Red-lacquered chicken and winter vegetables

Name: Red-lacquered chicken and winter vegetables
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp gochujang; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 piece of fresh ginger, 1 inch, peeled and grated (about 1 tbsp); 3 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for drizzling; 2 lb squash such as butternut, acorn or delicata, unpeeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 loose cups); 1 lb turnips, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3½ loose cups); 10 scallions, ends trimmed, green and white parts separated, left whole; kosher salt; 2 ½ lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts, patted dry; 1 bunch radishes, trimmed (about 10 oz); 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional); steamed rice, for serving (optional)

Gochujang does the glazing and a quick pickle talks back.

At a Glance

Time

45 min

Serves

Story

Yewande Komolafe built this around gochujang's talent for lacquer, the fermented chile paste caramelizes into a glossy, salty-sweet crust under high heat. The quiet genius is the raw counterpoint, radishes and scallion greens tossed in rice vinegar while the pan roasts, a two-minute pickle that cuts straight through all that burnished richness.

Ingredients

3 tbsp gochujang
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 piece of fresh ginger1 inch, peeled and grated (about 1 tbsp)
3 tbsp neutral oilplus more for drizzling
2 lb squash such as butternutacorn or delicata, unpeeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 loose cups)
1 lb turnipstrimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3½ loose cups)
10 scallionsends trimmed, green and white parts separated, left whole
kosher salt
2 ½ lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighsdrumsticks or breasts, patted dry
1 bunch radishestrimmed (about 10 oz)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oiloptional
steamed ricefor serving (optional)

Method

A whole pan of burnished red chicken and sweet roasted squash, then a sharp little pickle scattered over the top like a critic. Feeds four generously, six with rice.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a big bowl, stir the gochujang, soy sauce, ginger and neutral oil into a glaze. Add the squash, turnips and scallion whites, toss to coat, season lightly with salt and spread onto a rimmed sheet pan.
Season the chicken with salt and toss it through the glaze left in the bowl. Arrange it skin side up between the vegetables.
Roast until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through with skin crisped and browned in spots, about 40 minutes.
While it roasts, slice the scallion greens thin and cut the radishes into thin rounds. Toss both with the rice vinegar and the sesame oil if using, season with salt and set aside to lightly pickle.
Pile the quick pickle over the roasted pan and serve, with rice if you like.

Swap the squash and turnips for whatever roots you have, carrots, potatoes, beets, or go lighter with cauliflower or brussels sprouts. The glaze does not discriminate.

On the pass