Frugal Foodie Mama: Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash

This Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash recipe is a delicious way to usher in the fresh & warm flavors of the fall season...

This recipe first appeared on the Bridgeport Farmers Market Let's Get Fresh site.

I am on a mission once again this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market. I started this locally inspired recipe series in the summer of 2017, and I am thrilled to be continuing the series this year as well. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market.

For the month of September, I am sharing my last recipe post of the outdoor market season- this juicy and flavorful Honey & Herb Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash. This roasted chicken recipe is a delicious way to usher in the fresh & warm flavors of the fall season.

I am going to share a little secret with you all that I just recently learned myself- if you roast a chicken upside down, you will end up with the most moist & juiciest chicken breast that you have ever tasted. I know it seems weird to roast a chicken with the breast side down, but do trust me on this one, folks. Give it a try with this recipe. I guarantee that you won't regret it.

Roasting a chicken upside down allows the breast meat to be exposed to both wet & dry heat which will result in a more tender, juicy chicken breast. Yes, you won't get that perfectly golden, crispy skin on the breast. But think of it as a small sacrifice to make for incredibly moist breast meat.

Here's a few hints & tips for this roasted chicken recipe:

I used butternut & acorn squash in this dish, but you could swap in just about any squash or root vegetable instead. Think patty pan squash, sweet potatoes, golden beets, delicata squash, etc.
Although I do recommend trying the upside down method at least once when making this recipe, you could totally roast the chicken breast side up if you prefer. You will not need to make any changes to the roasting time.
The recipe calls for roasting the chicken & squash in a cast iron skillet, but you can make this is a deep baking dish instead if you prefer. Just skip putting the baking dish into the oven during the preheat.
For even more added flavor, feel free to stuffed the inside of the chicken with some of the fresh herbs & a small onion chopped into large chunks.

Yield: Serves 4

Author: Carrie Robinson

Honey Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash

This roasted chicken recipe is a delicious way to usher in the fresh & warm flavors of the fall season.

prep time: 20 min cook time: 60 min total time: 80 min

ingredients:

(1) 3-4 lb whole young chicken
1 medium butternut squash, peeled & seeds removed & then chopped
1 acorn squash, peeled & seeds removed & then chopped
1 whole red onion, peeled & roughly chopped
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup olive oil
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 -2 sprigs of fresh sage, leaves removed & finely chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste

instructions:

How to cook Honey Roasted Chicken with Autumn Squash

Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on one of the top racks of the oven. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, both inside & out. Set aside & let rest while you peel & chop the squash & red onion.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, olive oil, & fresh herbs. Set aside.
Place the chopped squash & red onion in a large bowl. Pour about 1/2 of the honey mixture over the squash & onion, & toss well to coat. Season with salt & pepper.
Rub the remainder of the honey mixture all over the outside of the whole chicken. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
Remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and swirl with a little olive oil to coat. Place the chicken in the center of the skillet, and then arrange the squash & onion around it.
Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the juices run clear. Let rest at least 15-20 minutes before carving. Serve alongside the roasted squash and onion.
Enjoy!