Description
Honey roasted butternut squash stuffed with chicken brings together roasted squash halves filled with seasoned shredded chicken and baked until everything melds into one comforting dish. Your table gets a meal that feels special without keeping you tied to the kitchen for hours.
Ingredients
Scale
Base ingredients:
- 2 medium butternut squashes
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Seasonings and flavoring:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) so it reaches the right temperature before the squashes go in.
- Halve your 2 medium butternut squashes lengthwise and use a spoon to remove all the seeds from the center.
- Combine your 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken with 1/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika in a bowl, stirring until everything is evenly mixed together.
- Distribute the chicken mixture equally among your 4 squash halves, packing it gently into the hollow centers.
- Arrange the filled squash halves cut-side up on your baking sheet.
- Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30-35 minutes until the squash flesh becomes soft and tender when pierced with a fork.
- Top each squash half with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese.
- Return your squashes to the 400°F (200°C) oven for 5 more minutes until the cheese melts completely over the surface.
- Pull the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle fresh thyme leaves across each portion as your finishing touch.
Notes
- Scoop out every bit of squash seed with a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop so your filling sits evenly and doesn’t tip to one side while roasting.
- Mix your chicken filling at room temperature so the honey blends smoothly with the oil and seasonings rather than becoming clumpy from cold ingredients.
- Check if your squash is done by piercing the flesh with a fork—it should go through easily without resistance before you add the cheese.
- For a dairy-free version, skip the cheese entirely and drizzle a bit more honey mixed with olive oil over the top just before serving to keep things moist and flavorful.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Roasted Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 477 kcal
- Sugar: 19 g
- Sodium: 834 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg