Donna Hay: Salty and sweet, the chicken is the star of this show

The bestselling Australian cookbook author Donna Hay is the guest chef in the Food Month at the Irish Times kitchen this week. Hay, whose whose books have sold more than seven million copies worldwide, will be sharing a recipe from her latest book, Everyday Fresh Meals in Minutes, every day this week.

Sticky miso chicken roasted on sesame pumpkin

The perfect balance of salty and sweet, miso chicken is the absolute star in these recipes. Get creative with a simple switch of veg and herbs for a tasty new spin. Permission granted!

Ingredients
Serves 4
1.5kg (3lb 3 oz) butternut pumpkin (butternut squash), skin scrubbed and thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
Sea salt flakes
Green onion (scallion), thinly sliced and coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

For the sticky miso chicken:
1/3 cup (95g/3¼ oz) white miso paste (shiro)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup (60ml/2 fl oz) mirin (Japanese rice wine)
2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
6 x 125g (4½ oz) chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and halved

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Method
1 Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).

2 Place pumpkin, oil, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and toss to coat. Place on a large baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Roast the pumpkin for 20 minutes.

3 To make the sticky miso chicken, place the miso, oil, soy, mirin, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside until ready to use.

4 When the pumpkin has cooked for the 20 minutes, top the pumpkin with the miso chicken and pour over any remaining miso marinade. Roast for a further 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

5 To serve, divide between plates, sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and top with green onion and coriander.

Recipe extracted from Donna Hay everyday fresh meals in minutes. Photography: Con Poulos. Recipes and styling: Donna Hay