Chicken and Orzo Stuffed Acorn Squash
October 16th, 2008
Last week I was at an open-air produce market near the University District, and encountered a pile of perfect acorn squash. They were small and firm, heavy for their size, and had a dull finish. So I picked up a green acorn squash for a savory dish and a white acorn squash for an apple-stuffed dessert. Although I originally had visions of a chilled orzo-and-squash salad, I encountered a cheddar-and-orzo stuffed squash recipe and decided that a baked casserole of sorts would be perfect for a chilly fall evening. To make it a satisfying meal, I added chicken for body and almonds for crunch. I also used nutmeg, which enriched the white sauce and added flavor.
Acorn squashes are perfect as serving vessels. They’re small and adorable. Their yellow-orange flesh is sweet but rather bland, so it serves as a good background for its filling while not overpowering it. The texture is lovely, especially with the combination of crunch from the almonds and richness from the cheese. It’s the perfect meal to warm and fill you on those early autumn nights.
Chicken and Orzo Stuffed Acorn Squash
This recipe is designed for two, but it can be easily doubled (or tripled or quadrupled…!)
- 1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup orzo (or any other small pasta, like mini conchiglie or meloni)
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 chicken breast, shredded
- 3 Tablespoons slivered almonds
- Tabasco, to taste
- salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- 1/4 cup parmesan
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice a thin strip from the bottom of each acorn squash half, so they will be able to stand as serving dishes. Fill a roasting pan with 1 cup water, place the squash halves cut side down in the pan (slightly raised if possible). Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake approximately 35 minutes, until squash is tender. Remove from oven and maintain oven temperature. Salt and pepper the cut sides.
Boil water and add the orzo. Cook for approximately 5 minutes (half the required cooking time). Drain. Return orzo to pot. Add milk and chicken broth. Boil approximately 5 minutes. Add the cheddar, chicken, almonds, tabasco, and nutmeg. Stir as the mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Fill the acorn squash halves with the mixture. Divide the parmesan, sprinkle on the two halves.
Bake an additional 25 minutes until browned. Enjoy!