Pan-Cooked Chicken Thighs with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
• 4 cups cubed butternut squash
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Directions

1. Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet until it shimmers. Set the chicken legs in the pan skin side down, and leave them alone until the skin is deep golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn them over and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Move the chicken to a large plate and set it aside.
2. Add the cubed squash to the fat in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring and tossing occasionally, until it starts to soften and brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat down if anything begins to burn. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring often, until it softens slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the sage and keep stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the browned bits. Nudge the squash toward the edges of the pan, then return the chicken to the skillet with the skin facing up. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and cook uncovered until the chicken thighs are cooked through, with an instant-read thermometer registering at least 170 degrees F, and the stock has reduced to about 1/2 cup, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Lift the chicken onto a serving platter. Serve immediately. Take the skillet off the heat, then whisk the butter and lemon juice into the sauce, swirling to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pour the sauce around the chicken, and serve immediately.