Description
Honey Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed with Chicken is a cozy, sweet-savory main: caramelized squash brushed with honey, then filled with a cranberry-pecan chicken stuffing that’s warmly spiced and weeknight-easy, holiday-worthy.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey, divided
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup cooked quinoa or rice (optional, for extra heartiness)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet.
2. Brush cut sides of the butternut squash with olive oil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey. Place cut-side down on the lined sheet and roast 35–40 minutes, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium with a little olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and translucent, 3–4 minutes.
4. Stir in shredded chicken, cranberries, nuts, cinnamon, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add quinoa or rice if using. Drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon honey and toss to combine; adjust seasoning.
5. Remove squash from oven. Carefully scoop out a bit of flesh to create a cavity (reserve for soup or mash).
6. Fill squash halves with the chicken mixture, mounding slightly.
7. Return to the oven for 10 minutes to heat through and meld flavors.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Make-Ahead: Roast squash and cook the filling up to 1 day ahead; store separately. Stuff and bake 10 minutes before serving.
Swaps: Use leftover rotisserie chicken; sub walnuts for pecans; swap cranberries with chopped dates or golden raisins.
Boost It: Add ¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese to the filling before the final bake.
Gluten-Free: Use certified GF quinoa/rice and check spice labels.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 stuffed squash
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: honey roasted butternut squash stuffed with chicken, stuffed squash, chicken and butternut squash, fall dinner, gluten free dinner