Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai

I was pretty determined to make my England fall on par with New England fall, if not in foliage then in fall activities. Which is how I ended up leading a group of friends along a highway one fine fall afternoon in October. There was a pick-your-own (PYO for short) farm within train distance from London where we could get apples and pumpkins so off we went!

After traipsing along a walking path, narrow road, a golf course, some brush, a field and finally a sidewalk, we arrived! The journey home was even more eventful as we came back to the golf course and Google Maps instructed us to cross the course to get to the train station. The golfers were not amused and ultimately we had to run across some busy highways. Do as I say, not as I do.

The farm turned out to be a huge success though as we left laden with apples, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, eggs, and a variety of squash. I savoured another opportunity for the coveted spaghetti squash. I was also pumped for the apples and pumpkin but the squash was an added bonus.

More on the apples and pumpkin later, first, let's talk about Pad Thai! This may sound complicated but it's very simple and falls under the 'throw everything into one pan and see how it goes'. Chicken is seasoned and sauteed while the spaghetti squash roasts away in the oven. Once the chicken is browned, remove from the pan and cook the veggies in the same pan. All those juices and seasonings.

Saute the garlic first, then add the carrots. Cook until almost soft, then add the cilantro, green onions and bean sprouts. Lastly, stir in the chopped chicken and shredded squash into the pan to finish cooking. Pour the marinade of peanut butter, soy sauce and sriracha into the pan and stir to coat the ingredients. Allow to simmer so the flavors blend together.

Serve with crushed peanuts on top or plain! You can also squeeze a lime over top for a little zing.

Recipe
Pad Thai

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 medium chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 sprigs of green onion
• 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon sriracha sauce
• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime

1. Prepare the spaghetti squash and bake until tender.
2. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (just enough to cover the pan and prevent the chicken from sticking). Brown the chicken breasts evenly on each side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
3. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic. If needed, add more vegetable oil and sautee the garlic until fragrant. Add the carrots and cook until tender.
4. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return to the pan with the carrots.
5. Add the green onion, bean sprouts and cilantro to the pan.
6. Shred the spaghetti squash into the pan as well (this is why we need a large pan). 
7. In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for the sauce. Whisk until combined and pour into pan.
8. Stir all ingredients to coat with the sauce and mix everything up. Simmer for 5 minutes longer.
9. Serve hot. You can also add crushed peanuts on top and more cilantro.