Green Chef

Cajun Chicken with Dijonnaise & Bacon

Butternut squash, bell pepper, celery, tomato, pecans

⏱️ 30 min 🍽️ 2 servings

Cooking Tips

For an easy peel, use a sharp knife to cut away butternut squash skin if you don't have a sharp peeler. Adjust heat for bacon as needed to avoid burning. Add more oil if veggies are dry when sautéing.

Ingredients

8.5 oz Butternut Squash
1 whole Green Bell Pepper
1 whole Celery
0.5 whole Red Onion
1 whole Roma Tomato
1.25 oz Pecans
2 whole Chicken Cutlets
1 tsp Cajun Spice Blend
4 oz Bacon
1 tbsp Smoky Mustard-Celery Blend
1 oz Creole Dijonnaise with Avocado Mayo
0 Cooking Oil
0 Salt
0 Pepper

Tools

medium sauté pan large sauté pan baking sheet medium bowl measuring spoons peeler thermometer oven mitt spoon sharp knife paper towels foil

Mise en Place

Prepare butternut squash

Remove any seeds from butternut squash with a spoon. Carefully peel and medium dice into pieces, about ½ inch each.

Chop vegetables

Medium dice green bell pepper into ½ inch pieces. Slice celery at an angle into ¼ inch thick pieces. Cut ends off red onion, discard peel, halve lengthwise and medium dice half the onion (use whole onion for 4 servings) into ½ inch pieces. Medium dice Roma tomato into ⅛ inch pieces.

Chop pecans

Roughly chop pecans, if necessary.

Prepare chicken cutlets

Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. (Do not season until the cooking step to maintain their texture.)

Gather and prepare equipment

Get out a medium sauté pan, large sauté pan, baking sheet, medium bowl, measuring spoons, peeler, and parchment or foil for the baking sheet. Also, have cooking oil, salt, and pepper ready.

Cooking Steps

Start Prep & Roast Squash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove any seeds from butternut squash with a spoon. Carefully peel with a sharp peeler. Medium dice into pieces, about ½ inch each. Spread squash out in a single layer on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons cooking oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Roast 18-20 minutes, or until fork-tender, stirring halfway through.

Finish Prep

Medium dice green bell pepper into pieces, about ½ inch each. Slice celery across at an angle into pieces, about ¼ inch thick. Cut ends off red onion and discard peel. Halve lengthwise; medium dice half the onion (whole onion for 4 servings) into pieces, about ½ inch each. Medium dice Roma tomato into pieces, about ⅛ inch each.

Toast Pecans

Roughly chop pecans if necessary. Place pecans in a large dry sauté pan over medium heat. Toast 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant, shaking pan frequently. Transfer pecans to a plate. (Reserve pan.)

Season & Cook Chicken

Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Place in a medium bowl. Season with 1 teaspoon Cajun spice blend (2 teaspoons for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons cooking oil. Turn to coat. Heat 1½ tablespoons cooking oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken to hot pan. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a cutting board.

Cook Bacon

Heat pan used for pecans over medium-high heat. Add bacon to hot pan. Cook 6-10 minutes, or until crispy and fat renders, flipping occasionally. Turn off heat; transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but a thin layer of bacon fat from pan. Once bacon is cool enough to handle, roughly chop.

Sauté Veggies

Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in pan with bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, celery, and onion to hot pan. Season with smoky mustard-celery blend, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until fork-tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add tomato and squash. Stir to combine.

Plate Your Dish

Cut chicken cutlets into 5-7 slices each. Divide Cajun chicken between plates. Drizzle with Creole Dijonnaise with avocado mayo to taste. Pile veggies on the side. Garnish with toasted pecans and bacon. Enjoy!

← Click anywhere to see ingredients