Stuffed Butterkin Squash

1 medium butterkin squash cut in half across the width, seeds scooped out
2 tbsp butter divided
Sea salt/pepper to taste
1 small onion diced
4 ounces mushrooms sliced
1 clove of garlic minced
2-3 cups leftover cooked chicken shredded or finely chopped (you could also brown up ½ pound of chicken beforehand)
3-4 cups baby spinach or baby kale chopped small
½ tsp dried thyme
2-4 tbsp bone broth stock, or water for cooking in
¼ cup GF Panko bread crumbs see notes below for grain free option
¼ cup parmesan cheese see Notes below for dairy free option
Sea salt/pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the halved butterkin squashes flesh side up in a baking dish, and spread 1 tbsp of butter over the flesh of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast at 425 degrees for 50 minutes. While the squash roasts, you can make the filling.
To make the filling, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms with a pinch of salt and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and golden.
Add the garlic and the chicken, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the spinach, thyme, and splashes of bone broth and cook until the spinach wilts and the broth cooks off – this takes a few minutes.
When the squashes are done roasting, turn the oven off, and take the baking dish with the squash out. Scoop the chicken/spinach skillet mixture into each half of the butterkin squash, patting the filling down into the middle.
Whisk the GF Panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese together in a small bowl and sprinkle over each squash half.
Put the stuffed squashes under the oven broiler on “HI” for 3-5 minutes watching carefully for a beautiful golden color. Every oven broiler can run differently so take a peek after a couple minutes in case yours runs hotter.

I like to use leftover chicken from my weekly roasted whole chicken. It makes meals like this so fast and cost effective to stretch that one roasted chicken dinner into 2!
If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can brown up about ½ pound of chicken or beef.
If you are dairy free and/or grain free, you can swap the gluten free panko crumbs for 3 tbsp almond flour mixed with 1-2 tsp olive oil.
This is such a simple veggie mixture for this stuffing. If you have different veggies on hand, go ahead and swap! Stuffed squashes are a great way to empty the leftover veggies in the fridge from the week.