One Pan Chicken with Bacon and Acorn Squash

One Pan Chicken with Bacon and Acorn Squash is a fall weeknight dream. Tender chicken breasts are seasoned in a sweet and savory rub and baked with McCormick Grill Mates Brown Sugar Bourbon Bacon, plenty of sweet acorn squash, and lots of fresh sage. From start to finish One Pan Chicken takes less than 45 minutes to make, of which, most is hands off.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword sheet pan chicken, one pan chicken, sheet pan dinner

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 460kcal

Author Nicole

Cost $25

Equipment

Small skillet
Large rimmed baking sheet
Mixing bowl

Ingredients

5 slices mccormick brown sugar bourbon bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 small chicken breasts
1/2 large acorn squash, sliced into half moons about 1/4-inch thick
1 tbsp chopped sage, plus a 5-6 whole leaves for garnish

Instructions

30 minutes before cooking, if you have time, set the chicken out so it can come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread bacon on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes or until the bacon begins to render about 1 tablespoon of fat. While using oven mitts, drain the bacon fat from the corner of the pan. Reserve.
While the bacon cooks, add butter to a small skillet. Turn the heat on medium-high. Once the butter begins to melt and brown on the edges, swirl the pan. Continue to swirl the pan until the butter turns a deep brown and smells nutty. Pour into a medium bowl to cool.
Once the butter has cooled slightly (about 1 minute), add brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, and half of the sage to the bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken breasts and use your hands to massage the rub into the breasts. Season the chicken on both sides with about 1 teaspoon of salt and a little bit of freshly cracked black pepper. Place the chicken breasts around the bacon on the sheet pan. Make sure there is no bacon under the chicken, as you want the bacon to crisp up.
Add the squash to the bowl you tossed the chicken in. Toss the squash with one tablepsoon of the bacon grease and remaining salt, sage, and black pepper. Spread the squash on the baking sheet around the chicken. Use tongs to make sure the bacon isn't being covered by the squash or chicken.
Bake until chicken is cooked through, squash is roasted, and bacon is crisp, about 30-35 minutes. If the bacon begins to get too crisp or starts to burn, use the tongs to remove the bacon. Add it back to the pan when the chicken and squash are finished cooking. Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

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