Crispy skinned chicken thighs with butternut squash risotto

Dustin and I really try to eat at home most nights of the week, mostly because we like things we can make better than what we can find in typical restaurants.  So, I've had to get a little more creative lately with our dinner since we've gotten a little bored with the standard boneless skinless chicken.

Chicken thighs are a newly acquired taste for me.  I used to be a strictly white meat kind of girl when it comes to chicken.  However, the price tag on the chicken thighs prompted me to try them.  Glad I did! They are actually tastier, not to mention far cheaper, than boneless skinless chicken.  I recently bought a 10 pack of chicken thighs for $3.29 at Publix!

Okay, here's what I came up with:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and have a roasting pan handy.

Do NOT RINSE THE CHICKEN, just pat them dry so that you will get a nice golden brown color on the skin.  Season the back sides, not the skin sides, with rosemary, salt (I like KOSHER SALT; Alton Brown does too), and ground pepper.  Of course, you can season yours with whatever you like.  Heat about 3 tbs of olive in a skillet  over medium high heat until it is shimmery.  Lay the chicken in the skillet skin side down and set the timer for 6 minutes.  DO NOT TOUCH THE CHICKEN IN THOSE 6 MINUTES.  If you feel like they are burning, lower the heat slightly.  Otherwise, leave them alone. After 6 minutes, gently check the color.  If you haven't achieved a nice golden brown, lay them down for another minute or two.  Turn the chicken over and cook on the back for about 6 more minutes.  Remove the chicken from the oil and place them on the roasting pan and into the oven for about 25 minutes.  The internal temperature on your chicken should be about 165 degrees when it is done.  I highly suggest that you invest in a meat thermometer with a removable probe (no more undercooked chicken for me).

While your chicken is cooking, boil about 2 cups of chopped butternut squash in one box of Kitchen Basics chicken stock until it's soft.  Drain a little the chicken grease out of the skillet, but reserve enough to start the risotto, probably about 2 tbs of grease.  SEE MY PREVIOUS POSTED RISOTTO RECIPE for instructions.  This time, once your risotto has taken all the stock it will take, add the butternut squash and mix it in to the risotto; you may want to mash it a little as you stir just to make sure the chucks aren't too big.  Then, finish it with mascarpone cheese instead of parmesan cheese. It will be very creamy.  The sweetness of the butternut squash and the mascarpone cheese blend nicely. 
I served this with broccoli, but you can use whatever green vegetable you like! 

This easily makes enough food for 6 people.