Name: Cast Iron Chicken with Persimmon, Red Onion & Lentils
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup French green lentils; 1 bay leaf; 1 Delicata squash (small); 3 persimmon; 1 red onion; 1 bunch Lacinato kale; 5 garlic cloves; 1/2 cup walnuts; 1/4 cup chicken stock; 2 oz feta cheese; 1/4 cup avocado oil (or olive oil); 4 chicken breast (skin on) (see note below); 3 tbsp chopped parsley (optional garnish); 5 tbsp butter (room temperature); 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice; 1 tsp whole grain mustard; 1 orange; 1/2 tsp honey

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This Cast Iron Chicken with Persimmon, Red Onion & Lentils is a complete fall meal filled with seasonal flavors. Tender, juicy chicken is paired with a gorgeous combo of persimmon, squash, lentils, red onion, and kale, then finished with a warm spiced orange butter that pulls everything together. It’s an easy way to transform everyday chicken into a dish that’s comforting, delightful, and packed with flavor.

A partial overhead view of cast iron pan with chicken, persimmon, red onion, and lentils on a cooking rack next to a bowl of lentils and some fresh persimmons.

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of chicken breast – boneless, skinless chicken breast, specifically.

But add a little skin and even some bones, and suddenly, things start to get a little more interesting.

But then how do you take that to the next level?

IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK!

You choose pan-roasting as your technique. Simply put, this is where you start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. Why? Because the simple step of searing something in a blazing hot pan on the stovetop adds a HUGE layer of flavor.
Add an interesting combination of vegetables, fruit, grains, seeds, nuts, etc.
Make a sauce or easy condiment to bring it all together.

The best part? Once you master this technique, you don’t need a recipe! (I know, I know, I say it all the time, but it’s true!)

In this post I’m going to walk you through it.

Let’s get into it!

Looking for more recipes like this? Try my One Pan Saffron Chicken and Rice, Cast Iron Ribeye with Pears and Blue Cheese, One Pan Chicken and Rice with Caesar Butter, Easy Weeknight Sheet Pan Eggplant Parm, or Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos with Roasted Pineapple Salsa.

Why I love this recipe:

SEASONAL FLAVORS – This almost one-pan meal is packed with fall produce, making it a great option for this time of year.
IT’S A COMPLETE MEAL – You really don’t need to make anything else! Just bring the pan to the table and dig in because this simple meal has it all!
INTERESTING COMBINATION – Have you cooked with persimmon before? I’m guessing not. But you should – this is such a fun way to incorporate them into your cooking. Their sweetness is the perfect complement to the other flavors in the dish.
FIVE SPICE BUTTER – This flavored butter has the most delicious flavor and would be insanely good on so many things this time of year. Make extra, store it in the freezer, and have fun with it!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this cast iron chicken breast recipe:

An overhead view of the ingredients required to make cast iron chicken with persimmon, red onion & lentils.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make this are easy to find and readily available at almost any grocery store.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Chicken: For the most tender chicken, use skin-on chicken breasts. Whether or not they are bone-in is up to you you, but the skin is a must for moist, flavorful chicken, as it provides a protective barrier and doesn’t dry out the chicken, and as the fat renders, it provides wonderful flavor to cook all of the vegetables. I used skin-on boneless chicken breasts. Substitute skin-on chicken thighs, but adjust the cooking time accordingly, as they will take longer to cook.

Persimmon: There are two primary types of persimmon: astringent (Hachiya) and non-astringent (Fuyu). The non-astringent, Fuyu, is what you want to use, as it is delicious, both firm and soft. Its shape is round and flat – kind of like a flat tomato, and should be eaten with the skin on. The Hachiya are more oblong and taller in shape and not edible until they are completely ripe and soft. Find them at grocery stores, Asian markets, and big box stores like Costco.

Delicata Squash: Use a small Delicata squash for ease of preparation. No peeling is required, it is easy to slice into thin semi-circles, and it is delicious. Substitute with acorn squash, butternut or honey nut squash, or sweet potatoes.

Walnuts: Walnuts are such a great flavor for fall cooking. Instead of sprinkling them on top, add them to the vegetable mix to be roasted – they will be come so toasty and delicious! Substitute pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, or pistachios.

Kale: Use Lacinato kale for the best flavor and for its less curly, flatter profile. It’s easy to cut into ribbons and takes up less room in a very full pan. Substitute with another kale variety, swiss chard, or stir baby spinach into the finished dish, where the residual heat will wilt it.

Lentils: Use French green lentils (du Puy lentils) for the best results. They hold their shape and don’t become mushy, which works so well in this dish. *Please note that these are different than regular green lentils, which become quite mushy when cooked. Substitute with black beluga lentils, as they also remain firm but tender when cooked.

Chinese Five Spice: Traditionally made of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds, this powder is warming and spicy all at the same time. It’s easy to find at any grocery store or Asian market, and great to have on hand.

A plate of sliced chicken on top of roasted squash, persimmon, red onion, and kale.

Let’s Make Cast Iron Chicken with Persimmon, Red Onion & Lentils Together: STEP BY STEP

Be sure to check out the full recipe details and ingredient list in the recipe card below.

