This is a flavorful way to cook fresh pumpkin (or butternut squash) with chicken in a creamy sauce. The lemon pepper lightly flavors the chicken and the Poultry Herb and Garlic Granules compliment the pumpkin and mushrooms in a rich sauce. This is a real crowd-pleaser using the pumpkin as a vegetable in a savory and delicious way.
INGREDIENTS:
8 skinned Chicken Thighs
2 Tblspns Poultry Herb
2 tsp Lemon Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Granule
2 Tblspns olive oil
2 Tblspns butter
1/2 small container of Creme Fraiche (4 ounces)
3 cups (raw, fresh) Pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 slices of bacon, cooked but not crisp
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tblspns flour
DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle each chicken thigh on all sides with the lemon pepper. Heat the oil in a large fry pan. Brown the chicken and then place them in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Add the butter to the fry pan and cook the onion until just transparent. Add the pumpkin and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the Creme Fraiche, the chicken broth, Poultry Herb and Garlic Granules. Stir to combine and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables and bacon from the fry pan and arrange them over the chicken in the baking dish. Use the remaining broth in the fry pan and make a thicker sauce by adding 2 Tblspns flour to 3 Tbsp. of the broth. Mix the flour and broth together and add it to the remaining broth in the fry pan. Slowly stir it over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken. Pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and bake in a 325 degree oven for 50 minutes.
