Skillet Chicken and Butternut Squash

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
A delicious pan seared chicken, butternut squash, and green bean skillet dinner. An easy, family-friendly, 30-minute meal! via chelseasmessyapron.com

A delicious pan seared chicken, butternut squash, and green bean skillet dinner. An easy, family-friendly, 30-minute meal!

A delicious pan seared chicken, butternut squash, and green bean skillet dinner. An easy, family-friendly, 30-minute meal! via chelseasmessyapron.com

Lightly caramelized butternut squash cooked in browned butter and topped with tender herbed chicken and crisp green beans screams all things Fall and comfort food! This dish is definitely becoming a Fall and Winter staple in our home.

Have you guys tried brown butter in savory dishes? I’ve done plenty of browned butter desserts, but I’m kind of obsessed with browned butter in savory. It’s completely addicting in all the best ways of course.

A delicious pan seared chicken, butternut squash, and green bean skillet dinner. An easy, family-friendly, 30-minute meal! Recipe from chelseasmessyapron.com

This meal is practically perfect, but I will tell you right now, it does require two skillets. As much as I wanted this to be a one skillet meal, it just wasn’t practical. It CAN be a one skillet meal, but it ends up taking more time, effort, and patience than that required of washing one extra pan!

The problems: The veggies take *just* long enough to be done that if the chicken was cooked first and set aside under foil, it was coldish and the “breading” a big soggy by the time it needed to be added back in. Alternatively, doing the veggies first is just a nightmare to transfer them out of the skillet to cook the chicken. Plus cold veggies are no fun…

SO all that said, it isn’t all in one skillet, but it is crazy easy. The best part about this meal is it is pretty hands off. There is p.l.e.n.t.y. of time to make side dishes, set the table, clean up the kitchen, or even relax for a few minutes in between making dinner. That is one of my favorite things about this meal!

After browning the butter and getting the veggies started, I literally set the timer for 5 minutes, walk away and do something else. Then I come back and give it a quick stir, set the timer for another 5 minutes, and more hands off time. Once that is done, I cover the veggies with a lid and set the timer for 8 minutes which is pretty much the perfect timing to cook the chicken in another skillet.

Once the chicken is cooked through the veggies are done and dinner is completely ready.

a-delicious-pan-seared-chicken-butternut-squash-and-green-bean-skillet-dinner-an-easy-family-friendly-30-minute-meal-via-chelseasmessyapron-com

 

A few things to make this dinner MEGA easy: I buy pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash at the store. This makes the squash an absolute breeze in this dish. Same with the french green beans (pre-washed and prepped)! The beans were actually sitting right next to the cubed squash in the store which was what inspired this meal.

I grabbed those prepped veggies, the thyme, and had everything else on hand already. One question I get asked a lot is: what is poultry seasoning? First, you don’t want to leave this out as it adds a lot of flavor even in small quantities — plus you can always add more to taste. Second, you can find it with all other spices in the store — it is literally called poultry seasoning — that’s not a nickname for it. And finally it is basically just a mix of different herbs — usually sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg. & black pepper. With all those you know its gonna be good. 🙂

My other quick meal “hack” is to slice the chicken breasts exactly in half. This saves you the time and effort of pounding the chicken into even pieces AND it still cooks evenly + quickly + remains moist. The breading isn’t anything intense — it’s mostly to keep the chicken moist. Just flour plus some spices to dredge the chicken in and then cook it over some melted butter. You’ll be amazed how flavorful this chicken is for how crazy easy it is. One thing that I do like to do, but it’s absolutely NOT required is marinate the chicken in buttermilk all morning. (I even make my own by using 1 cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar). This makes the chicken ultra tender and flavorful!

