We love fall flavors and the way they make everything taste and feel that much more comforting and cozy, and we also love one pan dishes. This one pan chicken apple and squash skillet has fall written all over it, from the delicata squash to the crispy apples. Fresh thyme is one of our favorite herbs to cook with, so we added it to this dish, and it gives it an earthy, rich flavor.
Fall Flavors
Nothing says fall to me quite like squash, apples and pumpkin everything. I will save the pumpkin for another day, and focus on squash and apples because they go so nicely together. In this dish, they are the perfect combination of fall flavors. The squash is mild, and the crispy apples are a little tart and sweet. Combine this fall produce with a little cayenne and chicken and you’ve got a dish that is a little spicy, a little sweet, and full of savory goodness. Lastly, we added in greens to make it a balanced, well-rounded meal. Wait to add the kale to the pan until about the last 10 minutes of cooking though. Otherwise, you’ll end up with crispy kale chips in your skillet.
Delicata Squash
Delicata SquashDelicata is probably my favorite squash, and for me, most easily replaces potatoes since I have an intolerance to them. It is similar to a sweet potato to me. You can eat the skin, and it is mild, creamy, and slightly sweet, and it also looks interesting when you slice it like we have in this dish because you can see the scalloped edges, and it is almost decorative. This squash is also easier to prepare and cook than others. Its smaller size and thinner skin make it much easier to chop and slice compared to a larger and thicker skinned squash, like spaghetti squash. I let Justin do the cutting for those. All in all, we love delicata squash for its flavor, texture, appearance, and ease of preparation.
There are so many options when it comes to squash once we get to fall and winter, and we enjoy so many of them. Of course, there is butternut, acorn, pumpkin, kabocha, spaghetti, and others. Our favorite squashes, and the ones we eat most frequently in the fall and winter, are definitely delicata, butternut, and spaghetti squash. Have you tried our Paleo lasagna recipe yet? It uses spaghetti squash and is one of our favorite casserole type dishes to make for the leftovers.
One Pan Is Just Better
One Pan Is Just BetterDon’t you agree? One pan is just better, and we especially love cooking in our cast iron skillet. The chicken gets a little browned and crispy, and there are less dishes to clean. Justin and I usually tag team the dishes, so we both appreciate when there is less to wash and dry! Plus, it is pretty amazing how many delicious flavors you can really pack into one pan. That is the best part of this one pan chicken apple and squash skillet!
Your Turn To Make Our One Pan Chicken Apple And Squash Skillet
Your Turn To Make Our One Pan Chicken Apple And Squash SkilletReady, go! Get this one pan chicken apple and squash skillet on your agenda and start cooking with the fall produce that is coming into abundance. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. Then, take a photo and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood, so we can check it out!
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One Pan Chicken Apple + Squash Skillet (Paleo, Whole30 + Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 delicata squash
- 1 apple, roughly chopped into cubes
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 organic chicken breasts
- Salt + pepper, to season the chicken
- 1 tbsp fat of choice
- 2 big handfuls kale, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
- Cut apple into cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Toss in the bowl with apples.
- Add in avocado oil, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 cayenne pepper to the bowl. Mix everything together to coat.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 tbsp of your fat of choice to the pan. Once it has melted, place chicken in the skillet to brown. Cook for five minutes and flip, cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the squash and apple mixture to the skillet around and over the chicken (it will be pretty full).
- Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- When there is about 10 minutes left, add the kale to the pan and continue cooking until chicken is done.
- Remove from oven, plate and enjoy! It's a little spicy, savory and sweet!
