One-Pan Butternut Squash, Chicken, and Rice
One pan meals are my absolute favorite thing to make for weeknight dinners or a cozy Saturday night in. The thing is, one pan meals don’t need to be boring. This is a one pan meal have so many layers of flavor but also just feels so warm and cozy. It’s perfect for this time of year to warm up, eat something nourishing, and have a good meal with friends or family. This dish features some of my favorite ingredients, including lemons, butternut squash, chicken and rosemary. Definitely try this one out this season!
One-Pan Butternut Squash, Chicken, and Rice ingredient notes:
Butternut squash: Named for its smooth, buttery texture, butternut squash is a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. The key here is lightly toasting the squash with the rice before adding liquids in order to get that caramelization. You can also swap for sweet potato.
Coconut milk: Coconut milk gives this chicken and rice dish its luxuriously creamy texture without needing any dairy. It’s a great way to keep the meal rich and flavorful while staying lighter than a traditional cream sauce. Shake the can well before using to ensure you’re getting all the creaminess out of it.
Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: Using bone-in, skin-on thighs helps keep costs low and is very forgiving if it’s cooked a bit longer thanks to the higher fat content. Searing the thighs before baking keeps the outside crispy and locks in a richer flavor.
Kale: Kale adds freshness, color, and extra nutrients to this one-pan recipe. Its slightly bitter flavor balances the richness of the butternut squash and coconut milk, keeping the dish well-rounded. As it cooks, the kale softens into tender greens that blend beautifully with the rice. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, kale makes this comfort food meal more nutritious.
One-Pan Butternut Squash, Chicken, and Rice
4
servings15
minutes45
minutesOne pan meals are my absolute favorite thing to make for weeknight dinners or a cozy Saturday night in. The thing is, one pan meals don’t need to be boring. This is a one pan meal have so many layers of flavor but also just feels so warm and cozy. It’s perfect for this time of year to warm up, eat something nourishing, and have a good meal with friends or family. This dish features some of my favorite ingredients, including lemons, butternut squash, chicken and rosemary. Definitely try this one out this season!
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Ingredients
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
2 cups small-diced butternut squash (about half of a large butternut squash or 10 ounces pre-chopped)*
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
13.5 ounces canned light coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
2 cups shredded curly kale (about 3 ounces)
fresh rosemary sprigs, optional for topping
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season on both sides with the spice mix. Heat the oil in a large, deep, oven-safe skillet over medium heat until shimmering, then add the thighs in a single layer. Cook until browned and crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set on a plate, leaving behind any oil in the pan.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Stir in the thyme and rosemary, plus a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Add the rice and butternut squash to the skillet and mix well. Continue cooking to toast the rice and lightly sear the outsides of the squash cubes, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, coconut milk, and lemon juice, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Once boiling, stir in the kale so it is completely covered in liquid. Place the chicken back on top of the rice and vegetables, top with fresh rosemary (if desired), and transfer to the oven. Bake, uncovered, until the liquid is almost completely absorbed by the rice, the sides are crisp and browned, and the chicken is at an internal temperature of 165F, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Let the skillet rest on the counter for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven to cool and finish absorbing the liquid. To serve, divide among four plates.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: From the refrigerator, microwave until warmed, about 2 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave in 30-second increments until warmed.
- Swaps and substitutions: Replace the light coconut milk with 3/4 cup of full-fat coconut milk plus 3/4 cup of additional broth. The light coconut milk can also be replaced with light cream.
- *Butternut squash: It’s very important that your squash is small-diced (1/2-inch cubes!), otherwise it will not get tender enough in the oven.
- Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this recipe; just ensure you are not overcooking your chicken breasts. Monitor with an instant-read meat thermometer until they reach 165F, and remove from the skillet early if needed; then add back at the end.
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Suggestions for cooking this without a cast iron skillet? I have a ceramic dutch oven or a deep stainless steel sauté pan (oven safe).
Any oven safe skillet will work for this!
I made this dish tonight. Followed the recipe exactly. Worse thing I’ve ever eaten! Completely tasteless! My grown son agreed.
Absolutely loved this dinner! The perfect, cozy fall feast.
