Honey-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Pumpkin and Caramelised Onions Recipe
This stunning one-pot wonder brings together tender chicken glazed with pure honey, sweet roasted pumpkin, and meltingly soft caramelised onions in perfect harmony. Each mouthful delivers incredible depth with minimal effort. Learn how to make this quick and easy recipe that transforms simple ingredients into something truly special.
Ingredients
- For the chicken and vegetables:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 600g total), patted completely dry with paper towel
- 400g pumpkin, butternut squash works beautifully too - peeled and cut into 3cm wedges
- 2 large onions, about 300g - peeled and cut into thick wedges through the root
- 4 cloves garlic, skin left on and lightly crushed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- For the honey glaze:
- 3 tablespoons raw honey (the darker and more aromatic, the better)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of sea salt
Directions
Step 1
Start by preheating your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6, this is crucial for getting that beautiful caramelisation on everything. Whilst the oven heats, prepare your honey glaze by whisking together the honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until completely combined and smooth. The ginger adds a wonderful warmth that complements the sweetness perfectly. Set this aside, you'll be using it twice during cooking, so don't be tempted to use it all at once.
Step 2
Take a large roasting tin or ovenproof dish (roughly 30cm x 40cm) and add your pumpkin wedges, onion wedges, and crushed garlic cloves. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then season generously with the salt and pepper. Use your hands to really massage the oil and seasoning into every piece, this is where the flavour foundation begins. Scatter the thyme sprigs throughout, they'll perfume everything beautifully as they roast. Spread everything out in a single layer around the edges of the tin, leaving space in the centre for the chicken.
Step 3
Pat your chicken thighs dry one more time with paper towel, this step is absolutely essential for achieving crispy skin. Season both sides with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then nestle them skin-side up in the centre of your roasting tin, amongst the vegetables. Don't worry if things look a bit crowded, everything will shrink slightly as it cooks. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, brush half of your honey glaze generously over the chicken skin, making sure every bit is coated. The honey will caramelise beautifully in the oven, creating that gorgeous sticky glaze.
Step 4
Slide the tin into your preheated oven on the middle shelf and roast for 25 minutes without opening the door. During this time, the chicken skin will start to turn golden, the pumpkin will begin to soften, and those onions will start their transformation into sweet, jammy loveliness. The kitchen will smell absolutely incredible, just you wait. Resist the urge to check too early, as opening the oven door releases heat and interrupts the cooking process.
Step 5
After 25 minutes, carefully remove the tin from the oven (it'll be very hot, so use proper oven gloves). Give the vegetables a gentle stir to ensure even cooking, then brush the remaining honey glaze over the chicken thighs. The first application will have mostly caramelised, so this second coating adds that final glossy finish. If the vegetables look like they're catching too much colour on the edges, that's absolutely fine, those caramelised bits are packed with flavour.
Step 6
Return the tin to the oven for another 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C when checked with a meat thermometer in the thickest part (not touching bone), and the juices run clear when pierced. The pumpkin should be completely tender when pierced with a knife, and the onions should be soft, golden, and starting to collapse into sweet, caramelised ribbons. If your chicken skin isn't as crispy as you'd like, pop the tin under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully so nothing burns.
Step 7
Once everything is cooked to perfection, remove the tin from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the chicken juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making every bite incredibly succulent. During this time, you'll notice the honey glaze will thicken slightly as it cools, creating that perfect sticky coating. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins if you like, they'll be sweet and creamy, adding another layer of flavour to the dish.
Step 8
Serve the chicken thighs directly from the roasting tin for a rustic presentation, or transfer to a warm serving platter if you're feeling fancy. Spoon all those gorgeous caramelised onions and tender pumpkin pieces around the chicken, making sure everyone gets a good mix of everything. Drizzle over any sticky, honeyed juices from the bottom of the tin, they're liquid gold and absolutely packed with flavour. This is delicious served with some crusty bread to mop up all those incredible juices, or alongside a simple green salad for freshness. Don't be shy about going back for seconds, this is proper comfort food at its finest.
Nutrition per serving
Sunnah
Learn simple practices and etiquettes found in the tradition that transform every meal into an act of worship, increase you in beneficial knowledge and add barakah into every bite.
Sacred Guidance
Chicken
I saw the Prophet ﷺ eating chicken.
Garlic
And recall when you said, 'O Moses, we can never endure one kind of food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.'
Ginger
And they will be given to drink a cup of wine whose mixture is of ginger, from a fountain within Paradise named Salsabil.
Onions
And recall when you said, 'O Moses, we can never endure one kind of food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.'
Pumpkin
The Prophet ﷺ ate that pumpkin with relish.
Olives
Season your food with olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.
Olive Oil
Eat olive oil and use it on your hair and skin, for it comes from a blessed tree.
Honey
The Prophet ﷺ used to stay for a long while with Zainab bint Jahsh and drink honey at her house.
Black Seeds
Use this black seed. For indeed it contains a cure for every disease except death.
Prophetic Etiquette
Sit down to eat, rather than eating while standing or walking.
Eat from what is nearest to you on the plate, and do not reach across for food that is distant.
Take small morsels of food, and chew your food well.
Do not blow on hot food or drinks; allow them to cool naturally.
Do not eat or drink from gold or silver utensils.
Lick your fingers clean before wiping them, as there may be barakah in what remains on them. Then wash your hands.
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