Chicken and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

By Cookie67

Ingredients

• 3 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 tbsp Hy-Vee butter
• 1 tbsp Grand Selections olive oil
• 1 c. cubed raw chicken breast
• 1/4 tsp Hy-Vee salt
• 1/4 tsp Hy-Vee ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. chopped celery
• 3/4 c. chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 c. chopped orange bell pepper
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1 1/4 c. Hy-Vee 33%-reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 c. water
• 1 (6 oz) box Hy-Vee long grain and wild rice (seasoning mix included)
• 1/2 c. Hy-Vee panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp Hy-Vee butter, melted

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place acorn squash halves cut-side-down on a jellyroll pan. Pour 1/2 cup water into pan and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes or until fork-tender.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt and black pepper. Brown chicken. Stir in celery, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes.

Stir in broth, water, rice and rice seasoning packet. Let cook, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl combine bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon butter. Fill each hot squash half with about 1/2 cup rice mixture. Top each with 1 heaping tablespoon bread crumb mixture.
Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes.