Squashed Chicken

I came up with this recipe because I like to buy squash to use as fall decor. Due to my frugal nature I can't justify buying them just to look at and then just tossing them in the trash at the end of the season. I had cooked acorn squash before but I found it to be terribly dry and pasty, so I figured I'd make one more attempt at cooking them before I vowed to never buy them again. All I can say is this recipe is sooooo good I made it twice that first week! The beauty of this recipe is the juice from the chicken seeps into the squash as it's cooking so it tastes a bit like whipped yam without the sweetness. This recipe is so simple my daughter was able to make it by herself at 8 years old....with the exception of cutting the squash. Another bonus of this recipe is there are practically no dishes to do because the chicken is cooked right in the squash...it's like a one pot meal without the pot lol. 

2              acorn squash (medium sized)

1c              apple sauce

1/2            small onion (diced)

1/2            red pepper (diced)

drizzle of olive oil

4              chicken thighs

1tbsp         herbs de provence

1/4tsp       dried red chilli (crushed)

2               cloves garlic (crushed)

2tbsp        honey

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the squash in half horizontally so the each half can sit flat like a bowl and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment lined making sheet.

Now place 1/4 cup of apple sauce into each acorn squash and sprinkle each with a quarter of your diced onions and a quarter of your diced red pepper.

Place your chicken thighs in a bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, the herbs de provence, dried red chilli, garlic cloves, honey, nutmeg and a bit of salt and pepper. Once the thighs are well coated with the seasonings place one thigh neatly on top of the applesauce in each squash.

Bake at 350 for 90minutes or until the juices from the chicken run clear and the squash is fork tender.

Let sit for at leat 30minutes before serving...this allows the juices to absorb into the squash.