Greek Chicken Casserole

Serves 4

Notes from the Chef

The great thing about casseroles is that all the work is up front. You can make it in advance and then reheat it before serving.

Traditionally casseroles were mostly noodles, rice and potatoes. For us with diabetes, we have to come up with another plan with all the comfort and taste but without all the carbohydrates.

I use spaghetti squash as well as cauliflower as the base for my casseroles. Forgetting all the extra vitamins, minerals and fiber, these substitutes are as good as, or maybe better than, high-carbohydrate bases. I use mushroom for flavor, texture and volume. Leave it out if you must.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large spaghetti squash, cooked
• 1 medium eggplant
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 large sweet (Vidalia) onion, sliced
• 1 portabella mushroom or 4 ounces small mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup pitted ripe olives
• 8 ounces cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 2 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese

Preparation

1. Shred the cooked squash into strands and turn into a large bowl. You should end up with about 3 cups of squash.
2. Cut eggplant into 1-inch rounds. Salt both sides of the eggplant and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off the salt, then pat dry.
3. Combine 2 Tbsp olive oil with the oregano and pepper. Brush the eggplant with the olive oil mixture. Either roast at 425 F for 20 minutes or fry until golden brown. Allow to cool, then cut the slices into large chunks.
4. Sautee the onion in the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil until it is just barely golden. Add the mushrooms and cook until they just release their juices. Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine.
5. Add the onion mixture to the spaghetti squash and stir to combine. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the feta cheese.
6. Cut feta into chunks and carefully fold into mixture. You can stop at this point and refrigerate overnight or bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Nutritional Information per Serving

• 12 g Net Carbohydrate

Source: Ward Alper, the Decadent Diabetic

Not every recipe on our site is appropriate for every person with diabetes. Please follow the recommendations of your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist.