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Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs With Butternut Squash and Carrots Recipe

One-Pot Wonders
Yasmin Fahr
Published: Last Updated:
Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs With Butternut Squash and Carrots Recipe

Crisp-skinned chicken and tender roasted carrots and squash all in one skillet. [Photographs: Yasmin Fahr]

Fall is the time of year for easy chicken dinners, and this one, made with juicy bone-in chicken thighs, comes with extra crisp skin and its own built-in side dish of roasted squash and carrots, making for a simple all-in-one supper.

Note: I will admit that prepping butternut squash can be a bit of a pain, so, if you're short on time, or just don't feel like making the effort, purchase the pre-cut and peeled squash available in most grocery stores.

Why this recipe works:

  • Browning the chicken skin first gives it an extra-crisp texture.
  • Broth gently braises the chicken and vegetables, adding flavor to both.

Read more: One-Pot Wonders: Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs With Butternut Squash and Carrots

What's New On Serious Eats

  • Yield:Serves 3 to 4
  • Active time: 30 minutes
  • Total time:30 minutes
  • Rated: 4

Ingredients

  • 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 1 cup diced butternut squash
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

  1. 1.

    Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add chicken pieces skin side-down and cook, moving chicken as little as possible, until chicken skin is rendered and deep golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes, reducing heat if smoking excessively. Flip pieces as they finish and lightly brown second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

  2. 2.

    Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and add carrots and squash. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cinnamon and broth. Nestle chicken pieces into pan skin side up and transfer to oven. Roast until chicken registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer chicken to a plate. Stir lemon juice and cilantro into vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to skillet and serve.

This Recipe Appears In
One-Pot Wonders: Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs With Butternut Squash and Carrots

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Yasmin Fahr Contributor

Yasmin Fahr is a food writer, recipe developer and author of the cookbook Keeping it Simple. She has a penchant for cheesy phrases, lemons, fresh herbs, feta and cumin (as you’ll soon see). She attended Cornell University and then completed a Master’s degree in Food Studies from New York University. Her writing and recipes have appeared online and in print publications such as The Kitchn, Epicurious, TASTE, Bon Appetit, Serious Eats, Food & Wine and others. She currently lives in NYC, with previous stints in London and Los Angeles. Please say hi to her online at @yasminfahr!

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