Buffalo Chicken Casserole from Juli Bauer's Paleo Cookbook
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Dana:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 2½ pounds)
  • 4 Tbsp butter, ghee, or coconut oil, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • ½ medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ - ⅔ cup hot sauce (Juli prefers Tessemae's or Frank's RedHot)*
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise (homemade or store bought - Sir Kensington's or Primal Kitchen Foods are great brands)
  • 3 large eggs, whisked
  • sliced avocado, for garnish
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the skin gives when you press your finger to it. Remove the squash from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F.
  3. Grease a dutch oven or an 8-inch square glass baking dish with 2 Tbsp of the butter (or ghee/coconut oil).
  4. Let the squash cool for 5 minutes, remove the seeds, and then use a fork to remove the threads and place them in the greased baking dish.
  5. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter (or ghee/coconut oil). Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, and bell pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the ground chicken, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and cook, using a wooden spatula to break up the chicken into small pieces, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the hot sauce and mayo and mix well to combine.
  7. Add the chicken mixture to the baking dish and mix well with the squash threads. Add the whisked eggs and mix everything together until you can no longer see the eggs.
  8. Bake for 1 hour or until the top forms a slight crust that doesn't give when you press it in the middle. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  9. Garnish with chopped scallion and avocado slices.
Notes
*The original recipe calls for 1 cup of hot sauce, but that was a little too spicy for me, so about ⅔cup was just right. I'd do ½ cup if you're sensitive to heat!
**Serve this with some of the ranch dressing from Juli's book. Holy WOW it was insanely good!
Recipe by Dana Monsees Nutrition at https://www.realfoodwithdana.com/buffalo-chicken-casserole-juli-bauers-paleo-cookbook-review/