5 from 36 votes
Chicken and Butternut Squash Orzo
This Chicken and Butternut Squash Orzo combines tender chicken thighs with roasted butternut squash, fresh kale, and orzo pasta in a creamy, Parmesan-infused sauce. The addition of herbs like thyme and sage adds aromatic notes, while Dijon mustard deepens the flavor. The result is a comforting one-pot meal featuring a mix of soft squash, tender chicken, and slightly chewy pasta, enriched with creamy textures and subtle herbal accents.
Servings:
4
servings
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
- salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 shallot diced, large
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons thyme chopped fresh leaves
- 6 sage thinly sliced, large leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- ½ bunch kale stems removed and leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- ¼ cup heavy cream
for the roasted butternut squash
- 1 pound butternut squash about 2 cups, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
Instructions
- Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the Dutch oven in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 4-5 minutes per side; set aside.
- Add shallot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme and sage until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock and Dijon, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in orzo; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale, Parmesan and heavy cream until the kale has wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in roasted butternut squash; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Serve immediately.
Cup of Yum
for the roasted butternut squash
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
- Place butternut squash in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Stir in olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.
- Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until butternut squash is tender, stirring at halftime.