Minimal effort, max flavour: One-pan chicken is high-reward midweek cooking

Name: Minimal effort, max flavour: One-pan chicken is high-reward midweek cooking
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1kg chicken thighs (or chops), skin on, bone in, patted dry; 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 500g pumpkin, cut into thin wedges; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; juice of 1 lemon; 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed; 10g fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 tbsp date molasses; ½ cinnamon stick; 100ml chicken stock; sea salt and black pepper; plain full-fat yoghurt, to serve; coriander leaves, roughly torn, to serve

Date molasses adds an intriguing fruity note and helps caramelise the chicken in this one-tray wonder.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

July 10, 2025

Serve this one-pan chicken, pumpkin and chickpea dish with flatbread (pictured right) or steamed rice.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

I’m forever thinking of new “one-pan chicken” recipes because the effort is always so minimal and the reward so high. Here, the chicken is married with pumpkin and chickpeas for the perfect midweek dinner. This marinade is packed full of flavour, the date molasses helping to caramelise the chicken and adding a subtle, complementary sweetness to the roast pumpkin.

I like to serve this with fluffy flatbreads or steamed rice to help soak up all the delicious juices.

Ingredients

1kg chicken thighs (or chops), skin on, bone in, patted dry
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
500g pumpkin, cut into thin wedges
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
10g fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp date molasses
½ cinnamon stick
100ml chicken stock
sea salt and black pepper
plain full-fat yoghurt, to serve
coriander leaves, roughly torn, to serve

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
Step 2
Arrange the chicken (skin side up), chickpeas and pumpkin in a single layer on a baking tray. Set aside.
Step 3
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander seeds, ginger and date molasses. Pour the mix over the chicken, chickpeas and pumpkin, using your hands to thoroughly massage it into the meat and pumpkin. Nestle in the cinnamon stick and pour in the chicken stock, taking care not to pour it directly onto the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the pumpkin is tender and golden.
Step 5
Check for seasoning and serve with yoghurt and fresh coriander.