One-Pan Autumn Chicken with Squash, Crispy Chickpeas and Sage

Name: One-Pan Autumn Chicken with Squash, Crispy Chickpeas and Sage - Nara Z.
Ingredients: For the traybake; 750 g boneless; skinless chicken thighs; cook evenly and stay moist in the hot oven; 700 g butternut; delicata or eating pumpkin; cut into 3 cm chunks for roasting; 1 medium red onion; cut into thick wedges so it keeps some shape; 2 x 400 g cans chickpeas; drained; rinsed and dried very well for better browning; 3 tablespoons olive oil; coats the vegetables and helps the spices cling; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; gives the chicken and vegetables a lightly smoky savoury note; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; add a gentle aniseed edge that works with squash; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; seasons the tray; add more only after tasting; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; provides a little heat; 6 fresh sage leaves; finely chopped; divide between the chicken and the dressing; 2 tablespoons chopped flat; leaf parsley; keeps the finishing dressing fresh; For the lemon dressing

Jamie Oliver - One-Pan Autumn Chicken with Squash, Crispy Chickpeas and Sage by Nara Z. - Recipia

This is the sort of autumn dinner I make when the weather turns cool but I still want something straightforward rather than a project. Chicken thighs roast on top of chunks of squash, red onion and chickpeas, so the vegetables catch the savoury juices while the chickpeas become a little crisp around the edges. A sharp lemon and herb dressing goes on at the end and keeps the whole tray from feeling heavy. The recipe takes a little over an hour, but most of that is oven time. Use boneless thighs if you want dinner on the table sooner, or bone-in thighs if you prefer meat that stays especially juicy. I usually leave the squash skin on when using delicata or acorn squash; it softens enough to eat. Butternut squash needs peeling, and a sturdy knife helps more than enthusiasm here. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) or 200°C fan. Put a large, sturdy roasting tray in the oven while it heats. A shallow tray is better than a deep casserole dish here because the chickpeas need room to roast rather than steam. 2. Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper. Trim away any large flaps of skin or fat, but do not remove every last bit; the fat helps season the vegetables. Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the smoked paprika, half of the chopped sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several twists of black pepper. 3. Cut the squash into roughly 3 cm chunks. If using butternut, peel it first and scoop out the seeds. Delicata or acorn squash can be scrubbed and left unpeeled, although acorn squash has a firmer skin. Cut the red onion into thick wedges so it does not disappear during roasting. 4. Drain the chickpeas and dry them thoroughly with a clean tea towel or several sheets of kitchen paper. They do not need to be perfectly dry, but excess water will make the hot oil spit and will prevent them from crisping. Toss the squash, onion and chickpeas with the remaining olive oil, the fennel seeds, the remaining salt and some pepper. 5. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven. Tip in the squash mixture and spread it out in one layer. Tuck the chicken thighs among the vegetables, skin-side up if they have skin. There should be a little space around the chicken. If everything is packed tightly, use two trays; crowded vegetables soften but do not brown well. 6. Roast for 25 minutes. Rotate the tray, then use a spatula to turn the squash and chickpeas where they are beginning to colour. Leave the chicken undisturbed unless the skin is browning too quickly. The onions may look dark at the edges; that is useful roasting colour, not a problem. 7. Return the tray to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes. The chicken is ready when the thickest thigh reaches 74°C (165°F) and the juices run clear when pierced near the bone. Without a thermometer, cut into the thickest piece: it should be opaque all the way through. Squash should give easily to a knife but not collapse into mash, and the chickpeas should have a lightly crisp skin. 8. While the tray finishes, make the dressing. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into a small bowl, squeeze in 2 tablespoons of juice, and stir in the remaining sage, the parsley and the extra-virgin olive oil. Taste before adding the honey. If the lemon is particularly sharp, the small amount of honey rounds it out; if it is mild, you may not need all of it. 9. Take the tray from the oven and let the chicken stand for 5 minutes. This short rest gives the juices time to settle and lets the squash finish softening. Spoon the lemon dressing over the vegetables rather than pouring it directly over all the chicken skin, which would soften any crispness. 10. Serve straight from the tray, with the lemon wedges alongside. A spoonful of plain yogurt is good with it, as is a simple green salad dressed with vinegar. If you want bread, choose something plain enough to mop up the juices without competing with the squash. Practical notes The tray needs to be properly hot before the vegetables go in. If you start everything in a cold tray, the squash often releases water before it has a chance to brown. The same applies to the chickpeas, so drying them is worth the extra minute. Chicken thighs vary in size. Small boneless thighs may be done after about 25 to 30 minutes total, while large bone-in thighs can need 45 minutes. Check the chicken rather than relying only on the clock. If the meat is done but the squash is still firm, move the chicken to a plate, cover it loosely, and return the vegetables to the oven. Butternut is the easiest squash to find and gives a soft, sweet result. Delicata is less work because the skin is edible and its pieces hold their shape well. You can use pumpkin, but choose a dense eating pumpkin rather than a carving pumpkin, which tends to become watery. For a version without chicken, replace it with four thick slices of halloumi added for the final 15 minutes. The cheese browns quickly, so check it often. You can also use cauliflower in place of half the squash, though it will need slightly less cooking time. Storage and reheating Cool leftovers within two hours and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or air fryer so the chickpeas have a chance to regain some texture; the microwave works, but everything will be softer. Keep the dressing separate if you know you will have leftovers. This dish is not ideal for freezing because the squash can become watery after thawing. Frequently asked questions Can I use chicken breasts? Yes, but they are less forgiving than thighs. Use smaller breasts, coat them with oil, and start checking them after 20 minutes. If they are very large, split them horizontally so they cook at the same pace as the squash. Do I need to cook the chickpeas first? No. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, so they only need draining and drying before roasting. If using chickpeas cooked from dry, make sure they are tender before they go on the tray. Why are my chickpeas not crispy? The usual causes are excess moisture, a crowded tray or a low oven. Dry them well, leave gaps between the ingredients and roast until the chicken is done. They will crisp further as they cool for a few minutes. Can I prepare this easy chicken dinner ahead? Cut the squash and onion and mix the spice coating earlier in the day, but keep the chickpeas dry and separate until roasting. The lemon dressing can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated; bring it back toward room temperature before serving. Nutritional note Per serving, including the dressing and assuming skinless chicken thighs, this recipe provides approximately 590 calories, 39 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 26 g fat and 12 g fibre. The exact figures will change with the size of the chicken thighs, the amount of oil absorbed and whether you use skin-on meat.