Roasted Chicken Salad with Butternut Squash, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Roasted butternut squash is a fall favorite.  I prefer roasting to any other method because I love the crispy charred exterior. I used the sheet pan method and roasted bone-in chicken and walnuts on the sheet pan along with the squash.  I then combined the pan-drippings with the dressing and finished the whole thing with sliced red grapes and blue cheese. It’s worthy of company and the sheet pan method makes it incredibly easy for a weeknight dinner.

Tip:

Butternut squash is readily available pre-cut.  It’s one of the few veggies I definitely approve of short-cutting. It will save you lots of time without losing quality.

Roasted Chicken Salad with Butternut Squash, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

 

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Author: Tonja Engen

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
• 4 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 butternut squash or 2-3 cups pre-cut
• ¾ cup walnut halves
• 2 Tbls. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbls. finely chopped shallot
• 2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
• 5-6 cups combination of mixed greens and baby arugula
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Rub the chicken breasts all over with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. Place the breasts on a sheet pan, skin-side up.
3. Cut squash into chunks about 1 inch thick. Put the squash in a large bowl and toss with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Arrange the squash in a single layer around the chicken on the sheet pan so that no pieces are touching. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping the squash pieces after 20 minutes and adding the walnuts to the pan for the last 5 minutes of roasting.
4. Remove the squash and walnuts from the sheet pan and set aside. Let the chicken pieces cool on the pan for a couple of minutes, Transfer the meat to a cutting board, reserving any juices that have found their way onto the pan, and slice the breasts across the grain into roughly 1-inch- thick slices.
5. Pour the vinegar onto the sheet pan where the chicken had been. Scrape up any golden brown bits from the pan, then scrape the vinegar and any chicken juices and drippings on the pan into a small bowl; add any juices or bits from the cutting board as well. Add the shallot and mustard and whisk to combine. Whisk in the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Pour half of the dressing over greens and toss. Add all ingredients to the salad along with the rest of the dressing, toss again and serve.

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