Roasted Chicken Thighs With Winter Squash Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Roasted Chicken Thighs With Winter Squash Recipe (1)

Total Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ marinating
Rating
5(2,417)
Notes
Read community notes

Roasted chicken thighs can be the juicy, meaty center of many weeknight meals. Add delicata squash, quickly tossed in a maple syrup-butter glaze, along with slices of lemon and sage, and you have a something more unusual, an interplay of flavors that don’t generally meet on the same sheet pan. This recipe is a little too fussy to count as a fast weeknight dish, but there is nothing difficult about any of the steps. And it’s a fine introduction to delicata squash, if you haven’t cooked with them yet. Unlike many other winter squash varieties, they have a thin skin and don’t need to be peeled (just cut them in half and remove the seeds), making them as easy to prepare as they are sweet.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • ½lemon, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, and thinly sliced crosswise into wedges
  • 4bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 and ½ pounds)
  • 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1tablespoon chopped sage
  • 1and ½ teaspoons coriander seed
  • 1and ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼cup maple syrup
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • Large pinch chile powder
  • 1delicata or acorn squash (1 and ¼ pounds), seeded and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
  • ¼cup thinly sliced scallions, white and light-green parts

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

489 calories; 33 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 813 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Roasted Chicken Thighs With Winter Squash Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

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

  2. Step

    2

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

  3. Step

    3

    Heat oven to 425 degrees.

  4. Step

    4

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine syrup, butter, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and chile powder. Simmer for 3 minutes. Toss mixture with squash.

  5. Step

    5

    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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2,417

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Barbara

Just as a comment, the recipe calls for chili powder, not flakes. A bit more mild...

lucysky

Why use the delicata squash in the title of the recipe, when the picture clearly shows acorn squash?

Eva Santos-Phillips

Probably one of my very favorite recipes I have tried from NYT. I love the lemon in the recipe and have used this way of preparing the lemon in other recipes. I don't like sage, so I used thyme instead. The first time I used the acorn squash and it was good, but when I used the delicata squash it was fantastic.

swp

This is a go to recipe for me - I have made it a dozen times. It is pretty and has a nice range of flavors. I cook it at lower temperature for longer and add more lemon. I also toss everything in the maple syrup mixture to save a step. It is a good company dish because it can be assembled ahead of time and is forgiving on cooking time (assuming that you have cooked the chicken through)

Maria

Really good warm fall flavors. I've only made it with delicata squash and use cookie cutters to quickly and neatly remove the seeds and membrane from the rings. Used ground coriander instead of the seed because I don't care for the bark-like texture of whole seed. Needed more like 45 minutes cooking time.

Gretchen

Delicado is so naturally sweet that you don't need to add any other sweetening to it. Just evoo and salt and pepper gives a deliciously sweet squash. Will make it without the maple syrup (which we love on pancakes or fritters!) next time. Otherwise, a very tasty dish! Too sweet as written!

Lesley

I used cumin in place of the sage and ginger instead of chili pepper in the maple sauce...both were delicious alternatives. This is simply a wonderful dish!

sissy

I made this with boneless chicken breasts and it was delicious!

J. David Nelson

Use one lemon, not one half lemon. For roasting after adding the scallions, use convection bake at 425 degrees, which gets the skin perfectly brown. My guests thought the meal was really, really good.

Robert

No lemons in the house, used a lime, went Southwest on the seasoning using a green chili spice blend and a Serrano pepper from my garden, minced. Used a little extra chili powder in the squash glaze, a little less butter. Paired this with tomatoes and cakes from my garden drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar. No scallions, but I used leeks from my garden ( did I mention I have a garden?) Definite keeper, it was a delicious meal. Thanks!

Oh, and the squash was from my garden too. Yum.

Michelle

OMG! SO good! I would give this 10 stars if I could. I did need to cook it for 45 minutes though.

Soni

On prepping the delicata squash.... I sliced then seeded each ring which was clearly a mistake! Next time would cut off one end, seed, then slice. Another simpler option would be to cut in half lengthwise, seed, then slice into half circles.

