One-Pan Roasted Butternut Squash & Chicken Dinner

Butternut squash, chicken, shallots and sourdough bread combine to form a tasty fall Panzanella salad,  all cooked on a single sheet pan it's an easy option for weeknight dinner!  

Now that the holidays are just about over it's time to start eating healthy again....or at least thinking about healthier eating for when January rolls around next week!

Have you ever tried one of the meal delivery services that are out there?  I think they are a great idea, in theory at least.  A friend of mine gave me a trial subscription to Plated in the fall so I decided to give it a try. I received some great meal ingredients and recipe ideas from them.  I like to experiment too much so I ultimately decided it was not the right thing for me but I think they are a great option for people who want to get more into the habit of cooking for themselves!

The inspiration for this recipes actually originates from one of the recipes I received from Plated.  While I loved their ingredients and the idea of a fall/winter Panzanella dish, I wanted to make the preparation easier and make it a bit healthier.  I ended up making a number of modifications to come up with this easy sheet-pan meal!

If you think about it,  one-pot meals are a genius idea.  I mean, who doesn't want to reduce clean up and make things easy to pull together?!  I've got a whole bunch of one-pot/pan recipes I love, however, some tend to be a little bit saucy.  After all, the sauce is what keeps them easy to make  - all the ingredients just cook up in the sauce in that one pan or pot.

They are great for those days when you get home from work and just don't feel like doing anything?  I'm guessing you know what I mean!   Problem is, we still need to eat dinner!   A one pot or pan meals are perfect for this kind of an evening.  This one-pan roasted butternut squash and chicken sheet-pan meal is the perfect solution!

The great thing about a sheet-pan meal or traybake (that is apparently a British term) is you throw everything on a baking tray and pop it in the oven until it’s cooked.  Easy without a lot of mess!

In addition to being easy, this Panzanella packs some great flavor too!  And the method is pretty simple - veggies, protein, maybe some carbs, toss with oil, bake and you've got a simple healthy meal.   This is the kind of recipe that makes cooking easy, I promise anyone can make this recipe and it will turn out amazing!

You basically have all of your food groups covered in one pan.  If you want some greens you can toss up a simple green salad to have on the side!

Maybe you're having a crazy week but with this sheet pan meal at least you've got dinner covered!

notes from the kitchen

• I put the chicken breasts on some parchment paper on one side of the baking tray.  It helps to contain the juices from the chicken.
• You can use frozen butternut squash for this recipe, however, it may need to roast for a bit longer.  If you don't want to take the time to cube fresh squash many grocery stores sell it already peeled and cubed.
• I prefer sourdough bread because of its texture.  I think it makes better croutons, and growing up in Northern California, it's just my favorite, however, you can use any type of bread for the bread cubes.
• If you are looking for more easy weeknight recipes check out this Baked Chicken Milanese or this Deconstructed Skillet Lasagne.

things you may want for this recipe

Sheet Pan Roasted Butternut Squash & Chicken Dinner

Author: Kathryn | Urban Foodie Kitchen

Butternut squash, chicken, shallots and sourdough bread combine to form a tasty Panzanella salad, all cooked on a single sheet pan!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• For the sheet pan:3 cups cubed butternut squash, about half a squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sourdough bread cubes
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• For the vinaigrette:1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon minced shallot
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl mix the squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, shallots, thyme, pepper and salt. Toss to coat.
• Cover ⅓ of the baking tray with parchment paper. Add the squash to the side of the tray not covered with parchment. Roast for 10 minutes.
• While the squash is roasting, add the bread cubes to the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• After 10 minutes remove the baking tray from the oven. Add the bread cubes and garlic cloves to the squash. Place the chicken on the side of the tray covered with parchment paper. Return pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
• While the squash and chicken are cooking, make the vinaigrette by combining the sherry and dijon in a small bowl. Whisk until well mixed. Add pepper, shallots and olive oil. Continue whisking until fully combined. Set aside until ready to serve.
• When the chicken and squash are done, remove the tray from the oven. Slice or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Remove the garlic cloves from the pan and set aside.
• Divide the squash and bread cubes between two bowls. Squeeze one roasted garlic cloves onto each bowl. Add the chicken and parmesan. Add the shallot vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you are saving the 2nd serving to eat later, remove the bread cubes and store in a plastic bag or airtight container out of the refrigerator. Combine the squash, garlic and chicken and refrigerate. Add the bread cubes and dressing just before serving.

Keywords : butternut squash recipes, Sheet pan meal

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