Sunshine Casserole–chicken and spaghetti squash in a creamy turmeric orange sauce made with the help of your Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Sunshine Casserole
On a dreary, cloudy day it’s nice to have something yellow and sunny to brighten your day. This yellow dish has yellow spaghetti squash covered in a creamy sauce with turmeric which makes the sauce quite yellow also. I’m a big fan of spaghetti squash because it feels like you’re eating pasta when you’re really eating a vegetable. The sauce is made with sour cream, OJ concentrate, turmeric and it coats everything nicely and adds lots of flavor. The bites of chicken and mozzarella add some protein and rounds out the meal. This makes a great lunch the next day too. Enjoy!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Spaghetti squash—a small one, about 1 1/2 pounds
- Cooked cubed chicken—rotisserie chicken works well
- Orange juice concentrate–other recipes to make with OJ concentrate are old lady on a bus chicken and Marie Osmond’s chicken.
- Ground mustard
- Kosher salt
- Brown sugar
- Turmeric
- Black pepper
- Sour cream–or greek plain yogurt, full fat is best
- Mozzarella–I love whole milk mozzarella
Steps
Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place a trivet into the pot. Cut your squash in half (across the equator) and scoop out seeds. (I used a small paring knife* to cut mine). Place the two halves of the squash into the Instant Pot on top of the trivet.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 8 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Use tongs to place the two halves of the squash on a cutting board.
Discard the water in the pot. Add chicken, orange juice concentrate, ground mustard, salt, brown sugar, turmeric, pepper and sour cream into the Instant Pot. Stir until combined.
Use forks to shred the flesh of the squash. Add squash into the Instant Pot and stir to coat in the sauce.
Transfer to a 8×8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with garlic bread, roasted vegetables or greek salad.
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- I love this little paring knife*. I just ordered a second one because I use it all the time.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Other recipes you can make with turmeric* are bombay potatoes and supercharged casserole.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Sunshine Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Chicken and spaghetti squash in a creamy turmeric orange sauce made with the help of your Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 small spaghetti squash (1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
- 3 Tbsp orange juice concentrate
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or greek plain yogurt)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (I love whole milk mozzarella)
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place a trivet into the pot. Cut your squash in half (across the equator) and scoop out seeds. (I used a small paring knife* to cut mine). Place the two halves of the squash into the Instant Pot on top of the trivet.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 8 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. Use tongs to place the two halves of the squash on a cutting board.
- Discard the water in the pot. Add chicken, orange juice concentrate, ground mustard, salt, brown sugar, turmeric, pepper and sour cream into the Instant Pot. Stir until combined.
- Use forks to shred the flesh of the squash. Add squash into the Instant Pot and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Transfer to a 8×8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Cut your squash in half (across the equator) and scoop out seeds. (I used a small paring knife* to cut mine). Pour a cup of water in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the spaghetti squash halves in the slow cooker on their side. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours (depending on your slow cooker and how hot it cooks).
- Use tongs to place the two halves of the squash on a cutting board.
- Discard the water in the slow cooker. Add chicken, orange juice concentrate, ground mustard, salt, brown sugar, turmeric, pepper and sour cream into the crock. Stir until combined.
- Use forks to shred the flesh of the squash. Add squash into the crock and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Transfer to a 8×8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot and Oven
More sunny recipes…
Instant Pot Sunshine Chicken
Chicken tenderloins and rice simmered in orange juice and seasoned with turmeric makes a bright yellow, sunny dish that has great flavor and takes only minutes to prepare.
Instant Pot Lemon Rice
Greek-inspired lemon rice is perfect to serve as a side dish or with chicken. It’s flavor is subtle, but delicious.
Be Positive Casserole
An Instant Pot recipe for a lemon chicken pasta with spinach, garlic, parmesan cheese and toasted panko bread crumbs.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
really like your recipes…plzzzz stop sending me instant pot recipes!!!! TY
Hey Steve,
Consider getting an Instant Pot…you won’t be sorry!!! (I highly recommend a 6 quart, AND a 3 quart…I use one or both several times a week) 🙂
If you don’t want to receive Instant Pot recipes, simply scroll back to the top of this email, and right under the lovely picture of Karen you will see…
“Change your email preferences:”
Select and click on the option to opt out of receiving Instant Pot recipes, and voilà…no more Instant Pots recipes in your inbox!!!
Hope that helps 😉😊