Somewhere between a stew and a traybake, this one-pot chicken and butternut squash dish will attract everyone to the kitchen with its autumnal aroma. We really can’t advocate our chicken and butternut squash traybake with Chinese five-spice more, other than to advise that this recipe is incredible easy to make. It requires just the slightest of intervention every now and again, but for the most part can be left alone to bake slowly.

Butternut squash is an ideal seasonal vegetable throughout October and November. A good source of vitamin A and C, as well as a host of other minerals, squash is a nutritious and colourful way of getting one of your five-a-day.

The recipe serves 3 people comfortable, and a fourth accompanied by a crusty baguette.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 red onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice
• 400g new potatoes
• 1 medium butternut squash (approx. 1kg)
• 4 tbsp creme fraiche
• large handful of freshly chopped coriander

Recipe:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Meanwhile heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large baking dish (preferably with a lid, but not crucial as tinfoil makes a suitable alternative). Cook the chicken on all sides, until the meat browns but is not cooked all the way through.
3. Whilst the chicken is browning, chop the onion and garlic. Remove the chicken from the pan once coloured, and add the onion.
4. Fry for 4 – 5 minutes, then add the chopped garlic and stir in the plain flour, stirring for one minute. Pour in the chicken stock and Chinese five-spice, and give another quick stir.
5. Replace the chicken into the pan, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. 
6. Then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Chop up the new potatoes, and peel, de-seed and chop the butternut squash. After the 30 minutes is up, add the potatoes and the squash to the tray. Cover with the lid (or tin foil), and bake for 1 hour further.
8. Stir in the creme fraiche and chopped coriander, and serve.