Skillet Creamy Squash and Beans with Chicken and Ricotta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 cups cubed butternut squash (from ~ 1.5 lb squash)*
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp chopped or thinly sliced sage (optional)**
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, smashed, chopped, or thinly sliced
1 ½ cups water
4 cups loosely packed spinach or chopped kale*
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup ricotta cheese, for topping
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, for topping
Chopped parsley, for topping
*You can use 4 cups worth of any cubed winter squash. Or save time and use frozen butternut squash and/or frozen spinach or kale (5 cups worth).
*I don’t even bother peeling my butternut squash. The skin is perfectly edible (just wash it well), but if you don’t like the idea of skins in there, then feel free to peel it.
**Easily substitute with ½ tsp ground sage or add an extra teaspoon of fennel or thyme.

Pat the chicken dry and season it all over with enough salt and pepper to coat.
In a large skillet (with a lid), warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through (cover with a lid to speed things along). Transfer to a cutting board to slice up later.
To the skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, butternut squash, and ½ teaspoon salt. Give it a stir, then cook undisturbed for 3-5 mins or until some of the squash gets browned on the bottoms.
Stir in the sage, spices, and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add the water, scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the skillet, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the squash is soft and mash-able.
Use a fork or potato masher to mash up the squash. Stir in the greens, beans, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook for about 1-2 minutes or until the greens are softened, stirring often. If things are looking too dry, add in about ¼ cup or more water to create a looser/saucier consistency. Stir in the butter until it’s melted.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon. Taste and add more salt or lemon, if needed.
Slice up the chicken. Serve the squash/beans topped with chicken, a generous dollop of ricotta, parmesan, and parsley.

Substitutions:

To make vegetarian, replace the chicken with a vegetarian sausage or use two cans of beans. If using two cans of beans, add an extra ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce in with the beans.
To make vegan, see above + make my sunflower ricotta or top with any dairy-free cheese. Sub butter with a vegan butter alternative or skip it and sub with 2 tablespoons of tahini (add more water as needed).
Use any bean in place of chickpeas.
Sub ricotta with your cheese of choice (goat, feta, cottage).
You could use any winter squash variety.
Sub chicken with sausage or any other seasoned protein you’d like.

Store leftovers in an airtight container:
- Chicken: up to 4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
- Squash/chickpeas: up to 6 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.

The squash will thicken up in the fridge, so stir in some water as needed while reheating to get it to a saucy consistency.
Warm up squash/chickpeas in the microwave until just warm, stirring every minute. Place chicken on top and microwave until chicken is just warm. Top with all the toppings and a generous squeeze of lemon. You could also reheat the squash/chickpeas on the stove in a covered pot until just warm and top with chicken or stir the chicken into the mixture.
Put a fried egg on top.
The creamy squash pairs well with any protein - it would be really good with sausage.