Recipe for: Roasted chicken with pumpkin and herbs - photo 1
← Recipes

Recipe for: Roasted chicken with pumpkin and herbs

Spicy Main dishes halloween Regional Cuisine of Poland 90 min Medium 0 views ~146.22 PLN * - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Aromatic roasted chicken with pumpkin and a mix of herbs is an autumn variation on classic roasted poultry, perfect for Halloween and family dinners. The dish combines juicy meat with delicately sweet, caramelized pumpkin and hints of apple and lemon that brighten the flavor. Herb-infused butter rubbed under the skin ensures a crispy, golden crust and intense aroma. Serve with pearl barley, a simple cabbage salad, or roasted root vegetables; it looks great on a decorated plate with roasted pumpkin pieces and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (16)

Servings:
4
  • Chicken 1600 g
  • Pumpkin 800 g
  • Onion 1 pcs (~150 g)
  • Garlic 3 clove (~15 g)
  • Butter 50 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Apple 0.8 pcs (~150 g)
  • Lemon 1 pcs (~80 g)
  • Chicken broth 200 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Thyme 4 g
  • Rosemary 2 g
  • Salt 10 g
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • Sweet paprika 4 g
  • ✨ Optional
  • Honey 30 ml
  • Pumpkin seeds 40 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~146.22 PLN (36.56 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat, no fan). Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking to let the meat reach room temperature. Wash the chicken under cold running water (if you like) and dry it thoroughly with a paper towel — dry skin browns better.

Ingredients: Chicken
Use a large countertop and a clean cutting board; have a kitchen thermometer on hand. The best option is a rack with a baking tray underneath, measuring about 30×40 cm.
2

Prepare the pumpkin: cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and cut the flesh into pieces about 3-4 cm in size. If you are using butternut squash, peel the skin. Peel the onion and cut it into large cubes. Cut the apple into quarters and remove the core. Peel and finely chop 3 cloves of garlic.

Ingredients: Pumpkin, Onion, Apple, Garlic
Use a sharp chef's knife and a large cutting board; remove the pumpkin seeds and save them for roasting (optional). Cut into similar sizes for even baking.

Filling and seasoning

3

Prepare the herb butter: in a bowl, mash the cold butter with a fork or a small mixer into a soft paste. Add the chopped garlic, 4 teaspoons of thyme, 2 teaspoons of rosemary, the grated zest of half a lemon, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 g of pepper, and 5 g of salt. Mix until the ingredients are combined.

Ingredients: Butter, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic, Lemon, Salt, Black pepper
Use a small bowl and a spoon; if the butter is too hard, heat it for 5-10 seconds in the microwave to make it easier to mix. You can prepare the butter in a food processor.
4

Gently separate the skin from the chicken breast with your fingers (start at the neck and move towards the breast), creating a pocket. Rub about half of the prepared butter directly under the skin, spreading it evenly over the breast. Use the remaining butter to coat the outside of the chicken. Inside the chicken, place 4 apple quarters and the remaining half of the lemon cut in half.

Ingredients: Chicken, Butter, Apple, Lemon
Use a small spoon or your gloved hand; do not scrape the skin aggressively – it should remain intact. If you cannot separate the skin, spread the butter on the outside of the chicken.

Preparing the vegetables

5

In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin pieces, onion, and remaining garlic with 30 g of rapeseed oil, 4 g of sweet paprika, 3 g of salt, and 2 g of pepper. Evenly spread the vegetables around the rack in the roasting pan or directly in the roasting pan next to the chicken. Drizzle the vegetables with a little broth (about 50 ml) at the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent burning.

Ingredients: Pumpkin, Onion, Rapeseed oil, sweet paprika, Salt, Black pepper, Chicken broth, Garlic
Use a large bowl and kitchen gloves for mixing. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer — don't overcrowd them so they have room to roast.

Assembly and baking

6

Place the chicken on the rack breast side up, and put the baking dish with chopped pumpkin and onion underneath it so that the fat drips onto the vegetables. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 190°C, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 60 minutes. Every 20 minutes, baste the chicken with a spoonful of hot juice from the bottom of the baking dish. If the skin browns too quickly, gently cover it with aluminum foil.

Ingredients: Chicken, Pumpkin, Chicken broth
Use a kitchen thermometer: the chicken is ready when the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 75°C and the juices run clear. Stick to the times, but monitor the meat's temperature.

Finishing

7

Remove the chicken from the oven, loosely cover it with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. In the meantime, transfer the vegetables from the roasting pan to a baking sheet if they are very wet, and turn the oven to 200°C for 5 minutes to lightly roast and caramelize them. If you are using honey, mix 30 g of honey with 1 tablespoon of oil and gently brush the pieces of pumpkin, then place them in the oven for 5 minutes until caramelized.

Ingredients: Chicken, Pumpkin, Honey
Resting the meat is key — do not cut the chicken immediately. Use a cutting board with a groove for juices and a sharp knife for slicing.

Serving

8

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Cut the chicken into portions: first separate the thighs and drumsticks, then slice the breast. Arrange the pieces of chicken on a large platter and top with the roasted pumpkin and onion. Sprinkle everything with the toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with pearl barley or a light cabbage salad.

Ingredients: pumpkin seeds, Chicken, Pumpkin
Use a larger platter or several plates; arrange the ingredients aesthetically — pieces of pumpkin on the sides, chicken in the center. You can also add fresh herbs (thyme) for decoration.

Fun Fact

💡

In many regions of Poland, roasted chicken with pumpkin is a modern twist on traditional autumn dishes, where pumpkin has long been used for thick soups and sweet pastries — here it takes on a savory character.

Best for

halloween obiad rodzinny święta jesienne

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve on a large platter, garnished with fresh sprigs of thyme and lemon wedges. As a side, we recommend barley groats with butter and parsley or a sour coleslaw made from white cabbage. For a flavor contrast, serve a spoonful of natural yogurt with garlic as a light sauce.

🥡 Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C for 15–20 minutes to regain the crispness of the skin (you can lightly spray with oil). Do not freeze pumpkin together with meat — it will lose its texture after thawing.

📸 Cooked by the community

Log in to add a photo
Add a photo of the finished dish

After moderator approval, you will receive 10 experience points.

🍲

No one has added a photo yet. Be the first!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Grilled chicken pieces in honey glaze 45 min

Grilled chicken pieces in honey glaze

Main Dishes
Dumplings with Strawberries and Sour Cream 75 min

Dumplings with Strawberries and Sour Cream

European cuisine
Pasta casserole with meat and spring vegetables 45 min

Pasta casserole with meat and spring veget...

Main Dishes
Duck Soup with Cherries and Dumplings 120 min

Duck Soup with Cherries and Dumplings

Regional Cuisine of Poland
Beef Zrazy Stuffed with Buckwheat Groats 90 min

Beef Zrazy Stuffed with Buckwheat Groats

Main Dishes
Herb and Garlic Roasted Potatoes 45 min

Herb and Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Main Dishes

Recipe Categories

Main dishes
Main dishes in: May Day

Main dishes are the heart of every May gathering. Grilled meats, fish, and vegetarian options will surely satisfy all guests.

See all recipes in this category
halloween
halloween

Halloween is a time when culinary traditions take on a dark and mysterious character. It's an opportunity for fun, creativity, and experimentation in the kitchen, where dishes take on unusual forms. In many countries, children dressed as ghosts and monsters run from door to door collecting candy,...

See all recipes in this category
Regional Cuisine of Poland
Regional Cuisine of Poland

Traditional recipes from various regions of Poland that showcase the richness of local flavors and ingredients.

See all recipes in this category
Advertisement