This recipe is a delicious and quick fall dinner that your whole family will love. Juicy chicken is smothered in creamy mushroom and butternut squash sauce. Serve it with potatoes, pasta, or gnocchi for a flavorful weeknight meal!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this dish:
- Chicken – I used chicken breast but also boneless chicken thighs can be used (they may require a little longer cooking time). Turkey breast can also be used.
- Butternut squash – I used raw cubed butternut squash for this recipe. Alternatively, you can use raw pumpkin, pumpkin puree (or butternut squash puree), or even leftover roasted butternut squash if you have some on hand. I prefer to use raw butternut squash because it’s the quickest way to make this recipe. Just make sure it’s chopped really small or it may take too long to cook and you will overcook the mushrooms. This sauce is also amazing with pumpkin puree – it thickens it naturally. If using raw butternut squash/other types of squash or raw pumpkin, cooking time may slightly vary depending on the pumpkin/squash type.
- Mushrooms – I used cremini mushrooms (baby bella) but also easier-to-get white button mushrooms can be used. Cremini mushrooms taste a little better.
- Cream – you can use sour cream or heavy cream for this recipe but I prefer using sour cream. Tangy sour cream works here perfectly and balances rather heavy mushrooms and pumpkin. It also makes the sauce a little bit lighter. When using pumpkin puree I would add heavy cream though. If using heavy cream you need to add something acidic to the sauce such as Worcestershire sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice.
How to make it step by step
STEP 1: Prepare the ingredients: cut mushrooms into thick slices, butternut squash into very small cubes (1/4-1/3 inch or 5-7mm), dice the onion, finely chop garlic, and dill.
STEP 2: Prepare the chicken: cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Pound each cutlet in its thickest part slightly. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge in flour on all sides, shake off excess flour.
STEP 3: Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add in the chicken pieces. Cook for about 3 minutes, until golden, turn over and cook for further 2-3 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
STEP 4: Prepare the sauce: Add the mushrooms and butternut squash to the pan in an even layer. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes without stirring letting them brown at the bottom. Start stirring and cook for about 1 minute.
STEP 5: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add onion, cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
STEP 6: Add the cream, broth, and nutmeg, cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the butternut squash soft. Don‘t worry if the sour cream breaks into small clumps – the sauce will be smooth again after cooking it for a few minutes.
Assemble: Season the sauce with salt and pepper, stir in chopped dill. Place the chicken in the sauce to warm up. Serve.
Enjoy!
Storage
This dish reheats very well. Store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and reheat in a pan.
More fall dinner recipes you may like
- white lasagna with pumpkin and mushrooms
- turkey roulade with butternut squash, mushroom and cranberry stuffing
- creamy chanterelle sauce
- balsamic chicken with figs
- buckwheat risotto with chicken and chanterelle mushrooms
- Chicken and Gnocchi in Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce
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Chicken with Creamy Butternut Squash and Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts about 1 lb (450g)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons frying oil
- 7 ounces (200g) cremini mushrooms
- 1 cup (120g) butternut squash cut into very small cubes
- 1 medium onion or 2 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup sour cream 12%, 120g
- ½ cup chicken broth 120g
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: cut mushrooms into thick slices, butternut squash into very small cubes (1/4-1/3 inch or 5-7mm), dice the onion, finely chop garlic, and dill.
- Prepare the chicken: cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Pound each cutlet in its thickest part slightly. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge in flour on all sides, shake off excess flour.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add in the chicken pieces. Cook for about 3 minutes, until golden, turn over and cook for further 2-3 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Prepare the sauce: Add the mushrooms and butternut squash to the pan in an even layer. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes without stirring letting them brown at the bottom. Start stirring and cook for about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add onion, cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the cream, broth, and nutmeg, cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened and butternut squash soft. Don‘t worry if the sour cream breaks into small clumps – the sauce will be smooth again after cooking it for a few minutes.
- Assemble: Season the sauce with salt and pepper, stir in chopped dill. Place the chicken in the sauce to warm up. Serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Butternut squash substitute: you use raw pumpkin/butternut squash or pumpkin puree. Both versions are delicious. If using pumpkin puree, add 2/3 of a cup, add it later along with the broth and cream.
- What to serve it with: potatoes and green beans, gnocchi or pasta.
- Instead of sour cream, you can use heavy cream + 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or lemon juice. I prefer using sour cream in this recipe.
- Calories count = 1/4 of the recipe (1 serving). This is only an estimate.
2 Comments
Sonia
29 January 2019 at 00:43I made this recipe, when I googled the ingredients I had available, mushrooms, butternut squash , and chicken breast. I changed it up. I dredged the chicken in flour, salt and pepper. I cooked the chicken with EVOO and Butter. then followed the rest of the recipe as written. Used onion since i didn’t have shallots. It was so delicious. Thank you.
Aleksandra
29 January 2019 at 08:57Thank you for your comment, I’m so glad you liked the dish! 🙂