Autumn Chicken Dinner with Roasted Vegetables

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups butternut squash (peeled, seeded, cubed)

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

12 oz Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

9 oz cheese tortellini

1 lb chicken thighs (skinless, boneless)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

5 cloves garlic (minced)

fresh thyme

Directions

Roasted Butternut Squash

Preheat oven to 400 F. Make sure the butternut squash is peeled, seeded, and cubed. Here is a very detailed recipe on how to peel, seed, cube, and roast butternut squash.

In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.

Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Roasted Brussels sprouts

Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves. Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.

In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Spread the Brussels sprouts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.

Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for 20 or 30 minutes. You can roast them at the same time you roast butternut squash. Remove from oven.

Chicken and tortellini

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add tortellini and cook according to the package instructions. Drain.

Slice skinless, boneless chicken thighs into thin strips. Season generously with smoked paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat an empty large cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced chicken thighs in a single layer, without overcrowding. You might have to work in batches. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 4 minutes, without moving it at all so that it sears nicely.

Flip the chicken slices over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it's cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.

To the same, now empty, cast-iron skillet, add butter and minced garlic. Cook on low-medium heat for about 1 or 2 minutes or until the garlic softens.

Add cooked tortellini and coat thoroughly with the garlic butter sauce on low-medium heat.

Add back cooked chicken and stir to coat the chicken with the garlic butter sauce on low-medium heat. Remove from heat.

Add roasted butternut squash and roasted Brussels sprouts to the skillet with cooked chicken and cooked tortellini. If you used a large skillet, everything should fit. If not, work in batches. Top with fresh thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Nutrition

• Calories: 768 kcal
• Total Fat: 51 g
• Saturated Fat: 15 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 29 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 158 mg
• Sodium: 611 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 49 g
• Dietary Fiber: 8 g
• Total Sugars: 6 g
• Protein: 32 g