Margo Rogers

Oh my, I loved this recipe. I stumbled across it while standing in front of the squash at the store. The delicata looked so pretty and so I looked for a quick and easy recipe. It was a great "welcome home" dinner after a 24 hour trek from Chile. Easy enough to put together while being sort of brain dead and yummy enough to sooth the soul after a long trip. It was a bit mild though, if you want more oomph, add some extra chili powder. I'll make again. Bon appetit!

JM

Used dried sage and ground coriander (I don't use it often enough to have both seeds & ground on hand), which worked out fine. Have some gorgeous NM red chili powder and used a VERY generous pinch and it was divine. My husband isn't big on squash but gobbled this up. Cooked on a quarter sheet pan covered with piled heavy duty foil, so clean up was a snap, even with the reduced syrup. Definite keeper!

smv

A fall favorite recipe. I will often make the spicy maple glazed squash without the chicken when I want a quick but flavorful fall side course.

Jody

Absolutely delicious! I accidentally thawed boneless, skinless thighs instead of bone-in, and they worked fine - just kept them sort of balled up while roasting. Also added some pitted dried dates quartered lengthwise to the squash mixture, and tossed the scallions in toasted sesame oil rather than olive. Divine!!

Lola Ansel

This was a bust at our house despite liking the ingredients. Probably user error but I’ve unsaved it.

M Parlett

Marvelous! I used a Meyers lemon as that was all I had, along with fresh sage and a tiny acorn squash (no delicata to be found). Lovely, fresh, sweet and savory and zesty flavors. A definite winner for us!

Joanne P

I made this with minimal changes: sage powder instead of leaves, minced yellow onion instead of scallion as these were what I had in the house. I used delicata squash and I dont think that the flavor mixed well with the chicken and the lemon. It was a good dish but not a 5 star great dish. Don't think I will make it again as there are too many other recipes that I like better. I guess it is a matter of personal taste. MIght have been better with thyme.

nutmeg

I was really excited to try a new MC sheet pan recipe but this one fell flat for me. The lemon rind was inedibly bitter—I spit it out and figured I must have read the recipe wrong. Did I? My sage didn’t come through at all. And most disappointing, the squash (acorn) didn’t have much of any flavor at all. On to the next!

Judy

This recipe is amazing! I made it once with delicata squash and last night I only had a sweet potato so I used that. My favorite part of this recipe is how lemon gets caramelized!

JaneS

I purchased cut-up butternut squash and tossed it with half of the sauce ingredients. Also used skinless boneless chicken thighs. Delicious. (Great idea to make squash as a side dish.)

Jane

Followed the recipe precisely except used boneless, skinless thighs which I had on hand. It was delicious and will make it again soon! Next time will try with half the butter and use a TBS of EVOO, reduce syrup to 3 TBS and kick up the chili powder to 1/4 tsp. Love the coriander seeds and fresh sage. Fabulous!

Aaron

Recommend peeling the squash. Besides that it was a tasty fall dish.

Delicious

Delicious! I would make more of the syrup sauce to add to the chicken as well if I made it again

Ben

This tastes like fall on a plate. It would be amazing with turkey. Surprisingly, out of all of the interesting ingredients, it is the coriander seed that rises to prominence.I made this with kabocha squash and (cringes) pancake syrup since I didn't have real maple. It still tasted great. I don't think you could go wrong being heavy handed on the sage and green onion.

Rebecca

This was pretty good, I only had boneless thighs and I think it would have been much better with bone-in, skin on thighs. Used butternut squash and it was delicious. Highly recommend tasting the heavenly maple syrup mixture after pouring on - I cleaned out the whole pot with my finger!

Ossie

Unfortunately, had to skip the lemon because my household doesn't like any kind of lemony chicken.Used fresh hyssop instead of sage, which blended beautifully with the coriander.Only squash I had was butternut.And spulged on whiskey barrel aged maple syrup.Absolutely no leftovers.

Peter

Second time- Michael didn’t love it. Chicken could have been more browned etc. Not a keeper

JC

Excellent - I used delicata squash and a tsp of Aleppo Chile flakes and chipotle chili powder - this will be on our regular rotation! Yum!! Thank you Melissa for another superb recipe!

