Name: Arizona Chicken in Acorn Squash
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: North America, Southwest
Ingredients: 3 medium acorn squash; 6 teaspoons butter; 2 cups cubed cooked chicken; 1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese; 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles; 1/2 cup chopped celery; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/3 cup chopped green onions; 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 12 slices; 6 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Give stuffed acorn squash a taste of the Southwest with this comforting recipe. We love the crunch of the toasted almonds, heat of green chiles, and creamy texture of avocado. —Martha Sparlin, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Ingredients

3 medium acorn squash

6 teaspoons butter

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 12 slices

6 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Cut a thin slice from bottom of each squash half to allow them to lie flat. Place on a 15x10-in. baking sheet, cut side up; fill each with 1 teaspoon butter. Bake until fork-tender, 35-40 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, chilies, celery, sour cream, green onions, olives, paprika and pepper; spoon into squash.

3 Bake until filling is heated through and squash is tender, 20-25 minutes. Top with avocado and nuts.