Apple-and-Chicken-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sweet apples, tender, savory squash, warm spices—must be autumn. Add lean ground chicken breast and buttery toasted breadcrumbs to complete this simple, easy, and flavorful dinner in a bowl—an edible bowl, that is. Mmmm.

Tip: As you know, acorn squash has an outer skin made up of dips and ridges. That can cause problems when you want it to rest flat on a baking pan or plate. After halving the squash and scooping out the seeds, turn it flesh-side down and cut off a very thin slice of the skin so that when you turn it back over, it will sit stable and flat on a surface. Done. (See photo below.) 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided, plus more for buttering squash
• 1/4 cup panko, or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 2 medium acorn squash, halved though the stem end, seeds removed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp ground clove
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken breast
• 1 large shallot, chopped

Squash Ingredients

Prepared Squash

Diced Apples

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Stir in the panko and continue to stir until slightly toasted, 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Panko Beginning to Toast

Toasted Panko

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub the cut sides of the squash with a little butter and place cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until browned on the edges and tender when pierced with a fork, 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Leave the oven on.
2. Meanwhile, heat the same skillet over medium-low heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter has melted, add the apple and spices and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the diced apple has softened, 20-25 minutes.
3. Transfer from the skillet to a bowl. Do not wipe out the skillet.
4. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and shallot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the chicken, until the meat is just cooked through and the shallot has softened, 10 minutes.
5. Return the apple mixture to the skillet and combine with the chicken mixture. Turn the squash cut-side up on the baking sheet. Divide the skillet mixture and fill the cavities of the squash. Sprinkle each stuffed squash with the toasted panko. Place in the oven and bake until browned on top and hot throughout, 4-5 minutes. 

Baked Squash

Apples and Spices

Cooked Apples

Chicken and Shallot

Plate 1 stuffed squash on each of 4 plates and serve right away.

Apple-and-Chicken-Stuffed Acorn Squash