Roasted Chicken with Delicata Squash

Recipe Author: Conne Ward Cameron

This is a recipe from Melissa Clark of the New York Times. Precooking the lemon slices eliminates some of the bitterness that comes from the pith. A great tip.

Ingredients:

1/2 lemon, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and thinly sliced crosswise into wedges 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 and 1/2 pounds) 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon chopped sage 1 and 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup maple syrup 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes Large pinch chile powder 1 delicata (about 1 and 1/4 pounds), seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light-green parts

Preparation:

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil; drop in lemon wedges and cook for two minutes. Drain well.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with lemon wedges, 1 tablespoon oil, sage, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine syrup, butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and chile powder. Simmer for 3 minutes. Toss mixture with squash.

Spread squash in a 9-by-13-inch pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet. Nestle chicken and lemon on top of squash. Roast for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, toss scallions and remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Scatter over chicken and squash; keep roasting until chicken is no longer pink, about 20 minutes more.

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