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Roasted Chicken Thighs With Winter Squash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? ›

I recommend baking the chicken thighs at 400 degrees for less time to ensure the chicken thighs stay nice and juicy, vs baking for longer at 350 degrees and running the risk of drying them out.

Do chicken thighs get more tender the longer you cook them? ›

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

How do you cook chicken thighs so they don't dry out? ›

Keeping the skin on protects your chicken thighs from drying out while they cook, plus it allows for the additional textural treat of crispy, perfectly seasoned skin. Bone-in can be tricky to cut, but the bones help prevent the chicken from drying out.

Do you bake chicken thighs covered or uncovered? ›

Don't Cover the Chicken.

Some chicken thighs in the oven recipes require covering with aluminum foil. This is not one of them. When baking chicken thighs with the skin on, you're trying to achieve crispy chicken thighs in the oven. Therefore, leaving them uncovered ensures a crispy skin that turns perfectly golden.

Should you flip chicken thighs in the oven? ›

Yes, it is a good idea to flip chicken breasts or thighs when cooking them in the oven to ensure that they cook evenly and develop a golden brown crust on both sides. Flipping the chicken also helps to prevent it from drying out on one side or becoming too crispy.

What's the difference between roasting and baking chicken thighs? ›

On the temperature front, the differences between roasting and baking are fairly cut and dry. Both roasting and baking involve cooking with dry, ambient heat, usually in an oven. Roasting temperatures are typically above 400 degrees Fahrenheit while baking temperatures are about 375 degrees and below.

How do you bake Rachael Ray chicken thighs? ›

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and allow to come to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Spray with the EVOO cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the skin is golden brown and crispy, 25 to 30 minutes, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 °F.

Should you flip chicken thighs halfway through cooking? ›

Generally, chicken thighs should be cooked at medium temperature (350-375 degrees F) for about 12-15 minutes total, flipping them half-way through.

Do I need to trim fat off chicken thighs? ›

It might look small, but there is often a huge amount of fat below the surface as well. After all the thighs are trimmed, do a onceover to see if you missed anything. This same method works for boneless, skinless chicken thighs too. All that fat is still on the underside and should be removed before cooking.

At what temp are chicken thighs most tender? ›

For the ultimate juicy and tender chicken thigh experience, aim for an internal temp between 175 and 185 F. Any temperature higher than that can dry out or burn your meat, but the perfect 175° to 185° range will get you well above the minimum safe temperature and maximize the poultry's flavor potential.

Should you start chicken thighs in a cold pan? ›

Starting the chicken in a cold pan allows the fat in the skin to render out slowly, which prevents it from burning. You don't need any cooking oil, and by using the chicken's own fat to cook, you will have maximum flavor without any greasiness or bits of rubbery chicken fat that haven't been fully rendered.

Do you cook chicken thighs skin side up or down first? ›

Cook the Thighs, Respectfully

Start by generously seasoning the meat with salt and searing the outside of the thigh (yes, the skin) in a cast-iron skillet with some oil. Start skin side down. Don't overcrowd the pan, and cook in batches if needed or you'll end up with soggy thighs.

How to cook chicken thighs in the oven Jamie Oliver? ›

Spread out in a single layer in the roasting tray, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden. Lovely served with a rocket salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and a nice glass of white wine.

What is the best temperature to bake chicken thighs? ›

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place chicken thighs in a baking dish; season both sides with garlic powder and onion flakes. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

How long to keep chicken thighs in oven at 400? ›

Keep in mind that boneless skinless chicken thighs will require about less time.
  1. Chicken Thighs at 350°F – 50-55 minutes.
  2. Chicken Thighs at 375°F – 45-50 minutes.
  3. Chicken Thighs at 400°F – 40-45 minutes.
  4. Chicken Thighs at 425°F – 35-40 minutes (preferred method)
Jan 10, 2024

How long do thighs take to cook at 350? ›

The USDA guidelines lists approximate cooking times of 40 to 50 minutes for 4-to-8-ounce chicken thighs roasted at 350 degrees. In our basic meal prep boneless chicken thighs recipe, they take about 25 to 30 minutes baked at 425 degrees F.

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