It’s Sheet Pan Supper season!  As much as I love Summer, I always enjoy the change of seasons. I’m sorry to see the warmth go, but I love crisp Fall & Winter days almost as much. And of course, there’s always food to go with each season. This yummy sheet pan supper that I made last month serves two. 

I’ve been reading lately about peanut powder and wanting to try it in something.  It’s an interesting concept – squeeze out most of the fat, dehydrate the solids, & jar it as a powder.  It’s definitely different from peanut butter. For one thing, the texture is different. Not bad, just not peanut butter. Then there’s the longer shelf life (not really an issue in this house!), fewer calories, and none of the added sugar and salt typical of most prepared peanut butters. (Do check the label before you buy; I understand some brands do add sugar & salt.) So, I thought I’d play around with peanut powder, a sheet pan, & some veggies. I had way more jalapeños in the garden than I knew what to do with, so the dish had to have a little kick. I also had part of a head of cabbage left over, and an onion that was nearly ready to turn. My ingredient photo doesn’t show the pumpkin because I decided to add that at the last minute. It was a really dinky one from my garden, not big enough to bother with for pie (Yep, I make my Pumpkin Pie from fresh, home-grown pumpkins. So much better than that canned filling!). You can easily substitute butternut squash if you prefer. Some say it’s even sweeter than pumpkin – I even know someone who uses butternut squash for her “pumpkin” pie.

You might notice that my jalapeño is red. That’s just because I left it on the plant to continue to ripen. (Ha! That sounds intentional. Truth is, I just haven’t been able to keep up with them.) Jalapeños, like most green peppers, turn red when they’re very ripe. I like the flavor of a red jalapeño. Make no mistake, they’re spicier than the green ones but also smoother & more flavorful. No worries if you can’t get your hands on one – you can substitute any hot pepper you like, including a green jalapeño.

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeds & membranes removed (or ⅛ tsp cayenne)

1 garlic clove

2 heaping Tbsp fresh ginger (peeled & sliced very thin)

½ cup peanut powder (may substitute ¼ cup peanut butter, but that will change the nutrition info)

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp Penzeys Bangkok Blend (optional)

½ tsp ground turmeric

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp dark sesame oil

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 small onion

~¼ small head red cabbage

1 cup of 1″ pumpkin cubes (~8 oz.), or other winter squash

Preparation:

1.) Place 1st 12 ingredients (jalapeño through sesame oil) in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Transfer to an 8″x 8″ baking dish.

2.) Trim any excess fat from the chicken. Open the thighs flat, and run both sides through the mixture to coat. Roll them back up, cover, and refrigerate at least an hour, or overnight.

3.) Slice the onion in half lengthwise, then cut into crosswise slices about ½” thick.  Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters, saving 3 of them for another use. Cut the 4th into crosswise slices about ½” thick.

4.) Cut the pumpkin in half, peel it, & scoop out the strings & seeds. Cut into 1″ cubes.

5.) Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a sheet pan with foil. (Turn the pan upside down, lay the foil over it, & smooth down to mold the foil to the outside of the pan. Then flip the pan right side up & put the molded foil in – it’s so much easier to get the foil into the corners without tearing it.)

6.) Remove the chicken from the marinade, and place on the pan. Now dip the slices of cabbage & onion in the leftover marinade, & add to the pan marinade side up. Dump the pumpkin chunks into the marinade, toss to coat, & add to the pan. Pour any leftover marinade over everything.*

7.) Pop the pan in the oven, & bake for 30 minutes, or until chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F. The sauce will be beautifully brown & bubbly.

*(A note about marinades: Some recipes call for the remaining marinade to be discarded, others say to use it. What’s the difference? If it’s not going to be thoroughly cooked, toss it. It had raw meat in it, after all.)