Low-Carb Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini in an orange casserole dish

MychkoAlezander / Getty Images

Total Time: 40 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Servings: 8 servings

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

226 calories
12g fat
8g carbs
21g protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 servings
Amount per serving  
Calories 226
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 487mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 4g  
Includes 1g Added Sugars 2%
Protein 21g  
Vitamin D 1mcg 5%
Calcium 125mg 10%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 424mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

If you're looking for a low-carb recipe to help use up leftover turkey or chicken, look no further than this version of a comfort food classic. Spaghetti squash is a fantastic replacement for carb-heavy pasta and offers folate, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.

Substituting spaghetti squash for pasta lowers the overall calorie and carb count significantly as the vegetable contains only 42 calories per cup. It's also a low-glycemic food, which may help keep blood sugar stable.

Try this dish the next time you have leftover turkey or chicken. The nutritional values assume you are using spaghetti squash and chicken breast.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups spaghetti squash, cooked
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Optional: Flour or another thickener
  • 1 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 3 cups chicken (or turkey), cooked and chopped
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Optional: 1/3 cup dry sherry

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 450F. Prepare a spaghetti squash and fill the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

  2. Saute the onions in the oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have given up most of their moisture. Add salt and pepper and stir.

  3. If using flour for thickener, add it here, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add liquid and other thickeners, and bring to a simmer. Add the sherry, if desired.

  4. Add the chicken, and bring back to a simmer. Mix with noodles or squash in casserole pan.

  5. Sprinkle almond meal and cheese on top. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until topping begins to brown.

Variations and Substitutions

While this recipe works well with cooked spaghetti squash, you can also use another low-carb option like shirataki noodles, if preferred. For shirataki noodles, use three packages, rinse and drain in a colander, and cut into pieces with scissors.

If preferred, you can substitute reduced-fat milk for the unsweetened soy milk in this recipe. You can use low-carb bread crumbs in place of the almond meal.

For additional flavor, try 1 tablespoon of chicken soup base such as Better Than Bouillion in place of salt.

Cooking and Serving Tips

  • You need 2 cups of white sauce for this dish. The thickener and dairy in it are up to you. This recipe uses unsweetened soy milk and cream.
  • If you want to use a thickening agent, but would like to keep the carb count low, try using 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon low carb thickener.
  • Serve with a side salad for a complete meal.

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2 Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Salehi B, Capanoglu E, Adrar N, et al. Plants: A key emphasis to its pharmacological potentialMolecules. 2019;24(10). doi:10.3390/molecules24101854

  2. Glycemic index food guide. Diabetes Canada.

By Team Verywell Fit
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