Name: Harvest Chicken and Vegetable Skillet
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 slices of bacon, chopped; 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed; 3/4 cup diced yellow onion; 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash; 2 cups halved Brussels sprouts; 1 teaspoon grated garlic; 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning; 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 granny smith apple, diced; Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste; 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth; 2 teaspoons dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1/4 cup dried cranberries; 3 tablespoons toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Take advantage of seasonal produce and use it in this easy to make Harvest Chicken and Vegetable Skillet. It has the perfect combination of savory and sweet flavors with an unexpected, but delicious use of cinnamon in the spice blend.

I think it’s been long enough since I shared my last skillet recipe, so it’s time for another one! This Harvest Chicken and Vegetable Skillet is loaded with seasonal produce and fall flavors. It’s by far my favorite skillet recipe to make this time of year.

This past weekend was so fun! I finally got the chance to throw a party at our house. It was the first one we’ve had since moving to Colorado and I’ve sure missed doing it.

When I first started having get togethers I would stress out so much that I barely had any energy left by the time the party started. Luckily, I’ve wised up over the years and learned how to take a lot of the stress out of entertaining.

A few tips and trick I have if you’re thinking of throwing your own party are as follows.

Don’t try to make everything yourself. Buy some pre-made food. For this particular party we did a couple of charcuterie and cheese boards, shrimp and these Baked Brie and Fig Jam Bites. Aside from the brie and jam bites, one of the dips on the charcuterie board and of course dessert, I didn’t have to make a thing. Assembling the boards was what took the longest, but it wasn’t labor intensive.
Make a list. I had a couple lists going for this party. My grocery list as well as what would be going on each charcuterie and cheese board.
Do as much as you can ahead of time so that you aren’t running around like a crazy person on party day.
Have a glass of wine before guests arrive. I swear I’m not a lush, but boy does it take the edge off if you’re feeling stressed out!

So there you have it, Recipe Runner party tips to so you can keep calm and party on!

The day after a party I usually have no desire to do much cooking which is where this Harvest Chicken and Vegetable Skillet came in handy. Aside from some chopping of vegetables, there’s not much work involved and dinner will be on the table in 30 minutes or less.

The flavor of this skillet recipe is unreal and the perfect combination of savory and sweet with the unexpected, but delicious use of cinnamon in the spice blend. It’s a filling meal served on it’s own or you could serve it along with your favorite whole grain. Enjoy!

Harvest Chicken and Vegetable Skillet

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
2 cups halved Brussels sprouts
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 granny smith apple, diced
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons toasted pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

Heat skillet over medium heat and add in the chopped bacon. Cook the bacon until crisp and remove with a slotted spoon onto plate lined with paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and discard the rest.
Turn the heat up to medium-high with the tablespoon of bacon grease in the skillet. Add in the cubed chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken through, approximately 4-5 minutes, then remove onto the plate with the bacon.
If needed add another 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet, then add in the onion, butternut squash and Brussels sprouts. Season lightly with salt and pepper and sauté for approximately 10-12 minutes or until tender.
Add in the garlic, poultry seasoning, cinnamon, apple. Stir together and cook for another minute.
Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits.
Add the chicken and bacon back into the skillet, along with the dijon mustard and maple syrup. Stir together and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit. Taste for seasoning.
Remove from the heat and top with the dried cranberries and chopped pecans.

Notes

To make this recipe paleo, simply leave out the dijon (or use a paleo compliant homemade version) and make sure your dried cranberries aren't sweetened with sugar.