Description
A comforting one-dish bake featuring tender chicken, sweet butternut squash, caramelized leeks, and a creamy sauce topped with crispy breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast, diced
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (optional)
- Cooking spray or butter for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a medium-sized baking dish.
- Cub the butternut squash and slice the leeks. Clean leeks thoroughly.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté leeks with a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes until soft.
- Add minced garlic and thyme to leeks, cooking for another 30–60 seconds.
- Push the leeks aside, add chicken, and sauté until golden on the outside, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the cubed squash, chicken broth, and heavy cream; stir to combine and cook for 6–8 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, sprinkle with Parmesan and breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving; garnish with thyme or parsley if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding a splash more chicken broth if the sauce thickens too much. This dish can also be made vegetarian with chickpeas or roasted cauliflower.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: chicken bake, butternut squash, one-dish dinner, comfort food, fall recipes