As I made this chicken thigh tray bake for the hundredth (or more!) time the other day, I thought to myself that I ought to take some step by step photos and pop it on the blog. Searching old recipes, I found this one from 2014, showing that I had already had the bright idea of sharing my love of traybakes. Here’s a post with more photos, and actual weights and measures, so you can make it yourself. If you don’t fancy a chicken thigh tray bake, you can use pork chops (as per the earlier incarnation), or sausages. I’d also just do veggies and chuck in some halloumi near the end for a vegetarian option, and it could be easily veganised with crispy tofu as the protein.
Jump to Recipe
Chicken thigh tray bake, step by step (quantities to serve 4)
Throw 500g of new potatoes into a baking tray (I like these M&S baby ones, but considering the overall cooking time, you could get away with most average size new potatoes).
Add a punnet of cherry tomatoes.
Next add a sliced yellow pepper (or any pepper colour of your choice, or two if you love them dearly).
Onion time – sliced up – I used red this time as I had one in the cupboard, but any type will do.
Sweetcorn because I fancied some, and I love sweetcorn when it is a bit charred.
A big dollop of lazy garlic and a glug of rapeseed oil (or olive oil, or really any veg oil will do as you just want to coat everything lightly to help the roasting process).
Salt, pepper, and use your hands to coat everything in oil and seasoning.
Those chicken thighs get popped on top – skinless and boneless in our house since I cannot be bothered to de-bone everything for Andrew when it’s all cooked up. I used a 1kg pack.
Oven time! 200 degrees in a fan oven for 45 mins turns into this.
Give everything a toss around and make sure you turn each chicken thighs over.
Another 45 mins and everything is looking decidedly tasty and ready to come out of the oven.
Dish up into a bowl so you can include some of the delicious garlicky juices, and mop those up with a buttered baguette.
Chicken thighs tray bake variations
The only things I think are critical to a tray bake are potatoes (and new are best because they hold their shape, but I have made a tray bake with old potatoes in the past and it can work), onions, garlic and tomatoes. The onions and garlic create the flavour, and the tomatoes create the sauce.
Other than that, you can use any protein as mentioned above (bearing in mind it’s in the oven for 90 mins so you don’t want meat which will overcook in that time – think fatty chops and thighs, or add the protein later in the cooking process).
As for veggies, I tend to always use peppers as usually have them in the fridge. Courgettes work really well (and help the tomatoes with the sauce-making), and aubergines are ok but can get a bit mushy. I loved the addition of sweetcorn this time around. Sweet potatoes would work brilliantly (but Andrew wouldn’t eat it then), and big chunky mushrooms would probably work (but I wouldn’t eat it then). I have also used carrot and leeks because they were in my fridge. I’d suggest trying pretty much anything – use up your fridge leftovers and make a healthy and economical meal.
Feel free to use any herbs which take your fancy. I think woody ones like oregano, rosemary or thyme work best here. Leafy herbs like basil or parsley will over-cook and lose their fresh flavour.
Chicken thigh tray bake
Ingredients
Method
- Turn your oven on to 200 degrees.
- Put the potatoes, tomatoes, sliced pepper and onion, and sweetcorn if using onto a baking tray.
- Add the lazy garlic, salt and pepper, and oil, and mix together (use your hands but make sure you have the tap running so you don’t have to turn it on with oily, garlicky hands!).
- Lay the chicken thighs over the top of the vegetables.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Put the baking tray in the oven and roast for 45 minutes.
- Take the tray out of the oven and move the chicken to one side so you can easily toss all of the vegetables around, then lay your chicken back over the veg, ensuring you turn it over too.
- Roast for an additional 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and check that the potatoes are cooked through by sticking a knife into the largest one.
- Dish up the vegetables, and top with some chicken thighs (I usually do 3 per portion). Make sure you add plenty of the garlicky sauce to everyone’s plate.
- Serve with green vegetables or a salad, or some pieces of buttered baguette.