Autumn Chicken Dinner with Roasted Vegetables

 Ingredients

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 3 cups butternut squash peeled, seeded, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper

Roasted Brussels sprouts

• 12 oz Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Chicken and Tortellini

• 9 oz cheese tortellini
• 1 lb chicken thighs skinless, boneless
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• black pepper freshly ground, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• fresh thyme

Instructions 

Roasted Butternut Squash

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Make sure the butternut squash is peeled, seeded, and cubed. Here is a very detailed recipe on how to peel, seed, cube, and roast butternut squash.
• In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
• Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.

Roasted Brussels sprouts

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves. Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
• In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Spread the Brussels sprouts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
• Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for 20 or 30 minutes. You can roast them at the same time you roast butternut squash. Remove from oven.

Chicken and tortellini

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add tortellini and cook according to the package instructions. Drain.
• Slice skinless, boneless chicken thighs into thin strips. Season generously with smoked paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat an empty large cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sliced chicken thighs in a single layer, without overcrowding. You might have to work in batches. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 4 minutes, without moving it at all so that it sears nicely.
• Flip the chicken slices over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer until it's cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.
• To the same, now empty, cast-iron skillet, add butter and minced garlic. Cook on low-medium heat for about 1 or 2 minutes or until the garlic softens.
• Add cooked tortellini and coat thoroughly with the garlic butter sauce on low-medium heat.
• Add back cooked chicken and stir to coat the chicken with the garlic butter sauce on low-medium heat. Remove from heat.
• Add roasted butternut squash and roasted Brussels sprouts to the skillet with cooked chicken and cooked tortellini. If you used a large skillet, everything should fit. If not, work in batches. Top with fresh thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.