Roast Chicken with Acorn Squash and Mushrooms
It's so hard to get back into the grind again!! After living in a dream state of no school, no early mornings, no crazy schedules, no homework for two whole weeks, returning to reality is tough! So here's a simple, interesting, versatile and nutritious idea for dinner that will perk everyone up and make the beginning of 2015 a little bit easier.
I first made this dish a couple of weeks ago (sorry to hold out on you) and have made it twice since then, so you know it's a keeper. It combines many of the things we love, mushrooms, red onions, chicken breasts and acorn squash, which, considering how easy it is to cut up and cook, I don't use often enough, but that is definitely going to change!
The other great thing is that it's a one pan meal-it's very low maintenance, which is about all we can handle now, right? All you do is cut the squash in half, remove the seeds and slice it up, skin and all. Then you toss it in a pan with a cut up red onion, a pound of mushrooms (you can even buy them pre-sliced if even slicing seems like too much of a challenge), some crushed garlic, a little bit of oil and roast it for about 15 minutes.
Then you simply top it with the chicken and roast it for another 50 minutes or so and it's done. Meanwhile you can make some rice or pasta or a salad and your dinner is complete! Easy, healthy and best of all, done!! Only about 6 more weeks till the next vacation!!!
Roast Chicken with Acorn Squash and Mushrooms
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: About 1 hour: Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 pound mushrooms, quartered (I used a mix of white button and baby portobello)
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, bone in
- Coarse salt and pepper to taste
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray a large roasting pan with vegetable cooking spray. Place cut up squash, mushrooms, onion and toss with the oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, until squash is beginning to get tender. Remove from oven.
2. Season chicken breasts well with salt and pepper. Place chicken (skin side up) on top of roasted vegetables in pan and continue to cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until chicken is cooked well and vegetables are soft.
3. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from "Everyday Food: Great Food Fast" by Martha Stewart.
