Chicken thighs are my favorite piece of the bird. They have a good amount of fat under their skin and they are rich in flavor. Crisping the skin of the chicken and then cooking the squash in the chicken drippings adds richness to the squash without adding additional fat. It also has the added benefit of being a highly efficient one-pan dinner. This paired with a sharply dressed green salad and a glass of sherry or light red wine is my paradise.

• 4 chicken thighs, skin on
• 1 medium delicata squash
• 8 springs of thyme, leaves picked
• pinch of chili flakes
• 2 T sherry vinegar (or a squeeze of lemon)

1. Bring the chicken thighs up to room temperature and season with a good pinch of salt
2. Heat an oven to 400F
3. Cut the delicata squash into ½” thick rings and scoop out the guts with the edge of a spoon
4. Heat a large frying pan with a just a bit of neutral oil (a tsp or so just to give the skin some extra sizzle strength)
5. Pat the thigh skin dry and sear, skin side down, until nicely browned
6. Remove to a plate
7. Toss the squash, thyme, chili flakes and a healthy pinch of salt into the frying pan and toss to combine and coat in the chicken drippings
8. Allow to brown lightly on one side and then stir spreading the squash evenly across the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to brown the squash in batches.
9. Place the browned thighs, skin side up, on top of the squash
10. Place the whole pan in the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through (about 15-20 minutes)
11. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the vinegar over the squash, cover with tin foil, let rest for 5-10 min
12. Transfer to a serving dish being sure to pour the pan juices over the squash and chicken