Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and got to do something fun. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to make for meal prep this week but then I adventured to the farmers market where I saw some beautiful acorn squash and brussel sprouts! I absolutely adore brussel sprouts but I’ve only had acorn squash once and don’t remember being a big fan, but I wanted to branch out. There is also a stand with spices and spice mixes at the local farmers market and I picked up an amazing mix that I used for the week but you can absolutely use whatever you’ve got, or a mix of cumin, chili powder, and salt. One of my favs!
All of this has come together for an amazing meal prep – oven roasted chicken with my new spice mix and roasted acorn squash and brussels in the most tasty sauce with some toasted almonds for a bit of crunch. It’s got all the components you could want: super flavorful chicken, savory brussels, tasty squash, a sweet and tangy sauce, and a crunchy element from the almonds. Yum! However, if you’re not such a fan of brussels or acorn squash, there are so many options for substitutions on this one. Here’s some thoughts:
- the spice mix for the chicken – I used one called Thai Tang and it’s so good! But, if you don’t happen to have some, using a mix of cumin and chili powder definitely isn’t exactly the same but will be so, so tasty. Also, I baked my chicken but if you want to cook it on the stove top over medium heat for 5-6 mins per side while the veggies roast you can do that too!
- brussels & acorn squash – use whatever you’d like for teh veg! I opted for one starchy option and one non-starchy, but do what makes you happy. the sauce for it will work on basically anything, but the cooking time might change depending on what you’re using.
- almonds – the crunchy element here is crucial! if not almonds you can use whatever kind of nut you’d like, just don’t skip toasting them.
That’s it! So tasty, so simple, and I can’t wait to eat it all week.
Chicken with Brussel Sprouts and Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- ~1lb brussels sprouts
- 4-5 medium shallots
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-3 chicken breasts
- 2-3 Tbsp spice mix (see above for substitution options)
How to do it
- prep: preheat the oven to 400*. cut the acorn squash in half and then into 1/2″ slices and cut those in half. quarter the brussel sprouts and shallots
- roast the veg: combine the veg, olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. roast in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes until the veggies are soft and easily pierced with a fork. while they’re roasting, prep the chicken and make the sauce
- prep the chicken: trim off any fat and season liberally with salt and the spice mix. place on a sheet pan and set aside until the veggies are done
- make the sauce: in a medium pan, heat the honey over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes until it deepens in color. it’ll foam but don’t worry!
- remove the honey from the heat and add the vinegar and red pepper flakes. stir until smoothly combined, then return to the heat and add the butter and salt. cook until thickened, about 5-6 minutes. set aside
- cook the chicken: once the veg are done, increase the oven to 425* and bake the chicken for 12-17 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temp of 160* in the thickest part of the meat. let rest before cooking
- finish the veg: combine the veggies, toasted almonds, and the sauce in a large bowl
- enjoy: if eating immediately, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying! if using for meal prep, let cool completely before storing in airtight containers. reheat in the microwave and enjoy!
[…] with them this time though, so I used a tangy sauce I once put on acorn squash (see that recipe here!) and it was the best […]