A tray bake earns its place on a weeknight when the oven does most of the work and the vegetables cook beside the meat. This version serves four, with 15 minutes of preparation and about 40 minutes in the oven. Smoked paprika and lemon keep the flavours bold without asking you to make a separate sauce.
Ingredients
- 700 g waxy potatoes
- 1 fennel bulb, about 250 g
- 1 red onion
- 600 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 100 g pitted olives
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Prepare the tray
Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan. Cut the potatoes into roughly 2 cm pieces and slice the fennel and red onion into wedges. Put them in a large roasting tray with the olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, lemon zest, salt and black pepper.
Toss the vegetables to coat, then arrange the chicken thighs among them. Turn the thighs in any oil and spice left in the tray. Keep the pieces in a single layer where possible; a crowded tray tends to steam rather than roast.
Roast until tender
Roast for 30 minutes, turning the potatoes and fennel once halfway through. Add the olives and return the tray to the oven for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Check the thickest part of a chicken thigh with a food thermometer if you have one; it should reach 75°C. If the potatoes need longer, lift the chicken onto a plate and give the vegetables another 5–10 minutes so the meat doesn’t dry out.
Bring it to the table
Squeeze the lemon juice over the tray and spoon the pan juices over the chicken. Taste a potato before adding more salt, since the olives bring their own savoury saltiness. Serve with a green salad or simply as it is.
Allow around 520 kcal and 34 g protein per serving as a broad estimate; the exact figures depend on the chicken and olives you use. Save this recipe for evenings when you want a complete meal without extra pans.