This autumn, traditional roast chicken gets a special twist by being paired with butternut squash and sage - an autumnal flavor duo that lends a unique savoury warmth to this one-pan dinner. The secret to the perfect cooking time is dividing the bird into quarters, which allows the breasts to exit the heat as soon as they're cooked to perfection. Meanwhile, the legs carry on roasting with the butternut squash which becomes tender and caramelised in the succulent chicken drippings. To top it off, a simple pan sauce is made by boiling water in the roasting pan and mixing it with the browned bits, or fond, giving you a tasty sauce to drizzle over the chicken.

Preparing butternut squash can appear challenging thanks to its tough skin and round shape, but worry not, as Paige Grandjean from F&W has you covered with some helpful tips. Firstly, using a large, sharp chef’s knife, slice a quarter-inch off the bottom end of the squash. The dense nature of butternut squash can make it tricky to cut, thus it's easier to poke your knife into the squash, then bring it down like a lever. Once this is done, revolve the butternut squash on your work surface and trim a quarter-inch off the stem end. Place the squash on its side and cautiously hold it with one hand. Starting at the tapered end and moving towards the bulb end, use a vegetable peeler to shave off the squash’s outer layer in long, fluid strokes to reveal the vibrant orange flesh underneath. A Y-shaped peeler is recommended for its comfort and efficiency.

To make this comforting fall dish even better, pair it with a quality but affordable red Italian wine, such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, known for its deep, roasted berry flavor.

The ingredient proportions given for this recipe are designed to yield four servings and while the ingredient amounts can be scaled to your needs, the cooking times and steps remain static. The recipe calls for a 3-pound chicken, olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, a small butternut squash, dried sage, and water. The oven is preheated to 450°F and the chicken quarters are coated with the oil, seasoned with salt, and arranged skin-side up in a large roasting pan. The butternut squash cubes are tossed in oil and sage, and added to the roasting pan. After about 20 minutes in the oven, the chicken breasts are done, and they are to be removed from the pan while the legs and squash continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes. Create a sauce by boiling water in the roasting pan and scraping the bottom to dislodge the flavorful brown bits.

This delectable recipe was first published in Food & Wine’s 1998 cookbook, Quick From Scratch Italian, with text written, in part, by Emily Ziemski.