Balsamic Glazed Chicken With Rosemary and Balsamic Roasted Butternut Squash

This is a great combination of fall flavors all on one plate! The apples and orange in the chicken glaze go wonderfully with the butternut squash. A very unique and flavorful meal!! This recipe came out of the August 2010 Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken

• 1 orange
• 2/3 cup cinnamon applesauce (or add 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon to regular applesauce)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 lb chicken breasts sliced or chicken tenders
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• half of a shallot (optional)

Zest the orange and set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the juice of the orange, applesauce, vinegar, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

Slice the chicken breast into strips and season with salt & pepper.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and add chicken. Cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken and then add 1/2 cup of the applesauce mixture to the chicken. Cook 2-3 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with the fresh orange peel on top and the remainder of the applesauce mixture on the side.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar

I've been making this recipe for a quite a while now and we absolutely love it. I've yet to find a better way to cook a butternut squash. I found the recipe here.

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon rosemary finely chopped
• kosher salt & pepper to taste

Cut the top and bottom off the squash. Peel the squash. I use a vegetable peeler, but you can feel free to use whatever method you find easiest. I find it is best to peel down the squash instead of around it. There are too many angles to work around it. I am showing a series of pictures of how to cut the squash. I remember the first time I bought one I had no idea what to do with it!!

Cut the bulb off of the bottom of the squash and then cut the top portion in half.

Remove the seeds from the bulb of the squash with a spoon.

Slice the squash in even strips and then dice.

Spread the squash out on a cookie sheet and pour the olive oil and vinegar on top. Toss the squash in the oil/vinegar until evenly coated. Sprinkle the finely chopped rosemary on top and season with kosher salt & pepper to taste.

Bake in the oven @ 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes or until the squash has a nice golden color.

There really isn't a recipe for the salad. It is baby spinach with sliced red bell peppers, red onion and diced fresh mozzarella.