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A large white platter on a light blue background that has dressed greens topped with roasted chicken, butternuts squash and pears.

Easy Sheet Pan Salad with Chicken, Pears and Squash

By Natalie Marble
This delicious salad combines crunchy fresh greens dressed in a citrus vinaigrette with roasted chicken, butternut squash and pears, and topped with blue cheese and pomegranate arils. The flavors are earthy, yet bright, and such a perfect way to embrace healthy eating in the colder months.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 376 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4-6 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 butternut squash (small to medium)
  • 2 pears
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 4 little gem lettuces (or something similar)
  • 4 oz Stilton cheese (or other blue cheese)
  • 1 pomegranate (arils/seeds)
  • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

Vinaigrette

  • 1 orange (zest & juice)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic (grated)
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prep the squash. Cut a thin layer off the top and bottom of the squash and then cut the butternut squash in half crosswise, to make it more manageable. Stand one half of the squash up and using a sharp knife, cut from the top to the bottom to remove the skin. Repeat this with the other half. Next, cut each half of the squash lengthwise and from there, cut the squash into large 1 inch chunks. Repeat this with the second half, making sure to remove any seeds.
  • Prep the pears. Do not peel the pears. Cut them in half lengthwise, straight through the core. Using a melon baller or a small spoon, remove the core and seeds, and then further cut the pear into 6 total wedges.
  • On a sheet pan, combine the squash and pears and drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them generously with salt and pepper.
  • Add the chicken thighs to the sheet pan, nesting them in between the pears and squash and brush them with the remaining olive oil and season them well on both sides with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes.
  • Make the vinaigrette by combining the zest and juice of the orange, mustard, garlic, red wine vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Season it with salt and pepper and whisk it well. When the salt has dissolved, whisk in the olive oil and set it aside.
  • To prep the greens, remove the kale leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Cut the kale leaves crosswise into 1/2 inch ribbons and then cut them crosswise into smaller bite-sized pieces. For the little gem lettuces, trim the bottom of each head and remove the full leaves, leaving them whole.
  • Add the greens to a large bowl and dress them with the vinaigrette - this will give the kale some time to break down - then transfer them to a large platter.
  • When the chicken and vegetables are done, remove the sheet pan from the oven and sprinkle it all over with the Stilton, allowing it to melt a bit.
  • Top the dressed greens with the chicken, pears and squash.
  • Top everything with pomegranate arils and fresh parsley. ENJOY!

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Notes

  • Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will lend superior flavor to this dish - but you can substitute boneless, skinless if you prefer.
  • Be sure to cut the squash pieces the same size to ensure uniform cooking.
  • You can substitute a different blue cheese if you prefer, such as gorgonzola or Maytag Blue.  You can also substitute something like goat cheese for the blue cheese altogether. 

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 7gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 361mgPotassium: 219mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3808IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 241mgIron: 1mg
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