Dairy-free chicken alfredo with cauliflower cream sauce over spaghetti squash

Some nights what you actually want is comfort, not virtue, something rich enough to make the day feel like less of a project. Pasta night used to mean real cream and a box of noodles, and neither one is available to you right now. This is the version that gets you there anyway: cauliflower blended down until it turns properly silky, spaghetti squash standing in for the noodles.

Cauliflower is a real source of vitamin C and choline, both of which play a role in keeping an overactive immune response steadier and in supporting the liver as it clears what it needs to clear. Blend it with broth and garlic until it is completely smooth, and you will reach for this technique again long after tonight.

If you want the bacon, check the label for hidden seed spices and let it be the last thing you scatter over the top. If you skip it, chopped parsley does the same job of waking the dish up. Either way, sit down before the squash cools, twirl a real forkful, and let yourself enjoy something that took real effort and tastes like it.

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lb chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup chicken broth (plus extra if needed for blending)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 strips bacon, baked until crisp and crumbled (omit for strict low-histamine; confirm clean-label)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Heat your oven to 400 F. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves cut-side down on a lined sheet pan. Roast for about 1 hour, until the flesh pulls apart easily into strands when you drag a fork across it. Remove from the oven and let it cool enough to handle.

While the squash roasts, cook the chicken. Warm the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced chicken and cook, turning once or twice, for about 10 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the cauliflower florets and chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower is completely tender. Do not drain.

Transfer the cauliflower and all the broth to a blender. Add the garlic cloves, coconut milk, sea salt, and ground ginger. Blend on high until completely smooth and silky. If the sauce is thicker than you like, add a splash more broth and blend again.

Use a fork to scrape the spaghetti squash strands into bowls or a wide serving dish. Arrange the cooked chicken on top. Pour the cauliflower alfredo sauce generously over everything. Finish with the crumbled bacon and fresh parsley.

Serve immediately while warm.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*