Name: Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2-3 lbs chicken (, bone-in breasts, thighs, or legs); salt + pepper (, to season chicken prior to chilling in the refrigerator); 2 small acorn squash (, halved, peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes); 4 cloves garlic (, unpeeled); 4 cloves garlic (, peeled & minced); 2 tbsp olive oil; ¼ cup light brown sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp rosemary (, dried or freshly chopped); ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 16-oz can sliced peaches in juice

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

I have never been a huge fan of squash until I realized it was all in the way it seasoned and cooked. Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash is one of my most favorite dinners! Flavor-filled and juicy chicken nestled in a mix of ground cinnamon, brown sugar, peaches, rosemary, and garlic creates a flavor that will make your tastebuds burst with joy! We love to serve it over a bed of rice to soak up the sweet, buttery juices from the veggies, fruit, and chicken.

baked chicken & cinnamon squash with peaches and rice coogans kitchen

chicken, peaches, and squash baked in a cast-iron skillet.

_{THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE SALES LINKS. These do not cost you anything additional but do assist us in running this site. If you have any questions, please see our AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE POLICY for more information. Also – as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.}

What do you need to make Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash?

This sweet and savory dish doesn’t require much and it is super easy to make!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Chicken, 4 pounds – breasts, thighs, legs, or all three!
Salt + pepper, for seasoning the chicken
Acorn squash, 2 small – halved, peeled, and cut into 2-inch cubes
Garlic, 8 cloves – 4 peeled & minced and 4 unpeeled
Vegetable oil, or olive oil – 1 tablespoon
Brown sugar, light – 1/2 cup – packed
Rosemary, dried or fresh – 2 tablespoons chopped
Ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon
Sliced peaches, 1 – 16-ounce can

How to make Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash?

First, you will need to preheat your oven to 400° F.

Pre-salting …

Then, in a large bowl or a disposable pan, generously salt and pepper the chicken pieces, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and then refrigerate while you assemble the ingredients and chop the veggies. The longer you can chill the chicken in salt and pepper the better. Pre-salting changes the cells in the chicken and draws moisture into the meat leaving baked chicken super juicy and flavorful. If you salt just prior to baking, then you’re just seasoning the outer skin.

Plan and prep …

So plan and prep your chicken up to 24 hours prior to cooking or if you’re short on time (or you forgot to do it), then do this as your first step and allow it to dry brine in salt and pepper, and chill for about 30 minutes while you assemble and prep the other ingredients.

Next, is to prepare the squash for its incredibly tasty transformation! Do this by cutting each acorn squash in half. Then use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin away.

peeling acorn squash and cutting into cubes

Core out the center of the acorn squash and cut it into slices.

Chop the bare veggie slices into 2-inch cubes.

NOTE: It’s important to keep each cube as close in size as the others to ensure each piece cooks at the same rate … allowing the taste to remain consistent.

adding olive oil to a bowl of garlic and cubed acorn squash

Transfer the chopped squash into a large mixing bowl, followed by unpeeled garlic cloves, and then drizzle the top with the vegetable or olive oil.

cinnamon and salt added to a bowl of acorn squash and garlic

Next, sprinkle in the salt and cinnamon.

acorn squash tossed in cinnamon with a bowl of peaches and brown sugar on the side.

For a tasty Baked Chicken & Squash be sure to stir well to ensure each piece of squash is flavored and seasoned.

acorn squash transferred to a cast-iron skillet with peaches and brown sugar and rosemary sprigs

Then transfer the veggies to a prepared (non-stick cooking spray or butter) 13×9-inch baking dish or a large-sized cast-iron skillet.

chicken pieces seasoned with salt and pepper added to a cast-iron skillet with squash and garlic.

Arrange the chicken in the baking dish or cast-iron pan with the squash and garlic. Sprinkle the chicken and squash with brown sugar and chopped rosemary.

Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Baste the chicken and squash occasionally with the pan drippings.

adding peaches and peach juice to the cast-iron skillet of chicken, squash, and garlic.

Final step … Canned Peaches

Remove from the oven and spoon the pan drippings over the chicken and squash. Add the canned peaches along with the juice and bake for about 15 minutes longer. The chicken and squash should be soft and the peaches are heated all the way through.

ready for dinner baked chicken, squash and peaches

NOTE: The unpeeled baked garlic can be cut open and then spread over each serving, if desired.

baked chicken and squash plated with brown rice

What to serve with chicken and squash?

A bed of brown or white rice … our favorite for this dish!
Additional veggies of your choosing.
And of course, a side salad goes with every main meal.
Breadsticks are always a great choice … try this recipe for Garlic Rosemary Breadsticks!

chicken, peaches, squash, brown sugar, cinnamon on a bed of brown rice on a white plate with a black fork

Let’s eat!

Looking for more tasty and easy recipes? Try a few here:

Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash

Coogan’s Kitchen

Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash is one of my most favorite dinners! Flavor-filled and juicy chicken sitting in a bed of ground cinnamon, brown sugar, peaches, rosemary, and garlic creates a flavor that will make your tastebuds burst with joy!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Add to Collection

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Course Dinner, Main Course

Servings servings

Equipment

Large bowl or disposable baking pan
Plastic wrap or aluminum foil
Baking dish, 13×9-inch or a large cast-iron
Meat baster or spoon

Ingredients

2-3 lbs chicken , bone-in breasts, thighs, or legs
salt + pepper , to season chicken prior to chilling in the refrigerator
2 small acorn squash , halved, peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic , unpeeled
4 cloves garlic , peeled & minced
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp rosemary , dried or freshly chopped
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 16-oz can sliced peaches in juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl or a disposable pan, generously salt and pepper the chicken pieces, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and then refrigerate while you assemble the ingredients and chop the veggies.
In a 13×9-inch baking dish or a large cast-iron skillet, toss the peeled and chopped squash pieces, vegetable oil, all garlic (minced and whole), salt, and cinnamon.
Arrange the chicken in the baking dish or cast-iron pan with the squash and garlic. Sprinkle the chicken and squash with brown sugar and chopped rosemary.
Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Baste the chicken and squash occasionally with the pan drippings.
Remove from oven and spoon the pan drippings over the chicken and squash. Add the canned peaches along with the juice and bake for about 15 minutes longer. The squash should be soft and the peaches heated all the way through.
NOTE: The unpeeled baked garlic can be cut open and then spread over each serving, if desired.

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer

Did you make this recipe?Snap a few pics and mention @cooganskitchen or tag us by using #cooganskitchen – We’d love to see what your making & baking!

© Coogan’s KitchenAll content and images are copyright protected. Sharing the link for this recipe is encouraged and greatly appreciated, however copying and/or posting full recipes to any social media/blog/website without full credit and the appropriate link is prohibited. Thank you so much for understanding!

Keyword Baked Chicken and Squash, Casserole Cooking, Casserole Recipes, Cast Iron Baking, Chicken Recipes, Squash Recipes

Did you try this recipe?Let us know how it was in the comments below!

© Coogan’s Kitchen. All content and images are copyright protected. Sharing the link for this recipe is encouraged and greatly appreciated, however copying and/or posting full recipes to any social media/blog/website without full credit and the appropriate link is prohibited. Thank you so much for understanding!

Baked Chicken & Cinnamon Squash