Butternut Squash Glaze Roasted Chicken w/ Whipped Ricotta

I have been fixated on butternut squash this season so any excuse to use it in a dish, I take it. I had some leftover butternut squash puree in the fridge from a previous recipe and I hate to see things go to waste, so I had to incorporate it somehow. Like most of my recipes, I don't usually measure so these measurements are a rough estimate - you could leave up to your preference for most of this dish! The whipped ricotta and roasted chicken mixed with the sweetness of the butternut squash is seriously so good.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash

• 3 chicken leg quarters

• 2 cups of whole milk ricotta cheese

• Honey - about a 1/4 cup

• Soy Sauce - about a 1/4 cup

• Butternut squash puree - about a 1/3 cup

• Olive oil

• Fresh lemon juice - for whipped ricotta

• Cinnamon - about a teaspoon

• Nutmeg - about a teaspoon

• Garlic powder - about a teaspoon

• Parsley

• Salt/Pepper/Paprika

• Thyme - for garnish

Recipe

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Peel, scoop out, and cut butternut squash into 1 inch pieces.

2. In a large bowl, coat butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon and nutmeg (add a tiny bit of honey if you prefer it to be sweeter). Lay out on a large baking sheet and pop in the oven for about 45 minutes or so.

3. Pat your chicken leg quarters dry and coat with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, fresh garlic and chopped parsley. I place them in a cast iron but you could use a regular baking dish. Pop them into the oven for 45 minutes (before adding glaze and cooking for an additional 15 minutes)

4. TIP: If you don't have butternut squash puree sitting in your fridge like I did, it's so easy to make. Peel and scoop out a squash and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in oven face down for about an hour or until squash is fork tender. Take out, let cool and then put it in the food processor with a drizzle of honey and cinammon and process until smooth.

5. In the meantime, start on your glaze. Add the soy sauce, honey, butternut squash puree, a sprinkle of paprika and nutmeg and whisk together. It will be thicker than a typical 'glaze'.

6. Pull out the chicken from the oven and pour glaze over and cook for an additional 15 minutes and than under the broiler for 5 minutes.

7. The whipped ricotta - this is the last step because it is the quickest and easiest! Add the ricotta into a food processor (or blender) with lemon juice and salt and process until smooth, about 2 minutes.

8. Transfer whipped ricotta to your serving bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil, flaky salt and a sprig of thyme. Add your butternut squash and chicken to the dish, serve and enjoy!

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

This recipe is a labor of love but it is so worth it!