Simple and healthy, this Easy Lemon Chicken with Butternut Squash serves up roasted chicken breasts doused in lemon juice over roasted butternut squash.
Love lemon and chicken? You also need to try this Lemon Chicken Pasta!
I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! It is seriously one of the days that I look forward to all year long. I get to spend the majority of the day with my family, eating and talking and eating some more. But really – even though the food is a big part of it, the time with my family is really what I treasure. <3
Now let’s get real here – who ate way too much yesterday? And who is feeling it today? I don’t hold back on Thanksgiving. We usually have a late lunch and then graze the rest of the day. And when the pies come out? I’m a goner. I lost count this year with the number of pies we ended up with. Somewhere around the 14 or 15 mark I think? And of course, I want to try all of them. Needless to say, I left at the end of the night with a full heart and a full belly.
I wish I could say that I always wake up ready to repent of my ways and spend the day eating super healthy. But I have to have that piece of pie for breakfast, then the turkey sandwich for lunch. And then I’m ready to change my ways. By the time dinner rolls around, give me something light and something healthy.
This Easy Lemon Chicken with Butternut Squash is your answer for that day after Thanksgiving dinner. Or the once you get rid of all of that leftover turkey dinner. Or really, that random Tuesday night when you need something that is easy with only a few ingredients dinner. This dinner will only set you back 6 ingredients and under 450 calories. It’s definitely a meal you can feel good about.
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: Peeling and dicing your butternut squash is probably the one thing that takes the longest in this recipe, but it’s really not that bad! Some people like to remove the skin with a knife, but I usually just use a vegetable peeler. Sometimes you have to go over it twice because the skin is thick, but this works the best for me.
- Lemons: If you can get organic lemons, they are the best here since you are cooking one lemon with the peel on. Either way, make sure to scrub your lemons well.
- Olive Oil: I use extra virgin olive oil, but you could also swap in another oil, like avocado oil.
- Oregano: This really is best with fresh oregano. Since there are so few ingredients, each ingredient really does stand out.
- Chicken: I have only made this with chicken breasts, but chicken thighs would probably be delicious. They would add some extra calories and fat, though.
- Garlic: This is a little different in that you slice the garlic instead of mincing it. It will give you a more mild flavor. You can mince the garlic if you prefer – just make sure it doesn’t burn.
How to Make This Easy Lemon Chicken
STEP 1: Combine the butternut squash with some of the oil, some of the oregano, as well as salt and pepper. Place it on a baking sheet and roast until the squash is tender.
STEP 2: Season the chicken, and cook it on the stove in a hot skillet until it is browned. Then transfer the skillet to the oven to bake until the chicken is cooked through.
STEP 3: Remove the skillet from the oven and return it to the stove. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add in the lemon juice and the remaining oregano. Cook for another minute, spooning the pan juices over the chicken. Serve the chicken with the roasted butternut squash.
Tips and Tricks
For the chicken, I like to get 2 larger chicken breasts (about 12 oz each) and cut them in half, opening them into 2 thinner breast pieces. I find that it’s easier to cook the chicken evenly this way, and the outside doesn’t get tough before the center is cooked through. Or you can pound your chicken thinner, but I always think that is more of a pain.
You will want to make sure you drizzle any pan juices over the chicken when serving. Don’t leave all of that flavor behind!
To save time, most grocery stores will sell butternut squash already cubed. I tend to avoid it because it is more dried out, but it is definitely a time sa
More Healthy Chicken Dinner Ideas
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Tacos with Mango and Jicama
Honey Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks
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Easy Lemon Chicken with Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 to 2 lbs cubed, peeled butternut squash
- 1 lemon sliced
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped, divided
- 4 (6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- Place the squash in a large bowl and add the sliced lemon, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to coat, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, undisturbed, until the squash is tender and browned on the edges, about 30 minutes.1 3/4 to 2 lbs cubed, peeled butternut squash, 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoons fresh oregano
- Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is browned on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 5-8 minutes.4 (6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts*, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, then sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano over the top. Cook, spooning the pan juices over the chicken, for about 1 minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 lemon, 1 tablespoons fresh oregano
- Serve the chicken with the roasted butternut squash and lemon. Drizzle the chicken with the pan juices.
Joanne Bruno says
I think we could all use some lighter recipes today. You don’t often see lemon paired with butternut, but I love it!