

Oregano Cumin Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Pumpkin



This is a fantastic main course for a fabulous fall feast or an elegant Halloween meal. Long as the name may be, it really isn't any more complicated than a normal stuffed roast chicken recipe. This recipe is also excellent with a mixture of squash, sweet potatoes, and/or carrots in addition to or in place of the pumpkin. This also makes a fantastic roast turkey, which I will be sharing in my Thanksgiving recipe pages once I sort out the specifics and try it a time or two. I like this chicken stuffed with Oregano Cumin Pumpkin Stuffing or even better just served with the stuffing on the side. The combination of pumpkin, oregano, and cumin is really unique and very tasty! If you have fresh oregano, feel free to use 3 tablespoons of finely minced oregano in place of the ground oregano.



2 pound small pie pumpkin

10 tablespoons softened butter, divided

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground oregano

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 3 1/2 pound roasting chicken



Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a roasting rack and large roasting pan. Peel the pumpkin and remove all of the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into 3/4 inch chunks and set aside. Reserve two tablespoons butter and mix the 8 tablespoons butter with the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breast and spread about 5 tablespoons of the butter mixture in between the skin and breast meat to keep it moist while baking. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush generously over the chicken skin. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter spice mixture. Toss the melted spice butter with the chopped pumpkin. Place the pumpkin in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the rack in the pan and place the chicken breast side up on the rack. Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken onto one side. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, then flip the chicken over onto the other side. Roast for 20 minutes more, then turn the chicken breast side up. Continue to roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 15-20 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken and carve. Serve with the pumpkin.



Halloween Main Dishes













