flavor. My go-to swap is sharp cheddar because it melts well and my kids prefer it. I'd use about 1/4 cup per squash half, same as the blue cheese.
Can I use cream cheese instead of Greek yogurt?
I've tested both. Cream cheese makes the filling richer and thicker, almost like a warm dip consistency. Greek yogurt gives you a tangier, lighter sauce that clings to the chicken without weighing it down. I prefer the yogurt version because the tang plays off the hot sauce better, but if cream cheese is what you have, use about 4 ounces softened and mix it with the hot sauce the same way. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten it up since cream cheese can flatten the overall flavor.
How do I cut spaghetti squash safely?
I microwave the whole squash for 3-4 minutes first. This softens the skin just enough that my knife doesn't slip. Then I cut it lengthwise, scoop the seeds with a spoon, and it's ready to roast. Before I started doing the microwave trick, I nearly lost a battle with a raw squash, so now I always soften it first.
Can I meal prep this ahead of time?
I do this all the time. I roast the squash halves and make the buffalo chicken filling separately, then store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When I'm ready to eat, I shred the squash, pile in the filling, add the cheese, and bake for 10 minutes. It cuts the active cooking time down to almost nothing on a busy night.
How do I pick the right squash at the store?
I look for one that feels heavy for its size with a hard, matte skin and no soft spots. A large squash (3-4 pounds) gives you two generous dinner-sized halves. Smaller ones (under 2 pounds) work better as side portions. I've bought ones that looked fine on the outside but were mushy inside, and the weight test catches that most of the time. If you press your thumbnail into the skin and it dents easily, skip it.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
I've done it and it cuts the squash cook time roughly in half. I place the halves cut-side up on the trivet with a cup of water, pressure cook on high for 7 minutes, then quick release. The strands come out a little softer than oven-roasted, so they won't have that slight firmness I prefer. I still roast mine most of the time, but the Instant Pot is what I reach for when I don't want to wait 45 minutes. For another fast dinner, my sheet pan fajitas come together in about the same time.
How spicy is this and how do I tone it down?
With 2 tablespoons of Frank's RedHot, it's a mild-medium heat. My kids eat it without complaining, so it's not aggressive. If you want it milder, I'd cut the hot sauce to 1 tablespoon and add an extra tablespoon of Greek yogurt to keep the sauce volume the same. For more heat, I add a few dashes of cayenne or use a hotter sauce like Cholula Chili Garlic. I've gone as high as 3 tablespoons of Frank's and it was still comfortable for me.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
This is exactly what I do when I'm short on time. I grab a rotisserie chicken from the store, shred it up, and the filling comes together in about 5 minutes. Reader Julie Beck mentioned she does the same thing, and I use this shortcut constantly when I'm testing other recipes and need dinner handled. My salsa chicken uses the same shred-and-mix approach if you want another quick option.
Butternut works. No strands though, just a solid sweet bowl under the filling. The buffalo heat plays off that sweetness really well, and I’m adding the extra dill note to the recipe card.
Ended up making this three weeks into a complicated dinner stretch. The squash had been on the counter long enough that I felt guilty every time I walked past it. My husband, who grades dinner mostly by whether he had to call my name during the process, ate his entire half and immediately wanted to know how many pans I’d used. One baking sheet. He looked at the sink and then at me and said, ‘this tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did.’ Coming from him, that’s practically a standing ovation. Made it twice since.
Grabbed a rotisserie chicken and bumped the hot sauce up to about 3 tablespoons, and this hit differently than I was expecting. The yogurt base keeps it from going full-alarm spicy while the squash strands soak up all that extra heat in the best way. Ate mine standing over the baking sheet before I even plated it. Next time throwing blue cheese crumbles on top to see what happens.
The yogurt is doing what I need it to do there, and the strands really do soak it in differently than any other vessel. Blue cheese is already in the recipe, 1/4 cup divided, so when you go back just pile more on top.
Used rotisserie chicken because I had one sitting in the fridge and couldn’t face turning the oven on for longer than necessary in this heat, and I think it actually made it better (shredded meat that’s already slightly dried out picks up the buffalo sauce differently). Hit the whole thing under the broiler for the last 3 minutes and the tops got this blistered, almost caramelized layer I wasn’t expecting. That Greek yogurt sauce with the dill is so good I’m already thinking about making a double batch just to use it as a dip.
Never thought about dried-out rotisserie meat holding sauce differently but yeah you’re right. That broiler trick is going in my notes. Dill sauce, been doubling it for weeks.
Buffalo chicken used to mean a pasta casserole I made every winter that I’ve been missing for two years on keto. This gets the same creamy, tangy heat going, and the squash shredding into those long strands is a better swap than I expected. Not the pasta, but close enough that it actually scratches the itch.
My husband is dairy-free, so would coconut milk yogurt work instead of Greek yogurt in the buffalo filling? Wondering if the texture holds once it’s mixed in with the chicken, or if it goes watery.
Tip I wish I’d had the first time: after the squash comes out of the oven, flip it cut-side down on a rack for about 5 minutes before you stuff it. Got way less liquid pooling under the filling. I also swapped the red hot sauce for Primal Kitchen buffalo sauce and the whole thing got richer, less sharp. Good weeknight dinner once you sort out the moisture situation.
That rack flip is going in my notes. And Frank’s does get weirdly sharp once it’s mixed into the yogurt. Makes sense the Primal Kitchen version would mellow that out.
Made two batches Sunday just to see if they’d hold. They do. The filling’s actually better by day two once the yogurt sauce settles into the chicken. Been keeping the squash halves separate and reheating in a pan, not the microwave (microwave makes them waterlogged and sad). 33g protein per serving is carrying me through busy afternoons. Fast enough that batch cooking doesn’t feel like a whole project.
Good weeknight dinner but I’d double the hot sauce next time. Two tablespoons barely registered against all that yogurt, came out more tangy than spicy. Worth making again once I figure out the ratio.
Yeah 2 tablespoons is pretty mild against a full cup of yogurt. I’d go 3-4 next time, or drizzle extra Frank’s on top right before eating so it stays sharp instead of cooking down into the sauce.
Strained the Greek yogurt through a coffee filter for an hour before mixing and the sauce came out noticeably thicker. No watery pooling in the shell, which makes the whole thing a lot easier to eat.
Been through four buffalo chicken spaghetti squash recipes since I started keto and this one just retired the others, the yogurt base makes the sauce cling to the chicken in a way the straight hot sauce versions never do. Nothing else comes close for a cold night.
Four is a real comparison. Cold nights I pile on extra blue cheese right before serving, it melts into the hot squash and gets into that buffalo sauce in a way baking it in never does.
My son ate the whole bowl and then asked what the ‘noodles’ were made of. He refuses squash on principle, so that was the real review. Only knock: mine needed closer to 55 minutes.
That kid review is the most honest one I’ve gotten. Squash size makes a huge difference on time. I check mine with a fork around 45 minutes – when it slides in without resistance, it’s done.
