Cranberry Chicken with Roasted Acorn Squash and Feta
Everyone has their own personal “rules of life” and it shouldn’t be that surprising that a few of mine include food. You’ve probably noticed that I use the saying, “Food is love” on here quite a lot, but in addition to that, another personal rule is something along the lines of “If you can’t fix it, cook something.” No matter how complicated life feels, no matter how twisted or difficult, no matter how painful, somehow something tangible like baking a batch of cookies or making a pot of chicken soup from scratch makes it feel more simple. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m putting simple things together to create something to nourish myself or others, or maybe it’s just allowing my mind to rest on instructions to be followed rather than problem solving whatever it is that seems wrong in the world. I’m not sure exactly why making food is so healing for me, but it is. It makes the world (and my problems) seem simpler to me, even if it’s just for a moment in time. We like to complicate, don’t we? Maybe I should only speak for myself, but humanity likes to complicate, and sometimes life just doesn’t need extras. The pandemic has probably taught us that in one way or another….you can live with a lot less than you think you can! At least that’s part of what I’m learning these days.
When I started testing a few different ways to make acorn squash, I laughed out loud realizing that the clear winner was roasted with oil, salt and pepper. Simple! Together with this adapted chicken recipe that we’ve been using in our family for years, it’s the perfect cold weather dish, easily made gluten-free and dairy-free if you so choose!
Recipe
Cranberry Chicken with Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients
3 tbsp avocado oil, divided
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose (or gluten-free blend) flour
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1-2lb acorn squash
1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
1/2 cup dried crunch lentils or toasted pecans
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a shallow dish, combine flour, rosemary and a healthy pinch or two of salt and pepper. Lightly coat thighs in the flour mixture on all sides.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a couple minutes until fragrant. Add chicken to the pan and brown the chicken on both sides.
Whisk together maple syrup, water and apple cider vinegar. Pour over chicken once it is browned, and sprinkle with dried cranberries. Reduce heat to a simmer cook for 20 minutes, checking often to make sure chicken isn’t sticking or burning to the pan. If too much liquid evaporates, add a bit of water to keep it saucy.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 F. Slice the acorn squash vertically along the middle rib, scoop out the seeds and fiber and discard. Don’t peel it! Flip down on the cut side and slice perpendicular to the ribs, about 1/2 inch wide slices.
Coat a high-heat cookie sheet or a pan like the Rock Crok Grill Stone with avocado oil. Toss acorn squash slices right on the stone/cookie sheet, toss to coat with oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the slices so they are in a single layer, and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Watch carefully, check and flip the slices halfway.
Assemble your dish by arranging a layer of squash, a piece or two of chicken, and a drizzle of sauce from the pan, a sprinkle of feta and lentils or toasted nuts, and extra cranberries to finish.
Chicken adapted from Cooking for the Rushed.
