Autumn Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Skillet
This autumn chicken and butternut squash skillet will become your new favorite fall dinner! Tender roasted chicken with a simple dijon and rosemary sauce served alongside sweet roasted butternut squash, tart cranberries, and brussels sprouts. Simple delicious!
Looking for an easy fall dinner to make? Try this one pan-roasted chicken with roasted butternut squash. It’s easy, full of flavor, and a recipe that everyone will love! The chicken is flavored with a simple dijon mustard and rosemary sauce and the veggies are roasted with fresh cranberries for the perfect touch of tart flavor.
Serve this as a healthy weeknight meal for the family, or at your next holiday gathering! All the flavors are elegant and elevated, while the preparation is so simple. It’s a win-win situation all around!
Ingredients – What You Need
You’ll need a handful of ingredients to make this recipe happen, see below for the full list! You’ll also find helpful ingredient substitutions if you need them.
Chicken thighs: I used boneless & skinless thighs but you can also use bone-in with skin chicken thighs.
Oil: to brown the chicken in and for the roasted vegetables.
Butternut squash: for a colorful veggie. If you aren’t a fan of squash you can replace it with sweet potatoes or baby potatoes!
Brussels sprouts: for some green! If you don’t love brussels sprouts you could swap for string beans.
Cranberries: use fresh cranberries, not dried.
Rosemary: I love using fresh herbs for vibrant flavor but dried rosemary can be used too.
Dijon mustard: a must for flavorful chicken!
Garlic: use fresh garlic cloves to flavor the chicken and the sauce.
Chicken broth: the base for the sauce.
Honey: to sweeten the chicken sauce, you can also swap with maple syrup.
Step by Step Recipe Instructions
First, preheat the oven to 425F.
(1) Then mix the sauce ingredients together in a small jar.
(2) Toss the veggies in oil with a pinch of salt.
1. Mix the sauce ingredients 2. Toss the diced veggies in oil
(3) Next up, brown the chicken for several minutes on each side with butter.
(4) After the chicken is browned, add the veggies and cranberries in with the chicken. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken thighs and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper over the thighs. Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender then serve!
3. Brown the chicken thighs 4. Add the veggies and sauce
Tips for Success
Switch up the veggies – the veggies in this dish can easily be customized to whatever you have on hand. Other vegetables that would work are baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans!
Best baking vessels for chicken – for this recipe you want to use a pan that is stovetop and oven safe because you will cook at both levels. I recommend using a cast iron or stainless steel pan always for baking chicken! It radiates a lot more heat than glass baking dishes and always bakes the chicken to perfection.
Best oil for cooking – Whenever I’m cooking vegetables or chicken in the oven at high heat, I use an oil like avocado instead of olive oil. Why? Because avocado oil can handle a high temperature without breaking down and releasing harmful chemicals. It also will deliver the best taste since it doesn’t burn at high temperatures. Use this oil for the best results!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs? This recipe works best with chicken thighs (bone-in or without bone/skin). I don’t recommend using chicken breasts or cutlets because they will dry out quicker – unless you use one with bone-in. Chicken thighs are super moist and can withstand a longer baking time without drying out, unlike the chicken breast cut!
Can I use dried cranberries instead of fresh ones? I do recommend using fresh cranberries if possible for this recipe. They will give the perfect touch of tart, sweet flavor with the chicken and veggies! If you want to use dried, you will not bake them but add them at the very end when serving.
What to Serve on the Side
This dish goes perfectly with rice or a nice hearty grain on the side! You can also serve it with a salad like our warm brussels sprout and farro salad or this apple pomegranate harvest salad. If you love bread on the side you can try our cinnamon raising bread or this cranberry walnut bread!
More Chicken Recipes to Try
15-Minute Lemon Chicken Piccata
Crispy Garlic & Herb Chicken Thighs
Roasted Lemon & Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes
If you tried this Autumn Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Skillet recipe or any other recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and FACEBOOK for more crave-worthy content.
Autumn Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash Skillet
This autumn chicken and butternut squash skillet will become your new favorite fall dinner! Tender roasted chicken with a simple dijon and rosemary sauce served alongside sweet roasted butternut squash, tart cranberries, and brussels sprouts. Simple delicious!
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken thighs you can use boneless/skinless or with bone & skin
- 1 Tablespoon butter or sub for more avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts stems removed and halved
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- salt & pepper to taste
Dijon Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried rosemary
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425F.
-
Make the sauce: First, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small jar or bowl. Then set aside for later.
-
Toss veggies in oil: in a bowl, toss the brussels sprouts and butternut squash in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil with a pinch of salt. Set vegetables aside.
-
Brown the chicken: Season the chicken thighs with a pinch of salt & pepper on both sides. Then in a stainless steel pan or cast iron pan, brown the chicken on the stove-top in butter for 2-3 minutes on each side (skin down first if your chicken has skin).
-
Add veggies and sauce: after the chicken is browned on both sides, add the vegetables, cranberries, and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle a tiny bit more salt & black pepper over top of the chicken thighs after saucing.
-
Bake: then bake uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Did you make this recipe? Share your photos and tag @asimplepalate #asimplepalate.
Yum! I will be making this!