Do you ever get in a rut with dinner? We tend to repeat some favorite recipes over and over. Then I try to put something new together just to switch things up. This Skillet Chicken with Butternut Squash and Asparagus is a great, quick dinner perfect for Fall season.
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Butternut Squash
I love using roasted butternut squash in my dishes during Fall season. My kids call it the ‘long pumpkin’ because of its orange color:). Usually, I clean the butternut squash, peel, cut in half remove the seeds than cut in cubes and roast.
However, for this dinner I was in a hurry, I cut the butternut squash in half, cleaned it and roasted it that way without peeling it. Then once it was cool enough to handle, I cut cube shape pieces almost like you would cut a avocado when making a salad and scoop those out. They are not the perfect cube shapes you would get if you cut butternut squash before roasting it. But it saves time and tastes the same, so it is a good compromise.
Notes and Tips
- Recipe is very customizable for seasonings and spice, so feel free to improvise to your taste. I kept it simple with just Italian Seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper. Additional spices you can try are thyme, rosemary, oregano, chili flakes etc.
- You can do a mix of white wine and chicken stock or just chicken stock.
- I prefer using olive oil, that makes this dish Mediterranean Diet friendly however you can use butter too. It goes really well with both chicken and butternut squash as well:).
- Try not to overcook butternut squash when roasting it. It has to be soft enough to pierce with the fork but not so soft that it is easy to puree.
- Serve this dish with your sides of choice. We love serving it with a green salad and a dinner roll.
- Asparagus balances out perfectly the natural sweetness from butternut squash. Asparagus also cooks very fast so keep an eye on it while cooking it as it’s ready in just few minutes.
Skillet Chicken, Butternut Squash and Asparagus
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (medium to large)
- 1 butternut squash (medium size)
- 1 lb asparagus
- 4 tbsps olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup chicken stock in the absence of wine use, ½ cup of chicken stock
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cut butternut squash in half, remove seeds and clean the cavity on both halves. You can peel and cut in pieces or just roast as is and scoop the pieces out later once butternut squash has cooled down.
- Roast butternut squash at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes (until you can pierce with a fork). Let cool once done until it's safe to handle by hand. Once butternut squash is cool, you can cut cube shapes (bite size) same way as you would cut an avocado for a salad.
- Make sure chicken breasts are fully thawed. Cut them in pieces. Season on all sides with salt, pepper and paprika. Definitely be generous with quantities for more flavor.
- Add 3 tbsps olive oil in the skillet, turn heat to medium high. Add seasoned chicken once skillet and oil are hot. Cook well on both sides, about 4 minutes each side. Remove chicken from skillet and place on a plate, keep it covered.
- Prep asparagus – cut the wooden ends and chop the rest in about 1.5-2 inch pieces. Mince the garlic.
- Add remaining oil to skillet. Add minced garlic, saute until fragrant. Then add asparagus, Saute while mixing with a wooden spoon for a minute or two. Add both wine and chicken stock. Then get the cooked chicken and add it in as well. Finally add the butternut squash and Italian seasoning. Give everything a good mix up. Check for salt and adjust to taste. Let cook for few minutes until everything has finished cooking.
- Serve warm and enjoy:)
Notes
- Prep butternut squash – 5 mins
- Roast butternut squash – 20 minutes
- Prep chicken, season – 5 minutes
- Prep asparagus – 5 minutes
- Cooling time – 15 minutes
- Prep butternut squash cubes – 5 minutes
- Cook chicken on both sides – 8 to 10 minutes
- Sauteing garlic, onions, then adding asparagus, chicken and butternut squash – about 10 to 15 minutes (depending on heat and power of your stovetop).
Nutrition Label
Nutrition
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More Recipes:
Check out these other recipes from my blog.
- Butternut Squash Soup with Leeks and Potatoes
- Shell Pasta in Butternut Squash Sauce
- Skillet Chicken with Mushrooms & Spinach
Rachel Perry Barr
Hi I love all the ingredients however I feel like it needs more flavor and I wasn’t sure what to do to fix that
admin
Hi Rachel, depending on flavors you like you can add bacon or something with a kick like red chili flakes.
If you like herbs, maybe rosemary & thyme.
LINA
Can I use frozen butternut squash cubes?
admin
Hi Lina, yes you can:), it’ll definitely lower cooking time by a lot.
Mark Holloway
I like this!
Sonila
Thanks Mark!