If you assumed that many us that work here are pretty obsessed with food and cooking, you’d be right. Whether it’s what we did with this week’s tomatoes, or a new combination that we can’t get enough of, there’s always a fair bit of recipe swapping going on. One combination that’s come up with the recent harvest of our winter squash, and one that’s been hard to shake from my mind is from Cheese Manager and writer extraordinaire, Erin Hepinstall. She’s had this recipe on repeat since last season she’s not about to quit making it anytime soon. Erin takes still warm roasted butternut squash and chopped kale, drizzles them with a home made tahini dressing (tahini, garlic, lemon juice and bit of maple syrup), and then crowns the dish with crumbled Cricket Creek feta and a few dollops of chili crisp. A combination so delicious and inviting, we were nearly drooling hearing about it.
A few days of dreaming about this combination was all I needed to jump into action, but rather than have it as a casual salad, I wanted to create a substantial meal using all of those great flavor elements. In my version, I omit the tahini dressing and (hard to handle) Butternut squash and swap in some (mini-mighty) Honey nut Squash, crispy chicken thighs, chopped cilantro, & salsa macha for heft, a bit of heat, and flavor, accentuating the earthy sweetness of the squash and kale. I add a squeeze of fresh lime and a drizzle of maple syrup to punch up the seasonal flavors, and serve the whole thing on one platter so the juices of the chicken run down over squash and kale, making the best sauce ever at the bottom of platter for a slice of homemade Ciabatta sourdough to soak up. A family style dish, perfect for fall! Enjoy!
Crispy Chicken with Honey nut Squash & Kale
Ingredients-
4 honey nut squash
one bunch kale, rinsed and chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pack Springer chicken thighs, deboned
Cricket Creek feta
el Barrio Salsa Macha (or chili crisp)
fresh lime wedges
maple syrup
olive oil
all purpose flour
salt, pepper, brown sugar
Method:
In a shallow dish, dry brine the chicken thighs; generously season with salt (2.5 tablespoons), and a tablespoon or so of brown sugar. At this point, add any other spices you’d like (cayenne, mole spice, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, etc). Mix the seasonings thoroughly with the chicken and set aside for a few hours or (my preference,) up to one day in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 400. Halve honey nut squash, scoop seeds and roast with olive and salt (or season with spices to taste) 20 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish (a pie pan works great,) make a flour dredge for the chicken- a cup of seasoned flour, and a touch of cornstarch for extra crunch. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add oil. Dredge the chicken thighs lightly in flour and shake off excess. Shallow fry the chicken thighs in batches, until browned and crispy. Lay out on a sheet pan and finish these in the oven with the squash until a thermometer reads 160. Wipe out the skillet and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the smashed garlic cloves, stir 15 seconds, then the kale (be careful as the kale will sputter in the pan). Working quickly, season with salt and cover the skillet with a lid. At this point, the chicken and the squash should be done cooking. Remove those from the oven and let cool slightly. Cook the kale covered for 2 minutes, shaking the pan with the lid on. Check for doneness. Remove lid when the kale is wilted and cooked to your liking. Season with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
On a large platter, arrange the kale, and then the honey nut squash halves on top. Slice the crispy chicken thighs and fan out over the squash and kale. Top the dish with plenty of crumbled feta, salsa macha (or chili crisp), and drizzle with some real maple syrup. Top with any other favorite things on top like fresh roasted pepitas, chopped tender herbs like cilantro, chives, parsley or tender thyme leaves. Serve immediately with a light, crunchy Beaujolais Villages, carbonic California carignane or Alpine white. Enjoy!
-recipe by Leah Mojer, Wine Manager, M & P