Roast Chicken with Lemon-Herb Compound Butter with acorn squash and pine nuts

(from castro15’s recipe box)

Categories: Meals

Ingredients

  • 0.9 oz. Butter
  • 1 Acorn Squash
  • 1/2 oz. Honey
  • 4 Oregano Sprigs
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 3/4 oz. Pine Nuts

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set butter on counter to soften. Thoroughly rinse produce and pat dry. Prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray.

  2. Trim ends from acorn squash and carefully halve from pole to pole. Scoop out strings and seeds. Place halves, cut side down, on cutting board and make ¾" slices across its length, creating crescents. Using your hands, coat acorn squash with honey, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and ½ tsp. salt on prepared baking sheet. Spread into a single layer and roast until lightly caramelized on bottom, 10-14 minutes. Flip squash and roast until tender and brown, 8-12 minutes. While squash cooks, prepare ingredients.

  3. Stem and mince oregano. Mince garlic. Zest lemon, halve, and juice. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry, and season both sides with ¼ tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper.

  4. Combine softened butter, oregano (reserve a pinch for garnish), half the garlic, 1 tsp. lemon juice (reserve 1 tsp. for garnish), ½ tsp. lemon zest, and a pinch of pepper in a small mixing bowl. Taste and add remaining garlic and zest if desired. Shape into two equal disks and refrigerate to firm. Remove from refrigerator 5 minutes before plating.

  5. Place a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and chicken to hot pan. Cook until browned and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees, 5-6 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and rest 5 minutes. Wipe pan clean and reserve.

  6. Return pan used to cook chicken to medium heat. Place pine nuts in hot, dry pan and toast until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan.

  7. Place chicken on plate and arrange squash next to chicken. Top chicken with lemon-herb compound butter and garnish squash with ½ tsp. lemon juice, pine nuts, and reserved oregano.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back