Chicken & Butternut Bake in Pesto Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Casseroles & Oven Bakes
- Method: Broiling
Description
A simple but really delicious casserole dish that’s a crowd-pleaser. Friends and family will love this hearty chicken and butternut bake.
Ingredients
Chicken and Butternut Bake
1 medium butternut, peeled, deseeded and cut into 8 wedges
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 chicken breasts, on the bone
Olive oil, to drizzle
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pesto Sauce
50 g butter
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp (50 ml) cake flour
2 C (500 ml) full cream milk
¼ C (60 ml) basil pesto
Salt and pepper, to taste
Gratin Topping
½ C (125 ml) fresh breadcrumbs
½ C (125 ml) finely grated parmesan cheese
Extra basil pesto, to serve
Instructions
Chicken and Butternut Bake
Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Place the butternut wedges, onion and rosemary onto a greased baking tray. Arrange the chicken breasts on top (skin side up).
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes and then remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Once cooled, remove the meat from the skin and bones. Shred into bite size pieces. Break the butternut wedges into bite size pieces and pull the onion wedges apart.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180 °C.
Pesto Sauce
In a saucepan, heat the butter and add the flour while mixing to form a roux.
Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk over moderate heat until the mixture has thickened and just starts to bubble.
Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto. Season to taste.
Gratin Topping
Combine the gratin ingredients.
To Assemble
Arrange the chicken, butternut and onion in a greased, medium-sized baking dish. Pour the sauce over and sprinkle generously with the crumb mixture.
Bake for ±25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Serve with an extra dollop of pesto and enjoy with a crispy salad on the side.
