Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Chicken Pasta
I love a simple pasta dinner that’s delicate, layered with tons of flavor, and takes less than an hour to make. Even better if I can cook it in the oven and just let it do its thing while I’m prepping the rest of the meal.
This creamy butternut squash with garlic chicken pasta is exactly that for me. The silky butternut squash sauce coats the chicken and rigatoni perfectly. It’s great when squash is in season, but when it’s not, I swap it out for the sauce from my favorite marry me chicken pasta or even a creamy vodka sauce.
My family loves this dish so much that my dad asked for it on his birthday instead of going out for dinner.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- So creamy, and delicious, and so simple to make.
- The perfect weeknight dinner, and it's such a perfect way to get the kids to eat squash.
Equipment
- Pasta Pot
- Skillet
- Baking Sheet
- Wooden Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Blender
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs – Substitute with chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken.
- Butternut Squash – Can replace with sweet potatoes or pumpkin.
- Rigatoni Pasta – Penne or fusilli work as substitutes.
- Garlic Cloves – You can also use garlic powder to season the chicken and sauce or add roasted shallots.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil.
- Heavy Cream – Half-and-half also works, coconut milk (for dairy-free), or a plant-based cream.
- Chicken Broth – Vegetable broth or water with a bouillon cube.
- Parmesan Cheese – Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast for a non-dairy option.
- Fresh Thyme or Parsley – Can use fresh basil, or rosemary.
- Lemon – to season the chicken for a bit of acidity
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Top Tips
Prepping the Squash: If peeling and cutting butternut squash feels like too much work (me!), you can use pre-cut squash from the store to make things easier. Frozen precut butternut squash is perfect.
Roasting for Extra Flavor: Roasting the chicken and squash together brings out more flavor. Just make sure to spread them out evenly on the baking sheet to get that nice caramelized finish.
Creamy Sauce Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water or chicken broth. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up.
Pasta Tip: Rigatoni is great, but feel free to swap it with penne or any other short pasta you like.
Add a Little Kick: Want a bit of heat? Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes to spice things up.
Step by Step Instruction For The Best Roasted Butternut Squash with Pasta
First, roast the chicken and squash. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Rub 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs with lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and maybe a little thyme or rosemary.
Peel and cube your butternut squash, toss it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, whole garlic cloves and spread both the chicken and squash on a large baking sheet.
Roast for about 40-40 minutes, until the chicken is golden and the squash is tender.
While that’s roasting, cook your pasta. Boil a large pot of salted water and add 12 oz of rigatoni.
Cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Before draining, save about ½ cup of the pasta water for the sauce.
Now for the sauce. Quickly broil the chicken and squash for 3-4 minutes for a beautiful golden color, once the squash is roasted, transfer it (along with the roasted garlic cloves from the pan) to a blender.
Add a little chicken broth or some of the reserved pasta water, and blend until smooth and creamy—thick but pourable.
Pour the puree into a pan over medium heat, stir in ½ to 1 cup of heavy cream, half of the grated parmesan cheese and let it warm through. Season with salt and pepper.
Chicken: Let it rest for a few minutes, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. The roasted garlic and herbs will give it great flavor.
Bring it all together. Toss the rigatoni with the butternut squash sauce.
If it feels a little thick, just add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
Stir in the diced chicken until everything is coated.
Finish with cheese and herbs. Stir in ¼ cup of freshly grated parmesan for extra richness, and sprinkle fresh thyme or parsley on top before serving.
Want to try more roasted butternut squash pasta dishes or explore other pasta recipes? Here are a few ideas to inspire your next meal:
30-Minute Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)
One-Pan Angel Hair Chimichurri Pasta
Wild Argentinian Shrimp with Chimichurri Pasta
If you make this roasted butternut squash and garlic chicken pasta, I’d love to know what you think! Leave a comment or a recipe rating—I always enjoy hearing from you and try to respond to everyone.
And if you take a photo, be sure to tag me on Instagram! I love seeing how your dishes turn out.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Season the boneless chicken thighs with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place both on a baking sheet with 4 whole garlic cloves.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender.
- Cook the rigatoni in salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Quickly broil the chicken and squash on high for 3-4 minutes for a beautiful golden color.
- Blend the roasted squash and roasted garlic cloves with chicken broth until smooth. Pour into a pan over medium heat and stir in the heavy cream, and half of the grated parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Dice the roasted chicken and add it to the pasta. Toss everything with the butternut squash sauce, using pasta water you saved earlier to adjust consistency if needed.
- Finish with plenty of finely grated parmesan and fresh thyme or parsley. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
Top Tips
- Prepping the Squash: If peeling and cutting butternut squash feels like too much work (me!), you can use pre-cut squash from the store to make things easier. Frozen precut butternut squash is perfect.
- Roasting for Extra Flavor: Roasting the chicken and squash together brings out more flavor. Just make sure to spread them out evenly on the baking sheet to get that nice caramelized finish.
- Creamy Sauce Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water or chicken broth. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer to thicken up.
- Pasta Tip: Rigatoni is great, but feel free to swap it with penne or any other short pasta you like.
- Add a Little Kick: Want a bit of heat? Sprinkle in some red pepper flakes to spice things up.
Food was good, but the recipe was missing some instructions. Like, we blend the butternut squash with the garlic? But the garlic went on the chicken, minced.
Glad I have a general understanding of cooking and that I read ahead.
Thanks for catching that typo! The minced garlic goes on the chicken, and the rest roasts with the butternut squash. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This was delicious. It’s wonderful to find a new for me pasta sauce, idea