What makes this chicken dinner exciting — thrilling, even — is everything under, around and on top of it. This dish features a riot of tastes and textures: toasty chickpeas, sweet velvety squash and even sweeter soft dates. Over all that richness is a lemony olive-caper relish with fresh parsley, bolstered by pan juices. And even though this is a chicken dish, all those components together make for a fantastic vegetarian meal for two if you skip the meat.

Chicken with squash and dates

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds delicata squash (about 2 large squash), scrubbed, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced crosswise into 1-inchthick pieces

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 4 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (about 3 pounds)

• 4 ounces pitted large medjool dates (about 6), quartered lengthwise

• 1/2 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon drained capers, plus 2 tablespoons caper brine

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine squash and chickpeas with 3 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.

Toss to coat, then spread in an even layer.

Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon oil, then season with salt and pepper, and arrange on top, skin-side up. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir in dates, and roast for about 20-25 minutes.

While the mixture roasts, in a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup oil with the olives, parsley, capers and caper brine, and lemon juice. Season the olive relish with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Divide the roasted chicken, squash, dates and chickpeas among plates. Stir pan juices into the relish, then spoon the relish on top of each serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Total time: 1 hour, serves 4.

Tip:

Chop up leftovers and repurpose them in a rice salad with crumbled feta or grated Parmesan for extra tang.