Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken With Squash

By David Tanis

Updated Oct. 7, 2025

Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken With Squash
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
About 1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
About 1½ hours
Rating
5(553)
Comments
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This showstopping chicken isn’t weeknight fare, but it turns chicken thighs into something totally special. It features lemon two ways, with a fair amount of lemon juice in the marinade, and thin slices of lemon in the roasting pan as well. Garlic, leeks and rosemary also ensure robust flavor. Then, simply roasted rings of delicata squash, skin and all, lay on top, but if you can’t find it, substitute cubes of another hard squash, like butternut. And, if you’re short on time, you can always prepare it in advance — at least a few hours ahead of serving — and reheat for 15 to 12 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 6large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3½ to 4 pounds)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1teaspoon turmeric
  • 1teaspoon pimentón or smoked paprika
  • ½cup lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
  • 3lemons, 2 cut crosswise into ⅛-inch slices, 1 zested
  • 2heads garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves
  • 3small leeks, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • ½cup rosemary leaves, stripped from about 6 sprigs
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling.
  • 2delicata squash, seeds removed, sliced crosswise into ½-inch rings and seeded
  • ¼cup chopped parsley
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

608 calories; 38 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 1282 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Set chicken thighs in a single layer in a roasting pan. Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Put a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of pimentón on each thigh and rub into the surface. Pour lemon juice over chicken and let marinate for 30 minutes, if time allows.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange lemon slices around and under chicken. Scatter garlic cloves and leeks over top. Sprinkle with rosemary and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast on the middle rack of the oven, uncovered, for about an hour, until meat is tender and the juices run clear when probed, and the chicken is nicely browned and lemon slices slightly charred.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, arrange the squash rings on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add to the oven after the chicken has cooked for about 30 minutes. Roast uncovered on top rack of oven until lightly browned and fork-tender, about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    To serve, mix together parsley and lemon zest. Transfer chicken, garlic, leeks and lemon slices to a serving platter (or serve from an oven-to-table roasting pan). Top with squash rings and parsley-lemon mixture.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
553 user ratings
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Comments

Michael

I recommend against using a cast-iron skillet (as I usually do) as a roasting pan for this dish. Turmeric is soluble in oil and will penetrate the pore of the cast iron necessitating a lengthy clean up with soap and water and then reseasoning.

Mary

@Michael the acidity of the lemon juice will eat away the seasoning of a cast-iron skillet… Be careful unless your pan is very very well seasoned

Jennifer

Unpeeled garlic cloves? How does that work?

Cynthia Wick

This was completely delicious. One tip…no need to add the squash after 30 minutes. I added mine in the beginning and well oiled….some under the chicken some not and they were caramelized and so tasty. Will make again and again. The turmeric and paprika so good together and gave the chicken a deep bronzed color.

melissa

I’m looking forward to making this again with fewer lemon rounds and more leeks. I’ll also cook it for less time as the leeks burned and stuck to the pan. A smidge of chicken stock may fix that. The chicken was cooked perfectly, though!

melissa

I forgot to mention, next time I would not pour the lemon juice over the tops of the chicken, but let them sit in the marinade.

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