Maple Dijon Chicken, Butternut Squash, And Crispy Kale
This fall inspired sheet pan meal is loaded with crispy, skin-on maple dijon chicken thighs, butternut squash, shallots, and crispy kale for a fun crunch!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons stone ground dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 shallots, cut into quarters
- 2 cups packed, rinsed and cut kale
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, maple syrup, dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, salt and pepper. Whisk all of the ingredient together until they are well combined.
- Spread the butternut squash and shallots onto a large baking sheet in one single layer. Tuck the chicken thighs between the squash and shallots, skin side up.
- Drizzle the chicken and squash with half of the maple dijon mixture. Set aside the remaining mixture.
- Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, combine kale and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Use your hands to massage the kale until it is coated well in the olive oil.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Drizzle the chicken and squash with the remaining maple dijon mixture. Add the kale around the chicken and place the sheet pan back into the oven for the chicken to finish cooking and for the kale to get crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving!
Notes
Depending on the size of the chicken thighs, cooking times will vary. For this recipe, I’m using medium sized chicken thighs and they require a total of 40 minutes of baking. Small thighs require about 35 minutes of baking and large thighs require about 45-50 minutes. Using a meat thermometer can help ensure that chicken is fully cooked. It can be inserted into the thickest part and should register 165 F.