Whole30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Roast in the oven: Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and place the halves upside down on a lined baking sheet. Cook 40-45 minutes until the skin is fork tender. Let the squash cool and then use a fork to remove all the flesh from the skin into a large mixing bowl. Reduce heat to 375F when the squash is done cooking.

Steam in the Instant Pot: Cut your spaghetti squash in half widthwise, fit it into your Instant Pot on the trivet with one cup of water, and then select Steam on high pressure for 8 minutes with a Natural Pressure Release. Let the squash cool and then use a fork to remove all the flesh from the skin into a large mixing bowl.

Place a Dutch oven or deep skillet over Medium heat. When hot, add bacon bits and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bits are browned and crispy to your liking. Remove the bacon bits and place them in a paper towel lined bowl. Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pan.

Over medium heat, add the bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic and chicken breast pieces to the pan with the bacon grease. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and all the vegetables are tender.

Preheat oven to 375F. To the large mixing bowl with the cooked spaghetti squash strands, add the bacon bits (reserving a few for topping), the chicken and veggie mixture, Ranch dressing, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt & pepper. Stir until well mixed.

Add the mixture to a greased 9×13 casserole dish. Flatten the mixture out into the casserole dish then sprinkle remaining bacon bits on top.

Bake at 375F for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Broil for the final two minutes for a crisp top. Store leftovers in an airtight sealed container and enjoy within 4 days.