Equipment
Ingredients
Main Components
- 6 chicken thighs
- 340 g kabocha squash, cut into 1-inch thick wedges, seeds removed, skin-on
- 200 g yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 225 g french green lentils, rinsed, uncooked
- 480 ml chicken stock
Seasoning and Aromatics
- 7 g paprika
- 45 ml olive oil
- 15 g salt
- 3 garlic, minced
- 3 g cumin seeds, lightly toasted
Sauces and Finishing
- 180 ml sour cream
- 18 g chives, finely chopped
- 9 g dill, finely chopped
- 45 ml apple cider vinegar
- 2 g sugar
- 30 ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
In a large bowl, toss the chicken thighs and squash wedges with 4g of paprika, 15ml of olive oil, and 7g of salt.
In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the sliced onions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2g of cumin seeds, 7g of salt, 30ml of olive oil, and 3g of paprika.
Roast the onion mixture for 10 minutes at 230°C (450°F), stirring halfway through, until the onions are lightly colored.
Add the rinsed lentils and chicken stock to the baking dish and stir to combine with the onions.
Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs and squash wedges skin-side up on top of the lentil mixture.
Roast the dish at 230°C (450°F) for 20 minutes until the chicken skin begins to turn golden brown.
Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F). Continue roasting for 40 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) and the squash is tender.
In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the chopped chives and chopped dill.
In a separate small bowl, whisk the remaining minced garlic, remaining cumin seeds, apple cider vinegar, sugar, 1g of salt, and 30ml of water to create the daqa.
Spoon the sour cream mixture over the chicken and squash, drizzle with the daqa, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Kabocha squash skin is edible and becomes tender when roasted; there is no need to peel it.
- French green (Le Puy) lentils are preferred as they hold their shape better than brown or red lentils during long roasting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store chicken and lentils separately from the sour cream mixture for best results.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 150°C (300°F) until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
