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

Cast Iron Chicken with Persimmon, Red Onion & Lentils

By Natalie Marble
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.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 930 kcal

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)

Five Spice Butter

  • 5 tbsp butter (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice
  • 1 tsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 orange
  • 1/2 tsp honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cook the lentils. Add the lentils, bay leaf, and 1 1/2 cups of water to small saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender.
  • Prep the veg. Slice off the top and bottom of the squash and then cut the squash lengthwise. Remove the seeds and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (no peeling!). Just like you would a strawberry, remove the stem of the persimmon and cut it into wedges. Smash and peel the garlic and leave whole. Remove the stems of the kale and thinly slice them into ribbons. Add all of these ingredients onto a sheet pan or into a large bowl with the walnuts. Drizzle them with three tablespoons of oil and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  • Sear the chicken. Heat your cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil (or just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan) with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil. Season the skin side of the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper, and to the hot pan, add the chicken, skin side down, and leave it undisturbed for 3-4 minutes before checking it. While it is cooking, season the side that is facing up. When the skin is golden brown, flip it, cook for 1 minute, and then transfer it to a plate.
  • Cook the veg. After you've removed the chicken from the pan, turn the heat down to medium and add all of the seasoned vegetables and walnuts and let them cook for a few minutes. Add the stock and transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Make the butter. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the butter, Five Spice powder, mustard, honey, and the zest of an orange in a small bowl. *If you use unsalted butter, you must add salt to bring out the other flavors.
  • Finish the lentils. When the lentils are firm, but tender, drain them and add a heaping tablespoon of the butter and a squeeze of orange juice. Mix well and set aside.
  • Roast the chicken. When the 15 minutes are up on cooking the vegetables, remove the pan from the oven. Stir everything around and add the chicken breasts on top and return the pan to the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done. You can check this with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast. I like to pull it when the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 160 degrees, as it will continue to cook when resting.
  • Remove the chicken and broil. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. For juicy chicken breasts, it is important to let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Turn the oven to broil and place the vegetables until for a couple of minutes.
  • Finish and serve. Remove the pan from the oven, add the lentils to the vegetables, and add the butter, saving some to top the chicken. Gently stir the butter into the vegetables and top with feta. Add the chicken breasts back on top and brush them with the remaining butter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

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Notes

  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 930kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 40gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 427mgPotassium: 1512mgFiber: 15gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 9219IUVitamin C: 186mgCalcium: 391mgIron: 9mg
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