Ingredients
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp groundnut oil
2 tbsp white miso
pinch of brown sugar
1 tsp black sesame seeds
1 butternut squash, cut into large pieces, seeds removed
8 chicken thighs, skin on
handful of coriander leaves
For the cucumber
1 cucumber
1 garlic clove
thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
(brown rice vinegar if you can find it)
Preparation
- Halve the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds. Bash the cucumber with a rolling pin so it breaks up. Cut the cucumber into 2 cm pieces and toss with salt. Leave to drain over the sink in a colander for 20 minutes.
- Grate the garlic and ginger into a bowl, and mix with the sesame oil and vinegar. Toss through the drained cucumber, then chill in the fridge until needed. It will eventually be served fridge-cold.
- Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6.
- Mix the soy, oil, miso, sugar and sesame seeds and rub on to the squash in a bowl. Scatter it in one layer in a large roasting tray. Distribute the thighs, skin side up, amongst the squash and season the skin. If you can’t fit both in, you can roast them separately and add a little of the squash marinade to the chicken pan with an extra splash of soy.
- Roast on the middle shelf of the oven for 35 minutes, by which point the squash should be golden and tender and the thighs sticky and cooked through - prick them with a knife and make sure the juices run clear. If a little more cooking is needed, turn the oven down to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4 and cook for a further 10 minuntes. Cover with foil if already well-browned. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve slices of the squash with the chicken, cucumber and a sprinkling of coriander.
