Griffin Health’s Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen recently shared a warm, nourishing recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights and crisp fall days: a Butternut Squash, Chicken Sausage & Kale Quinoa Skillet. It’s colorful, balanced, and incredibly simple to bring together — exactly the kind of meal that makes healthy eating feel easy and satisfying.
In the video, the team walks viewers through each step, showing how this recipe layers wholesome ingredients into a flavorful, one-pan dish. The combination of roasted squash, hearty greens, and protein-rich chicken sausage creates a comforting base, while quinoa adds texture and nutrition. A light maple-vinegar drizzle brings everything together with a touch of sweetness and brightness.
This dish is not only delicious but also versatile. It reheats well for lunches, works as a complete meal on its own, and can be customized with your favorite herbs, cheeses, or plant-based swaps.
Ingredients Used in the Video
-
1 cup uncooked quinoa
-
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
-
~12 oz chicken sausage, sliced
-
½ yellow onion, diced
-
~4 cups chopped kale
-
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 tablespoon fresh sage (optional)
-
Olive oil
-
1 tablespoon maple syrup
-
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
-
½ cup dried cherries or cranberries (optional)
-
Crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
-
Salt and pepper
Steps
-
Roast diced butternut squash at 425°F for about 25 minutes.
-
Cook quinoa (1 cup quinoa + 2 cups water).
-
Sauté onion and sliced chicken sausage in a skillet with olive oil.
-
Add kale, garlic, and sage; cook until kale wilts.
-
Add cooked quinoa and roasted squash; stir to combine.
-
Add maple syrup and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
-
Stir in dried cherries and goat cheese, if using.
It’s balanced.
You get lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats all in one skillet.
It’s flavorful.
Roasting the butternut squash brings natural sweetness, the sausage adds savory richness, and the kale rounds out the dish with a hearty earthiness.
It’s flexible.
Swap in turkey sausage, use spinach instead of kale, or go vegetarian with a plant-based sausage or chickpeas.
It’s easy.
Roast, sauté, mix — that’s really all there is to it.