Steps 1, 2 & 3:

First, combine the lentils, bay leaf, and water in a saucepan and simmer until lentils are firm but tender.

Second, slice the top and bottom of the squash, and cut in half lengthwise. Third, remove the seeds form the squash and then slice it into 1/4 inch thick slices.

A pot of lentils and bay leaf ready to be cooked.

Delicata squash cut in half to go with cast iron chicken.

Delicata squash cut in half, seeded, and sliced into half circles to go with chicken and persimmons.

Steps 4, 5 & 6:

Next, cut the onion in half through the root, peel it, and then slice it into wedges through the root so the wedges stay in tact.

Then prep the persimmons by removing the stem and core, just like you would a strawberry, and then cut it in half. Once you have two halves, cut those into wedges.

Lastly, prep the kale by first removing the stems and stacking up the leaves.

Red onion cut in half and then cut into wedges.

Persimmons with the core removed, cut in half and then cut into wedges.

Lacinato kale with the stems removed and the leaves piled up for cast iron chicken.

Steps 7, 8 & 9:

Once you’ve got the kale leaves stacked, cut them in half, lengthwise, and roll each half and slice into ribbons.

Heat a large cast iron over medium high heat, and while the pan is heating, season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the pan is hot, add enough avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil such as canola oil) to coat the bottom of the pan and let it heat up. Add the chicken breasts, skin side down, and let the chicken cook, undisturbed, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, make the flavored butter by mixing the ingredients well.

Lacinato kale sliced into ribbons on a cutting board.

Seasoned chicken breasts cooking in a cast iron pan.

Flavored butter ingredients in a stainless steel bowl for cast iron chicken with persimmon, red onion & lentils.

Steps 10, 11 & 12:

When the chicken is golden brown, flip it and let it cook for one minute, and then transfer it to a plate.

Combine the squash, kale, persimmon, red onion, and walnuts and drizzle generously with oil, salt and pepper. Add this mixture to the cast iron pan and let it cook for a few minutes, add the stock, and then transfer it to a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Chicken breasts cooking on their second side in a cast iron skillet.

Squash, persimmon, kale, onion, and walnuts drizzled with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper on a sheet pan.

Squash, kale, persimmon, and onion cooking in a cast iron pan.

Steps 13, 14 & 15:

When the lentils are tender, drain them and a dollop of the butter, a squeeze of orange juice, and mix well.

After the vegetables have cooked for 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir everything around. Add the chicken breasts on top and return to the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pan and tent them with foil. Turn the oven to broil and return the vegetables to the oven to brown for a couple of minutes. Remove the pan, stir in the butter, reserving some for the chicken, and stir it into the vegetables until well combined. Sprinkle with feta, return the chicken to the pan and brush with the butter. Bring it to the table and ENJOY!

Flavored butter added to drained lentils to go on cast iron chicken with persimmon and red onion.

Chicken breasts on top of vegetables cooking in cast iron pan.

Chef Natalie Marble in her home kitchen.

Natalie’s Expert Tips

Use chicken breasts that have skin for the best flavor and texture. You can use bone-in chicken breasts, or they can be boneless. If they are bone-in, or if you substitute with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, you will need to increase the cooking time accordingly.
Be sure to slice the squash particularly thin (no thicker than 1/4 inch) so that it will be perfectly cooked by the time everything else is done.
Use firm but ripe Fuyu persimmon. If they are too soft, they will become mushy in the pan. This article is a great resource if you want to learn more about the varieties and their differrences.

An overhead view of a cast iron skillet filled with chicken with persimmon, red onion, and lentils.

Serving Suggestions

Because this dish can be considered a full meal on its own, a simple green salad or just some crusty bread would be a great complement.
A comforting bowl of my Easy Carrot Pumpkin Soup with Star Anise and Ginger would be a great before serving this meal, and the flavors work so well together.

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE:
Store the chicken and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REHEATING:
To reheat in the oven, place everything in an oven-proof pan or dish with a splash of water and cover with aluminum foil. Place in a 375-degree oven until warmed through. For the last five minutes, remove the foil so the skin will crisp back up. You can also reheat everything in the microwave in 30-second intervals until everything is warmed through.

FREEZING:
This dish freezes well in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

A pan of cast iron chicken with a serving spoon in it next to a plate, napkin, and forks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cast Iron Chicken

No. You should leave the skin on as they are absolutely edible – just like an apple, pear, etc.

Persimmons are readily available at almost any grocery store and Asian market. You can also often find them in big box stores like Costco.

No problem. A stainless steel pan is your next best option. There are no adjustments to make – proceed with the recipe in exactly the same way.

I hope you love this CAST IRON CHICKEN WITH PERSIMMON, RED ONION & LENTILS!
If you make it, be sure to leave a rating so I know how you liked it!

Recipe Card

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Nice to meet you!

I’m Natalie and I love to create seasonal and interesting elevated food for busy everyday real life! Dinner doesn’t have to be boring and I’m here to help. This is where busy meets delicious!

Cast Iron Chicken with Persimmon, Red Onion & Lentils