Chicken & Fall Vegetables

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the ends of the squash. Halve lengthwise; using a spoon, scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Medium dice the potatoes. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Divide the prepared vegetables between two sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast, rotating the sheet pans halfway through, 30 to 32 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the vegetables roast, if necessary, peel 2 cloves of garlic, then roughly chop.

Once the vegetables have roasted about 10 minutes, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the capers and chopped garlic to the pan of reserved fond (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until softened. Add the honey (kneading the packet before opening), vinegar (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the sliced chicken with the roasted vegetables. Top the chicken with the pan sauce. Enjoy!