Description
Warm up any night with Crockpot Maple Dijon Chicken With Butternut Squash! This easy dinner idea features juicy chicken thighs slow-cooked with sweet butternut squash and a tangy maple-Dijon sauce. It’s a family-friendly, healthy recipe perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekend meals. Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with flavor, it’s a top choice for quick meal prep, comforting fall food ideas, and anyone craving an easy recipe that practically cooks itself. Add this to your list of healthy dinner ideas and enjoy a hearty meal everyone will love!
Ingredients
2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 pieces)
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 medium squash)
1 large yellow onion, sliced
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (plus extra sprigs for garnish)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken, skin-side down, until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Flip and cook 1 minute more. Remove from skillet.
3. Place cubed butternut squash and sliced onion in the bottom of your crockpot.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, Dijon mustard, chicken broth, minced garlic, and chopped thyme.
5. Lay seared chicken thighs on top of the vegetables. Pour maple-Dijon sauce evenly over the chicken and veggies. Add extra thyme sprigs if desired.
6. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2.5–3 hours, until chicken is cooked through (internal temp 165°F) and squash is tender.
7. Serve chicken with squash and onions, spooning sauce over the top. Garnish with more fresh thyme if you like.
Notes
Searing the chicken first isn’t required but adds extra flavor and color to the final dish.
You can prep all ingredients the night before and store in your fridge, then cook in the morning.
Leftovers are delicious the next day! Store in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze for 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5–6 hours (low), 2.5–3 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker / Crockpot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (of 6)
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: easy dinner, crockpot, healthy, chicken, fall, meal prep, gluten-free, weeknight dinner