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December 10, 2018

Roasted Butternut Squash Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Couscous

Delicious, cheesy broccoli cheddar chicken couscous with sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash. You’ll love this easy, cozy and quick dinner recipe for any night of the week! 

broccoli cheddar chicken couscous in a bowl with a title below it

Welcome back from #AKCookieWeek! I hope you had a delicious weekend. Sarah was here and after 3 Chicago bridal shops, she finally found her perfect dress. So exciting!

I sent her home with today’s recipe and I can’t wait to share it with you too.

broccoli cheddar chicken couscous in a pot next to a spoon

Here’s the deal. Tony and I were deliriously hungry one night but couldn’t make up our minds as to where we should go out to eat. Sometimes figuring out and agreeing on a restaurant is much like figuring out what we’re going to watch on Netflix. We just can’t decide.

After about an hour of going back and forth on which restaurant we were going to go out to, I opened the fridge and decided that I was simply going to whip something up. I pulled out chicken breast, broccoli and cheddar cheese. Then I peeked into the cupboard and found the last of my very favorite pearl couscous (which basically taste like mini baby gnocchi) and knew what was about to go down.

About 30 minutes later, Tony and I were having a fabulous, filling, veggie and protein-packed dinner while watching some weird documentary about Scottish wild cats on Netflix. Ha.

broccoli cheddar chicken couscous in a pot

The next day there were leftovers, so I decided to roast some butternut squash that needed to used up and add it to the dish. OH MY GOSH, it was fabulous — sweet, spicy, cheesy, savory and SO good I knew I had to remake it for the blog.

I will say that the couscous really takes the dish to the next level. It’s slightly chewy and doughy, which gives it a pasta-like flavor/texture. Please note: It is important that you use pearl or Israeli couscous to keep the texture of the dish.

broccoli cheddar chicken couscous in a ceramic bowl with a spoon

Not only is this recipe delicious, but also packed with lots of veggies, lean protein and FLAVOR! I also can’t forget to mention that it’s pretty easy to whip up. Basically this is like a healthy version of mac and cheese with veggies and protein. I’M SO INTO IT.

The broccoli florets actually steams in the pot with the couscous, then you add in your cooked chicken, roasted butternut squash and cheese. Stir it all together and you’ve got yourself an easy weeknight dinner. Tony says it’s delicious with a little hot sauce on top, if that’s your thing!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to rate it below and leave a comment! You can also use the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram. Enjoy – xo!

broccoli cheddar chicken couscous in a ceramic bowl with a spoon

 See how to make the chicken couscous:

More recipes with butternut squash:

Butternut Squash, Chickpea & Lentil Moroccan Stew

Spicy Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchiladas with Chipotle Greek Yogurt Sauce

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Skillet

Winter Roasted Butternut Squash Black Lentil Salad with Grapes + Arugula

Spicy Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Bacon

Roasted Butternut Squash Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Couscous

4.87 from 22 votes
Leave A Review Print Recipe
Course Dinner
Keyword chicken couscous
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Serves 4
Delicious, cheesy broccoli cheddar chicken couscous with sweet and spicy roasted butternut squash. You'll love this easy, cozy and healthy dinner recipe for any night of the week!

Ingredients

  • For the butternut squash:
  • 4 cups cubed butternut squash (from about 2 pounds butternut squash)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper
  • For the chicken:
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized chunks (can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper
  • For the broccoli cheddar couscous:
  • 1 3/4 cup water or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup israeli (or pearl) couscous
  • 1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 3 ½ cups broccoli florets)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place butternut squash cubes on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle on chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Generously season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss together so that the squash is well coated. 
  2. Bake for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the squash is tender. Once done, allow to rest on baking sheet until you are ready to add to the rest of the dish.
  3. While the squash is cooking, cook your chicken breast. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add in chicken. Immediately sprinkle with garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 5-8 minutes until no longer pink. Remove from heat and set skillet aside or transfer to a bowl.
  4. To make the couscous: In this order add the following to a large pot or dutch oven: water, couscous and broccoli florets. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes total; check after 5 minutes and give everything a stir. 
  5. Replace the lid and allow to cook for 3-5 more minutes to absorb the water. Stir again, and then add in cooked chicken and shredded cheddar. Stir to melt the cheddar.
  6.  Finally fold in the roasted butternut squash. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Enjoy! Serves 4.

Recipe Notes

To make vegetarian: Instead of chicken, feel free to use 1 can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or white beans. Add directly to couscous once it is done cooking.

To make gluten free: You can try using white basmati rice in place of the couscous, but please know that liquids and cooking times will differ.

To make vegan: Instead of using cheese, try using 1/2 Siete queso, a vegan queso. You can also make a homemade cashew cheese sauce and blend in.

Nutrition
Servings: 4 servings
Serving size: 1 serving
Calories: 543kcal
Fat: 18.9g
Saturated fat: 6.8g
Carbohydrates: 26.4g
Fiber: 6.3g
Sugar: 8g
Protein: 42.4g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen Photography by: Sasha of Eat Love Eat

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