An EASY and delicious pan seared chicken, butternut squash, and green bean skillet dinner. An easy, family-friendly, 30-minute meal! via chelseasmessyapron.com

 

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

Skillet Chicken and Butternut Squash

4.65 from 28 votes
Print Recipe

Skillet Chicken and Butternut Squash

4.65 from 28 votes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 3 -4
Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter separated
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme + some additional sprigs**
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 pound cubed butternut squash*
  • 4 ounces french green beans
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup white flour
  • Seasoned salt and pepper
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, allow it to melt, and whisk it very frequently. It should melt, foam up a bit, and then start to smell nutty and delicious while darkening in color. (Browned butter very quickly turns to burnt butter so watch this carefully! If it does burn, dump it out and start with a new 3 tablespoons.)
  • Once the butter is browned, remove the skillet completely from the stovetop onto a heating pad on the counter.
  • Whisking constantly add in the fresh thyme (just pull off the leaves to equal 1 full tablespoon), oregano, garlic, paprika, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon pepper. It will foam up. Whisk until completely combined and then add in all the squash. Stir until the squash is well coated in the butter.
  • Return the skillet with the squash to the stovetop and resume it at medium-high heat.
  • Spread the squash pieces out in an even layer and let cook, without stirring, so that they brown a bit on one side for about 4-5 minutes. Add in the green beans, a few extra springs of thyme, and then stir and spread the pieces out again. Let cook without stirring another 4-5 minutes.
  • Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let the veggies cook for 7-15 minutes depending on the desired tenderness and size of squash (Mine is always done around 8 minutes). The squash should be fork tender and beans should be crisp tender.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss together the flour, poultry seasoning (do not omit), and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
  • Slice 2 large breasts (that equal a pound) into half making 4 large and completely equal chicken pieces.
  • Dredge the pieces to use up the flour mixture.
  • In another large (12 inch) skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat.
  • When melted, add in the four breasts in an even layer.
  • (If the chicken browns too quickly, reduce heat.) Cook, turning as needed, (I cook 3-5 minutes on one side and then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other) until chicken is browned on both sides, is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear. (165 degrees F for a meat thermometer.)
  • Top the cooked veggies with the cooked meat.
  • Melt the last 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave and stir it with some remaining thyme (~1 teaspoon) pour on top of the chicken and generously top the chicken and veggies with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Enjoy immediately.

Recipe Notes

*I buy the bags of pre-cut squash to greatly cut down time and effort. Plus it ensures all the pieces cook evenly. **I get a 3-4 ounce package of pre-cut thyme (in produce section of the store)  -- you'll use about half that amount in this recipe.

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

 

screen-shot-2016-10-13-at-10-10-34-am

FREE BONUS

FREE BONUS

EASY MEAL SECRETS:
How to Make Mealtime Hassle Free!

5 secrets to easy, fast and delicious dinners.

[gravityform id="2" title="false" description="false"]

Leave a Comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




54 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner, it was delicious! My family enjoyed it!
    I made a few modifications; I used chicken thighs. I pre-seasoned the chicken with all of the spices that you called for, browned them on the stove using butter for about 5 minutes on each side, then stuck them in the oven for about 20 minutes to finish cooking.

  2. Tried the recipe tonight, it was very yummy! Even my hubby liked it. We like our veggies a little more done than crispy so I hurried them along by microwaving_steaming them a few minutes then adding them to the brown butter skillet to caramelized.
    Thanks for the nutrition info, I need to watch my salt intake so I find the nutrition label very helpful.

  3. 4 stars
    Hello thanks for this recipe! I like the vegetable and meat pairings. I would say that the veggies came out very savory and might have needed less thyme for me. The chicken flavoring was absolutely perfect!

  4. 5 stars
    This was a big hit! My husband loved it and we’ll definitely enjoy this again. It was a great way to enjoy our green & yellow beans, fresh from the garden along with fresh herbs. Thanks for a great recipe!

