Creamy Butternut Chicken & Rice
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Brace yourself—fall is coming! During this season, I look forward to making exciting and super easy meal preps out of squash. Although most of its variety is sweet, you can use it in savory and salty dishes as well.
Squash comes from the word askutasquash, meaning “a green thing eaten raw.” It is a type of fruit according to its botanical classification but is still generally considered as a vegetable in food preparations.
When cooking, one of my favorite things to do with the squash is use it as a base for a creamy sauce. Toss in some chicken thigh or breast, cauliflower rice—or even a pasta as an alternative, and boom! You have a delicious “taste” of the fall—spiced, savory, and decadent.
This low-carb recipe is a perfect pair with my Roasted balsamic brussels sprouts with maple. This makes the dish rich in protein, vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fibers and other health-boosting components.
You can also pair this with other veggies of your choice that seem more suitable for your special diets. But always be careful and remember that every substitution changes the macronutrients and calories that you intake.
Can’t wait to try this dish? Include this now on your saved recipes! If you are loving and enjoying this creamy butternut squash, you may also want to try my big queso bowl.
Remember to send me an email or drop a comment below on how it went for you—as well as the adjustments and substitutions you made on this dish. I’d love to know all of them!
Being able to provide you with satisfying calorie-conscious and nutritious meal plans is very important to me. All I want is to help you achieve your weight loss and fitness goals easier while having fun with what you eat.
Have a nice squash day, fit foodies!
Creamy Butternut Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
Ingredients for 5 servings:
- Puree
- 11oz raw butternut squash, cubed
- 6oz vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tablespoon sage
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 1/4 lb (20oz) raw chicken breast, cubed
- spray extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 5oz coconut milk
- 2oz goat cheese crumble
- 1 cup frozen peas
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- Meal garnish
- 1 cup cauliflower pearls/rice, steamed
- Substitute: cooked brown, jasmine or basmati rice to make it heartier
- 1 cup cauliflower pearls/rice, steamed
Steps
Step 1
Chop a butternut squash into pieces, then peel it or carefully chop off the sides. Chop it into pieces. Set aside about 11oz worth of the butternut squash and reserve the rest for another recipe. Or, you can simply roast the remaining squash with olive oil, sea salt & pepper for your meal prep.
Step 2
Add water to a shallow pot and bring it to a light simmer. Add a steamer basket to the pot, then toss in the butternut squash. Cover the pot and cook for roughly 15 minutes or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork.
Step 3
Add the squash to a food processor or blender, then add the remaining ingredients for the puree. Blend until smooth.
Step 4
Set a nonstick skillet on medium heat and spray it with olive oil. Add the pieces of chicken breasts and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the outside of the chicken is brown and it is about 90% cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Step 5
Add olive oil, garlic, bell pepper and red onion to the skillet set on medium heat. After 3 minutes of caramelizing the onions and bell pepper, add cinnamon and stir. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 6
Add the puree, coconut milk and goat cheese. Stir and bring to a light simmer. Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.
Step 7
Add the chicken and frozen peas. Fold everything together.
Step 8
To assemble the meal, add “rice” – steamed cauliflower rice or cooked brown rice – then top it off with the creamy butternut chicken.
Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Maple
Ingredients
- 1lb brussels sprouts, raw
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon maple agave
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
Step 1
Set oven to 420F.
Step 2
Slice Brussel sprouts in half and toss them in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and gently toss the Brussels sprouts in the sauce.
Step 3
Spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 4
Roast in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes, or until the outside edges begin to get crispy.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and serve immediately; if this is for meal prep, allow the sprouts to cool before packaging.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, I'm Kevin
My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle.
By experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on Tumblr, I learned healthy eating is not boring! By making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for BANGIN food! 😅 Now I try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. Welcome, let's #DemocratizeWellness together!