Moroccan Chicken with Acorn Squash and Lemon Couscous

1 medium acorn squash

6 bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 large shallots, minced

1 1/2 cups pearl couscous

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken stock

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Halve the acorn squash and remove the seeds. Slice into thin half-moons. Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons olive oil, cumin, cinnamon and coriander. Rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs.

In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the acorn squash and sauté until starting to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the chicken thighs to the pot skin-side down and sear until skin is a rich golden-brown color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low if spices are browning too quickly. Turn and continue browning on the other side, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove to the plate with the squash and set aside. Let pot cool slightly and then carefully wipe out.

Return heat to medium-low and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and shallots to the pot. Stir well to coat with the oil and cook until shallot is just starting to brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the couscous and garlic, and cook until couscous is lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, lemon zest and lemon juice and bring to a simmer.

Add the squash, chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot on top of the couscous. Cover and transfer pot to the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F in the thickest part of the chicken thigh, and the couscous is al dente.

Remove pot from the oven. Transfer the chicken and squash to a plate. Season couscous to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with the chopped parsley.