This is based on a simpler dish my Mom used to make, always one of my favorites growing up. Here I've added a few extra touches to the basic dish. This was usually served with egg noodles, but hey, I like spaghetti squash. This will serve two hungry adults with leftovers for tomorrow.
Equipment
large cutting board
heavy chopping knife
microplane or grater
baking sheet
glass baking dish
saute pan with fitted lid
Ingredients
Marinade
1.5 lb (~700g) chicken thighs or other pieces, bone-in and skin-on
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves OR 3 tsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
zest of one lemon, microplaned OR rind grated and minced
2 oz. (70g) Shio-Koji (see note)
2-3 Tbsp good quality olive oil
black pepper to taste
Baking
1 medium white or yellow onion, wedged and sliced
3 lemons, sliced to ~1/4" thickness
salt and black pepper to taste
Vegetable side
1 spaghetti squash, ~ 2lbs., chopped in half lengthwise and seeded
1Tbsp good quality olive oil
1 small head bok choy, washed and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
black pepper to taste
Directions
1) Combine the first seven ingredients in a ziploc bag, squeeze out the air, and massage to mix ingredients. Marinade at room temperature for up to three hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.
2) Approximately 90 minutes before you wish to start baking the chicken, set the oven to 375°F. Place the washed, halved and seeded spaghetti squash flesh side down on a baking sheet, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the squash is fork-pierced tender. (See note for alternate preparation method.) Remove cooked squash from heat and allow to cool approximately five minutes. Using a fork, scrape the flesh from the squash into long strings and place in a separate bowl.
3) Reduce oven heat to 350°F. Arrange onion slices in a layer on the bottom of a 9x9" glass baking dish. Place the marinaded chicken on top, and evenly distribute the remaining marinade. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken, and top with salt and pepper. Bake for ~60 minutes or until safe internal heat, as measured adjacent to the bone, is achieved. The lemons will be lightly blackened, and the exposed skin browned.
4) Approximately 10 minutes before chicken is done, heat 1T olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add prepared spaghetti squash and lightly saute for approximately five minutes. Reduce temperature to low, add chopped bok choy, soy sauce, and pepper, and cover. Steam for approximately five minutes. Serve hot with chicken and onion and enjoy!
Notes
1) Shio-koji is made from the rice dregs from sake production combined with salt. It contains live cultures and active enzymes, which help to tenderize meat, add flavor and umami, as well as slight sweetness from the sake brewing process. Shio-koji should be used at 1/10th the weight of the meat to be marinaded. As this is a live culture, short marinades do better at room temperature, to allow the enzymes to act. Longer marinades are best kept in the refrigerator. You can find this in most Asian groceries, on Amazon, or alternatively use 1/2 the volume of pineapple juice with salt to taste added.
2) Some people steam whole spaghetti squashes for ~90 minutes at ~380°F. After removing from the oven pierce the skin of the squash repeatedly with a fork to allow it to vent before cutting and deseeding. I've not tried this method so I can't speak for its safety/efficacy.
3) Using skin-on chicken preserves both moisture and flavor for this dish. I've tried it with skinless chicken breasts and it came out dry and minimally tasty! I prefer using the bone-in/skin-on thighs, but if you prefer to use skinless and boneless poultry, I suggest poaching your chicken and separately simmering the marinade ingredients to make a hot, thickened sauce.
4) Yeah, we just didn't get spaghetti squash in the grocery store where I grew up. Same with bok choy! They were quite exotic vegetables until I moved south, but now I quite enjoy them! I think they're a great substitute for other carb-y type dishes, and delicious besides.
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