Chicken Thighs Roasted with Pumpkin and Root Vegetables

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• ½ small Hokkaido squash, approximately 400–500 g
• 5 large potatoes, about 700–800 g
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1–2 shallots
• 5–6 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• about 20 g of butter
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• a few sprigs of thyme
• salt (optional)
• freshly ground pepper
• fresh herbs to finish it off

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. If using the convection setting, set the temperature to approximately 170 °C.
2. Cut the pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, and celery into larger pieces that are roughly the same size. You don't need to peel the Hokkaido pumpkin; just wash it thoroughly and remove the seeds.
3. Spread the vegetables on the bottom of a cast-iron pot or a deep baking dish. Add the shallots, cut into large pieces, whole garlic cloves, half the olive oil, rosemary, and thyme (if desired). Season with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
4. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Brush them with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a little rosemary or thyme. Place them skin-side up on the prepared vegetables. Put a small piece of butter on each thigh.
5. Cover the pot with a lid. If you're using a baking dish without a lid, cover it with aluminum foil. Bake for about 60 minutes.
6. Then remove the lid or aluminum foil and continue baking for another 20–30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked, the skin is golden brown, and the vegetables are tender and have absorbed the pan juices.
7. For an extra crispy skin, you can increase the temperature to 200–210 °C for the last 5–10 minutes. Keep an eye on the chicken during this phase to make sure the skin doesn't burn.
8. Let the cooked meat rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve directly from the baking dish, drizzled with the pan juices and garnished with fresh herbs, if desired.

Serving and Styling Tips

• Serve the spread in a shallow ceramic bowl, which will better highlight its color and decoration.
• Do not smooth the surface completely. Use the back of a spoon to create gentle ripples, and drizzle pumpkin seed oil into the indentations.
• Set aside a few roasted pumpkin cubes and place them on top. This will make the spread look more colorful and give it a more interesting texture.
• Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, freshly ground pepper, and, if desired, a few thyme leaves or other small herbs.
• For a more striking contrast, use dark green, brown, or cream-colored ceramics. The orange color of the pumpkin will stand out beautifully against them.
• Don't arrange the bread items too neatly. Arrange the toast, pretzels, or toasted tortilla triangles loosely next to the bowl, or place them in a small glass.
• When taking photos, use soft side lighting and preserve the natural shadows. Add the pumpkin oil just before taking the photos so that it remains glossy.
• You can complete the look with a linen napkin, a few pumpkin seeds, or a small piece of fresh pumpkin. But use only a few decorations so that the spread remains the star of the show.