Butternut Squash Orzo with Goat Cheese and Chicken Thighs
Creamy Orzo with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese, and Chicken Thighs is the perfect cozy meal for a cold winter night. It’s (mostly) a one-pan meal, making it a super easy meal to make with minimal cleanup (perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion dinner at home). It’s one of my (and my girlfriend’s) favorite recipes because the flavors of the butternut squash and goat cheese pair so perfectly together, and the brown sugar rub on the chicken thighs is SO good!
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Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo with Goat Cheese and Chicken Thighs
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s (mostly) made in one pan. You’ll roast the butternut squash on a sheet pan in the oven, but the rest of the meal comes together in a single pan. The minimal cleanup makes it perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
- It’s the perfect combination of flavors. You’ll LOVE the brown sugar rub on the chicken thighs, because it creates this perfectly caramelized skin that adds a touch of sweetness to the dish. It’s balanced out with the creaminess of the goat cheese mixed into the savory orzo base. The butternut squash adds a little extra sweetness and texture to the orzo.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions at home. Hosting a date night, girls night, or a small dinner party at home? This is the perfect meal for the occasion because it tastes and looks like an entree from a nice restaurant. It’s so simple to make, that it makes a perfect weeknight meal, too!
- It’s comfort in a dish. The warmth of the flavors plus arguably the best cut of chicken–the bone-in, skin-on thigh–makes this meal super hearty and comforting.
- It’s the perfect seasonal recipe. Butternut squash is a winter squash, so take advantage of these colder months by making this warm and comforting dish with in-season produce!
Ingredients f or Goat Cheese and Butternut Squash Orzo with Chicken
- Butternut Squash: A winter squash with a bright yellowish-orange color. It’s rich in fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients. It’s a nutrient-dense vegetable with nutrients that support digestive, skin, eye, and heart health, among many other things. It’s also freakin’ DELICIOUS and adds a touch of sweetness to the orzo.
- Chicken: I highly suggest using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You can also roast a whole chicken and serve the orzo as a side. If you prefer another cut of chicken, with or without skin and bones, that’s totally up to you, but my favorite for this recipe is a thick and juicy chicken thigh with skin and bones!
- Brown sugar: This is my super simple secret ingredient to making the best chicken thighs with a caramelized skin.
- Orzo: One of my favorite pasta is orzo, which is an Italian pasta shape that resembles long rice.
- Aromatics: The combination of shallot, garlic, and fresh sage are cooked in oil as a base for the flavor of this delicious dish!
- Goat Cheese: Adds the perfect amount of creaminess and tanginess to this dish.
- Parmesan Cheese: Because, why not! Parmesan adds some salty cheesiness to the orzo.
How to Make Butternut Squash Orzo with Chicken
Scroll down to read the full recipe, but here is an overview of the recipe for roasted butternut squash and goat cheese orzo with brown sugar chicken thighs!
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use a high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. My favorite is a good quality stainless steel pan, perfect for getting crispy skin on the chicken, and tall enough to contain all of the ingredients when cooking the orzo in simmering broth.
- Make this recipe vegetarian: Remove the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
- Make this recipe vegan: While I haven’t test a vegan version, my suggestion would be to remove the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Replace goat cheese and parmesan with a splash of coconut milk for creaminess and nutritional yeast for a cheesy taste.
- Make this recipe gluten-free: Use long-grain rice instead of orzo.
- Add some veggies: A hearty winter green like kale or chard would be a great addition to this dish! You can also add spinach to the orzo along with the butternut squash. If you prefer to serve greens on the side, my favorite green to pair with this is broccolini or broccoli.
- Switch up the protein: You could serve this with your favorite cut of steak instead of chicken, or use my Thanksgiving Turkey Meatball recipe, but remove the gravy and just use the turkey meatball base recipe!
- Make-ahead tip: You can cube and roast the butternut squash ahead of time. Just store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before cooking.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator storage: Store the orzo and the chicken in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer storage: While I don’t recommend storing whole cooked chicken thighs in the freezer, you can store leftover orzo in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. For the chicken, if you want to store it with the orzo in the freezer, remove the bones and shred the meat to mix into the orzo before storing.
- Reheat on the stovetop: Set a large skillet on the stovetop on medium-low heat with a small amount of olive oil or butter. Add the cooked orzo and chicken. I like to add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cover the skillet to allow to food to steam. Stir occasionally and serve once warmed through.
- Reheat in the microwave: Reheat refrigerated leftovers in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or more, if needed. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Vegetable Peeler
- Large stainless steel skillet
- Measuring cup
- Microplane or box grater
Creamy Butternut Squash Orzo with Goat Cheese and Chicken Thighs
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner, One Pan Meal
- Method: One-Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Description
This creamy butternut squash orzo with goat cheese and chicken thighs is the perfect cozy meal to take advantage of winter produce. And the best part is, it’s (mostly) made in a single pan! Perfect for easy weeknight meals or a special occasion dinner at home.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Salt & pepper
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced into small cubes
- 6–10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz goat cheese
- 2–4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Peel the butternut squash, then scoop out the seeds. Dice the squash into small cubes (no bigger than 1/2 inch). Spread the butternut squash onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (use two sheets if needed to avoid overcrowding). Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the squash, then season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss to coat. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing the squash halfway through cooking.
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Cook the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Combine brown sugar with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, then rub the brown sugar mixture onto the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1-2 tbsp oil. Cook chicken skin side down for 5-7 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165°F. Remove from the pan and set aside.
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Cook the aromatics. Using the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add shallot and sage to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir, cooking for 1 minute.
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Cook the orzo. Add orzo to the pan and toss with the aromatics. Then add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking until most of the chicken broth is absorbed and pasta is almost al dente.
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Add goat cheese and squash. Add goat cheese to the orzo and stir until melted and incorporated. Fold in the cooked butternut squash, then stir in freshly grated Parmesan.
- Serve and enjoy! Plate the orzo and top with cooked chicken thighs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 735
- Sugar: 7.4 g
- Sodium: 934.1 mg
- Fat: 44.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Protein: 43.4 g
- Cholesterol: 199.3 mg
truly one of the best recipes I’ve tried. I prep the butternut squash ahead of time so dinner comes together quickly. the brown sugar on the chicken is so good, creating caramelized crispy chicken skin. I will make this again and again!