The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
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Balsamic-glazed chicken with honey roast squash
Balsamic adds zing to any dish. Here you’ll blend it with honey to make a sticky, zippy glaze for free-range British chicken thighs. Dish 'em up over red rice, with roasted squash, kale and fragrant sage.
Prep in 10
High protein
4 of 5 a day
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 2 tsp pumpkin seeds
- 2 shallot
- 25g honey
- 50g red rice
- 1 chicken stock cube (Celery) (sea salt, potato starch*, sustainable palm oil* , sugar*, chicken fat* 3.5%, yeast extract, natural flavour, chicken meat* 1%, herbs & spices* (turmeric*, black pepper*, parsley*, rosemary*), onion powder*. * Organic ingredient)
- 300g British Free Range chicken thighs
- 80g sliced kale
- 1 handful of fresh sage
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (Sulphites) (Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 652
Protein: 39g
Carbs: 68g
Fat: 28g
Balsamic-glazed chicken with honey roast squash
Balsamic adds zing to any dish. Here you’ll blend it with honey to make a sticky, zippy glaze for free-range British chicken thighs. Dish 'em up over red rice, with roasted squash, kale and fragrant sage.
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Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9. Boil a kettle. Rinse the rice, then place in a saucepan with 900ml lightly salted boiling water. Simmer for 25-30 mins, then drain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the honey and vinegar with 2 tsp oil. Season with sea salt. Remove half the dressing into a small bowl. Remove the sage leaves from their stalks and roughly chop.
- Cut the squash into 1cm slices (discarding the seeds). Halve the shallots lengthways. Add both to the dressing and stir to coat. Transfer to a tray lined with baking paper, season with sea salt and black pepper, then roast for 25-30 mins, adding the kale and half the chopped sage for the final 5 mins, until the squash is soft.
- Heat a frying pan with 2 tsp oil on a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with sea salt, then place in the pan. Cook for 3-4 mins, until golden brown, then flip and repeat. Meanwhile, dissolve the stock cube in a jug with 250ml boiling water.
- Add the remaining vinegar-honey glaze and coat the chicken. Continue to fry for 2-3 mins, turning the chicken in the glaze until sticky. Check your chicken is cooked through by cutting a large piece in half; the flesh should be white and the juices running clear. Cook for longer if necessary.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour the stock into the pan on a high heat. Add the remaining chopped sage and boil for 2-3 mins, until thickened and glossy. Set aside until the squash is done.
- Reheat the chicken in the sauce if necessary. Serve the rice topped with the squash, shallots, kale and sage leaves. Place the chicken on top, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and drizzle over the sauce.
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