  5. Excellent! This is the 3rd recipe I have tried from you and love! You have wonderful and absolutely delicious and flavorful recipes my entire family loves (including a picky 2 year old) I originally found your Italian sausage and veggie roast recipe on Pinterest! Thank you for sharing these awesome recipes with us 🙂

    1. Awe yay! Thank you so much Brigitte, so thrilled you’ve enjoyed a few recipes! 🙂 You made my day!

  6. On my way to the store for ingredients! I can’t wait to try this….will keep you posted, thanks so much for great recipes!

  7. This looks amazing!! Would it lend well to meal prep? I make up 15 lunches every Sunday for my husband, teenage daughter, and I and we are always looking for something a little more elevated!

  8. 5 stars
    We made this tonight – didn’t have fresh thyme- so we subbed 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves. We used fresh Honey Nut squash (sister of Butternut just smaller) -I think I cut them small- as it cooked a little quicker- We loved it and will be checking out more of your recipes.

  9. This was so delicious! The squash ended up breaking down quite a bit, so I turned it into a lovely buttery herbed mash. This meal gave me all the fall feels I was looking for. Thank you!

  10. 5 stars
    Made this recipe with a friend tonight! It was so easy and smelled amazing while cooking. It was even better eating it! Wish I had left overs

  11. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Didn’t have green beans, so I used fresh asparagus straight from our garden. Will definitely make again.

    1. Yay! Thrilled this was a hit 🙂 Garden asparagus sounds lovely. Thanks for the comment and review!

  12. 5 stars
    The flavor of the thyme is bold, but not overpowering. The sweetness of the squash makes this dish insanely delightful. On the end of each bite, parmesan compliments the garlic notes deliciously. Overall, it was amazing, had a beautiful rustic look, and presented very well. This is a great dish for autumn and I will be making it again very soon!

  13. 5 stars
    Nice meal, hubby & I both enjoyed. Easy since I generally have these ingredients on hand in the fall. Thanks! 🙂

  14. 5 stars
    This was fabulous! So easy and very tasty.
    I am going to make it for my keto friends.
    I used chicken tenderloins and almond flour.
    THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS ONE!

  15. 5 stars
    Hi Chelsea
    I tried your chicken with butternut squash and green beans.
    Is a keeper
    I did finished off the dish with 20 or so minutes in the oven to Finnish the chicken cooking.
    I have a photo
    I used a family pack of chicken breasts so I have enough for a couple of meals.
    I have a couple of men my husband and son that are big eaters.
    Thanks
    Linda

  16. The butternut squash was awesome, I ate it up before the chicken was finished. The brown butter and herbs pair wonderfully. Unfortunately, my dredge fell off the chicken while cooking in the pot, and the middle was a struggle to get cooked all the way through. I’ll have to practice that I guess, any tips?

    1. 5 stars
      I’d wet the chicken with a beated egg before dipping in the flour/ also pat dry the egg before adding the seasonings

  17. 5 stars
    Just made this tonight! With modifications: used precooked chicken sprinkled with poultry seasoning, added to squash and green beans 8 minutes before completion. Turned chicken at 4 minutes. Delicious!

  18. 5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe! It’s lovely and uses what I have.

    But you and your readers need to be growing your own butternut squash and green beans and herbs.
    These items are easy to grow. Nothing is easier to grow than the vegetables and herbs used in your recipe. I haven’t grown marjoram, but I grow all the other herbs you use. It’s not difficult. Do it. Lose no time. There are lots of gardening channels on the internet.

  19. I LOVED making this. So different. Instead of great beans I used whatever veggies I had. Also, when I made the butternut squash I added a chopped onion. It took two pans, but I didn’t mind. At the end, instead of melting another butter, I wet the pan of chicken and pan of butternut with some white cooking wine.
    Delish!!! Garnished with fresh parsley. I made plain couscous as a quick side.

  20. 5 stars
    This was excellent!!! I used ingredients i had in hand so not exact (chicken thighs, dried herbs, my own frozen butternut squash, and broccoli/ carrot mix)…but sooo good!

Never Miss a Recipe

[gravityform id="3" title="false" description="false"]