I used a deep, large stainless steel pan, worked GREAT!!! So delicious, everyone LOVED it, even my picky eaters!
Should the skillet be covered or uncovered when placed in the oven?
Uncovered!
Would there be any changes to timing or amount of liquids if using brown rice?
What can I substitute coconut milk for? We like dairy. Heavy cream?
Regular cream will work!
Do you soak your rice before using it ?
Should the butternut squash be cooked prior to making with the other ingredients?
This dish is so delicious! My husband and I have made it multiple times. Also easy and pretty quick! We don’t use cast iron and it still tastes great. The coconut milk adds just a hint of sweetness to the rice which is perfect but does not taste super coconut-y! I have also shared this recipe with many friends and family!
This was my first recipe of yours I made and it was a big hit with the whole family (including two mildly picky toddlers)! It’s so helpful to have the rice/liquid ratios and now I can’t wait to experiment with my own flavor/ingredient variations.
So flavorful, plus I love the easy cleanup on this recipe!
I made this recipe for tonight’s dinner and my husband and I loved it…followed recipe exactly and love the ease of only one pan to clean up…keep sharing your amazing recipes !!
Can I use frozen butternut squash? I’m so excited to try this tonight!
My husband requests this meal almost once a week! We love it and have made it again and again!!!
I tried making this without an ovenproof skillet by transferring everything to a metal pan just before placing in the oven, and it doesn’t really work. The rice never cooked through. The flavor was tasty though.
Delicious! I added the lemon zest (we love lemon) and it was wonderful! I will definitely make again and add to our rotation. I know I’ll have to share with my daughters! Thanks Jenn!
I made this for the first time tonight and it won’t be the last. Such great fall flavors. My squash had spoiled so I omitted that and served the chicken and rice with seasoned steamed broccoli on the side. Thanks for a quick, easy and super delicious dinner!
This was so delicious. I’m so happy to have leftovers and will definitely be making again. 👏
This recipe came together so easily and was absolutely DELICIOUS! Will definitely be making this again ! Thank you!
I was a little skeptical about this recipe. Even made a mistake and it still turned out great! Definitely a do over!
Made this and loved how it turned out, plus the clean up was super easy as I prepped the squash beforehand. My fiance who doesn’t really like veggies even said he liked the dish! Will be making again.
This is an amazing and absolute must to try. It’s become my favourite meal. Have changed it slightly in respect that we cube the chicken to fry and seal, set it to one side and add it back juices and all just before you add the rice. I
Thank you so much for this recipe! I love the flavors. I can’t figure out how to get the rice to evenly cook so I may adjust in the future, but this is still a go to recipe for me and my family!! (If anyone has tips on how to get the rice to cook, please share! I have about 1/4 of it still uncooked while the rest is cooked.)
Can I use quinoa instead of rice?
Yummy!
Do you know the nutritional contents of this dish?
This was delicious; great combination of flavors, as usual! The seasoning on the chicken was perfect- not overpowering and really infused savory smokiness into the entire dish. The coconut milk adds so much to the rice, don’t skip it. The one dish meal is a winner for clean up, and this one will definitely be in our fall rotation. I am always in a quandary on how to best use butternut squash this time of year, so am really loving these fall recipes to help me incorporate it more. Thank you for another excellent recipe!
I would recommend browning the chicken on one side. Cooking almost all the way and then an additional 20 minutes yielded nearly unchewable chicken. Should have followed my instincts. Ugh! A waste of ingredients.
Delicious and easy!
This was so easy and so delicious! Loved it!
So delicious.
It did take double the time for the rice to cook in the oven though.
Also next time will be doubling the amount of chicken – lots of squash and rice left over
Such a great fall dish!
This is the perfect Fall comfort meal, and the leftovers reheat so well.
Hi, do you happen to know the macros on this?
I had a butternut squash and some chicken and googled chicken and butternut squash recipes and this recipe came up. So glad I made this! Loved it!
This has become our go-to fall-winter dinner! So cozy, so good!
Myself and my husband and kids really enjoyed this dish. I served it with collard greens brazed in coconut milk. Rice is my nemesis and it came out perfectly.