My ideal mid-week dinner is a one-pan bake that cooks everything at the same time. For this fall-friendly one, chicken thighs are slathered with honey mustard and nestled in a bed of apples, butternut squash, and red onions. As they roast, they release their juices and fat, mixed with the sweet honey mustard, to mingle with the caramelizing fruits and vegetables below. It’s that simple!
We are totally partial to bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs at home, but any combination of skin-on chicken pieces would work—just be sure to adjust the oven time accordingly, to make sure they’re cooked through.
If you want to dress up your menu a bit, add a green salad and fluffy mashed potatoes for a memorable fall dinner.
Serves 4
- 3 apples, cored and sliced into 6 wedges each (skin on)
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons honey mustard sauce
In a large bowl, toss together the apples, squash, onion, olive oil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Use your fingers to mix well. Spread in one layer on a shallow-rimmed baking tray.
Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the squash mixture. Generously season both sides of each thigh with salt and pepper, and spread one tablespoon of honey mustard on the skin side only.
Bake for 45 minutes, until the thighs are cooked through and no longer pink. Serve hot.
Make Ahead: Cover with foil and re-heat in a 300-degree oven until hot.
As the chicken thighs roast, they release their juices and fat to mingle with the caramelizing squash and apples on the same pan. Victoria de la Maza
