Roast some moroccan chicken thighs with veggies

Squash and pearl onions perfectly compliment this delicious roasted chicken dish. A flavourful spice rub creates a faux skin, sealing in the juices and reducing the fat significantly.

This recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare, 40 to 45 to cook, and serves 4. Here's what you'll need:

• 450 g (1 lb/3 cups) peeled, seeded butternut squash, cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes
• 300 g (2 cups) frozen pearl onions, rinsed in cold water to thaw
• 20 ml (4 tsp) olive oil, divided
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt, divided
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 10 ml (2 tsp) honey
• 10 ml plus 15 ml (2 tsp plus 1 tbsp) lemon juice, divided
• 10 ml (2 tsp) paprika
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cumin
• 450 g (1 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 12 fresh cilantro sprigs, plus 50 g (1/4 cup) coarsely chopped cilantro
• 250 ml (1 cup) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Coat a large roasting pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the squash, onions, 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) oil, one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat and then set aside.
3. Mix the remaining 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) oil, the honey, and 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Add the paprika, cumin, remaining one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture over the chicken thighs.
4. Place the cilantro sprigs in the centre of the roasting pan. Set the chicken thighs over the cilantro sprigs. Surround the chicken with the squash and onions. Bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centre should register 85°C/180°F) and vegetables are tender, turning vegetables twice, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter or individual plates (leave cilantro sprigs in the roasting pan).
5. Add the chicken broth and remaining 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) lemon juice to roasting pan and place over high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for one minute. Strain the broth through a sieve into a medium bowl. Spoon pan sauce over chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. One serving is two chicken thighs, 250 millilitres (one cup) vegetables, and a few soup spoonsful of pan sauce.

Each serving contains the following:

• 304 Calories
• 28 g Protein
• 27 g Carbohydrates (4 g fibre)
• 10 g Total fat (2 g saturated fat)
• 107 mg Cholesterol
• 447 mg Sodium.

This dish infuses easy-to-make roasted chicken with some exotic Moroccan flavour. Give it a try when you want to impress your dinner guests with something delicious and healthy.