Simple Dinner: Spicy Chicken Thighs with Parmesan Spaghetti Squash!

It's easy to become stuck in a poultry rut. I love a perfectly roasted chicken or lemony piccata just as much as anyone else but it gets boring! So I'd love to share one of my other go-to chicken dinners with you, incase you're looking to change things up.  It's made entirely in the oven (sides and all), meaning you can set it up and walk away until dinner's ready...no standing over the stove! In fact, you could probably make this all in 1 large baking dish if you were feeling particularly streamline-y.


SPICY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ROASTED MUSHROOM-TOMATOES & SPAGHETTI SQUASH
SERVES:4

6 to 8 chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot paprika, for sprinkling

1 medium spaghetti squash

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound button mushrooms, halved

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
Grate parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with hot paprika on both sides; rub to evenly coat. 
2. Split the squash in half, lengthwise, and scrape out seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. 
3. Toss the mushrooms, garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Transfer to a cast-iron skillet. Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the mushroom mixture. Put the skillet and baking sheet in the oven and roast 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender. 
4. Meanwhile, toss the cherry tomatoes, thyme leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt in another bowl; 10 minutes before the chicken and squash are done cooking, add the tomatoes to the skillet with the chicken and cook until hot and bursting.  
5. Transfer the squash to a cutting board. When it's cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh into a bowl using a fork. Toss with salt, olive oil and grated parmesan cheese. Toss together the tomatoes, mushrooms and basil.
6. Serve the chicken with the tomatoes-mushroom mixture and some spaghetti squash (topped with more parmesan cheese, if desired).

Question for you: What's your go-to chicken dinner? Leave it in the comments, I'd love to know!