Ale Infused Italian Chicken Stuffed Squash
Image Credit: Hellsgeriatric
Keeping with the resolutions I made just the other day, I’m starting out the new year by cooking with a food I’m not all that comfortable with. Squash.
Sure, I’m fine with Pumpkins, Zucchini, and Yellow Squash is easy as well. Other types of squash, however, always confused me. My mom (who taught me to cook) never really used squash when we were growing up, so I didn’t really have much opportunity to learn. (An irony since I worked at a produce stand in high school and we sold several varieties.
So, my last trip to the grocery, I picked up a Hubbard Squash to cook with. After looking up several recipes, I figured out that all you really need to do to cook most types of squash is throw them in the oven with some liquid to help moisten them.
So I took that advice and grabbed some ingredients out of the fridge and figured out the following recipe.
Ale Infused Italian Chicken Stuffed Squash
Ingredients:
- 2 small Hubbard Squash
- 1 large Chicken Breast
- 1 (12 oz) Amber Ale
- 1 cup Rice
- 4 cups Water
- 6 Sun Dried Tomatoes
- 1 medium Green Pepper
- 1/2 large Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Butter
Directions:
- Overnight, hydrate the Sun Dried Tomatoes in 1 cup Water.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C.)
- Slice Squash into halves and scoop out innards and seeds.
- Place on a cooking sheet with a toothpick laid flat to hold off the sheet.
- Pour Amber Ale onto the sheet and move Squash to ensure liquid is able to flow underneath the halves.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the Squash is thoroughly softened.
- While the Squash is baking, dice your Onion, Green Pepper, and Garlic into a large bowl.
- Add Sun Dried Tomatoes to the Vegetables.
- Add Italian Seasoning, Pepper and 1 tsp Salt to the Vegetables and mix.
- Dice Chicken Breast.
- In a large skillet add brown the Chicken in the Olive Oil.
- Toss in Vegetables and cook thoroughly.
- In a small pot, cook Rice with remaining Water, 1 tsp Salt, and Butter.
- When the Rice is cooked, add it to the cooked Chicken and Vegetables.
- Using a spoon, scrape through the cooked insides of the Squash making sure not to penetrate the skin.
- Mix Rice and Chicken into the Squash making the still intact skin into a bowl to hold the mixture.
- Serve.
I made this the other day, and it was great. The Squash added just the right texture and flavoring. I’ll definitely be making this again, possibly with different types of squash.
So, now I’ve tried something new. What other ways are there to make or use Squash that I haven’t figured out yet? Leave your comments below or send me a message on Twitter or Facebook.
Featured Image Credit: Niquinho
About the Author
Chef Beer, or Mark Miller as he's traditionally known, is a Phoenix based techie, foodie, and social media fiend. He loves cooking, blogging, watching too much TV, and hanging out in Downtown Phoenix with his two dogs. He's also happy to show up wherever and whenever anyone who wants to grab a beer.
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