Butternut, Sage, and Chicken Casserole

Growing my own butternut squash wasn’t in the cards for me this year, which is why I’m over here at 11pm at night and crying into my chamomile tea and longing for a fall garden to harvest. But for now, I make sacrifices so we can have freedom to explore the US this year in our RV. 

I, absolutely, love butternut squash. I don’t just love it cause it’s beautiful and has the most amazing real rood, color therapy, but I love it’s sweet, decadent taste…especially slathered in butter. 

And after a 2.5 month trip around the Western United States, we plopped our RV down in Florida for the fall and winter seasons, and I’m cooking up all kinds of things. 

This means I have a FULL-SIZE oven again! I’m too scared to use our RV oven, so I’m borrowing my family’s and am so excited to get back to some therapeutic kitchen cooking where I can spread out. 

I snagged a beautiful butternut squash at the local farmer’s market and couldn’t wait to share this perfect fall recipe. 

Enjoy!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAGE AND CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Dairy, nut, gluten, grain free  

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 57 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 sprigs sage, minced 
• 2 teaspoons fine Himalayan salt, divided
• ½ head of cauliflower 
• 3 cloves garlic
• ½ can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk (7 ounces)
• 1 pound pastured chicken breast, diced into ¼ inch cubes 
• 1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 slices uncured bacon, diced  
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
• 3 large pastured egg yolks 

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.

Prepare the butternut squash and place it in the casserole dish. Toss with coconut oil, 1 teaspoon salt and minced sage. Spread the butternut squash on the bottom of casserole dish and set it in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 20 minutes. 

While the squash cooks, dice the cauliflower and combine it in a small pot with the garlic cloves, coconut milk and ½ teaspoons salt. Set to simmer over medium heat with a tight fitting lid on it. You can also do this in your electric pressure cooker. 

Now toss the diced chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and honey. When the 20 minutes are up open the oven, carefully mix the butternut squash. Distribute the chicken and bacon in one even layer over it. Close the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. 

Once the cauliflower is fork tender transfer it along with the garlic and coconut milk to a blender. Puree until completely smooth, adding in the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Let it cool down for a few minutes then blend with the blender on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time.

When the timer is up, open the oven again and pour the cauliflower sauce all over the casserole. Use a spatula to gently mix it in and close the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes then broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving. 

If you wish, you can garnish with fried sage which looks amazing and tastes even better! 

Time saving tips: Purchase diced butternut squash and/or cauliflower from the grocery store. 

Make the sauce ahead of time to free you up while the casserole bakes.

Butternut, Sage, and Chicken Casserole

2017-10-25 01:42:22

Serves 8

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

57 min

Total Time

1 hr 7 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

57 min

Total Time

1 hr 7 min

Ingredients

1. 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2. 1 tablespoon coconut oil
3. 2 sprigs sage, minced
4. 2 teaspoons fine Himalayan salt, divided
5. ½ head of cauliflower
6. 3 cloves garlic
7. ½ can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk (7 ounces)
8. 1 pound chicken breast, diced into ¼ inch cubes
9. 1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
10. 1 teaspoon ground ginger
11. 1 teaspoon black pepper
12. ½ teaspoon cinnamon
13. 4 slices bacon, diced
14. ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
15. 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
16. 3 large egg yolks

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
2. Prepare the butternut squash and place it in the casserole dish. Toss with coconut oil, 1 teaspoon salt and minced sage. Spread the butternut squash on the bottom of casserole dish and set it in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
3. While the squash cooks, dice the cauliflower and combine it in a small pot with the garlic cloves, coconut milk and ½ teaspoons salt. Set to simmer over medium heat with a tight fitting lid on it. You can also do this in your electric pressure cooker.
4. Now toss the diced chicken with ½ teaspoon salt, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper and honey. When the 20 minutes are up open the oven, carefully mix the butternut squash. Distribute the chicken and bacon in one even layer over it. Close the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes.
5. Once the cauliflower is fork tender transfer it along with the garlic and coconut milk to a blender. Puree until completely smooth, adding in the nutritional yeast and nutmeg. Let it cool down for a few minutes then blend with the blender on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time.
6. When the timer is up, open the oven again and pour the cauliflower sauce all over the casserole. Use a spatula to gently mix it in and close the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes then broil for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving.
7. If you wish, you can garnish with fried sage which looks amazing and tastes even better!

Notes

1. Time saving tips: Purchase diced butternut squash or frozen from the grocery store.
2. Make the sauce ahead of time to free you up while the casserole bakes.

By The Paleo Mama

The Paleo Mama https://thepaleomama.com/