Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake (Printable version)

One-pan piri-piri chicken with roasted sweet potatoes and colorful Mediterranean vegetables in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 2 tablespoons piri-piri seasoning or paste
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch chunks
08 - 1 large red onion, cut into thick wedges
09 - 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
10 - 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
11 - 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
12 - 5.3 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (optional)
14 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F with rack positioned in the center.
02 - In a large bowl, toss the chicken thighs with piri-piri seasoning, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange the sweet potatoes, red onion, and both bell peppers on a large baking tray. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and scatter the sliced garlic over top. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer.
04 - Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs among the vegetables with skin-side facing up.
05 - Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
06 - Add the cherry tomatoes to the tray and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with clear juices and the vegetables are golden and tender.
07 - Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything roasts together on one tray, so there's barely any washing up and you can actually sit down while it cooks.
  • The piri-piri seasoning soaks into the chicken and drips onto the vegetables, coating them in smoky, spicy goodness.
  • You get three of your five-a-day without even trying, and it tastes indulgent enough that no one notices it's healthy.
  • It's flexible enough to use whatever vegetables are lurking in your fridge, so nothing goes to waste.
02 -
  • Don't skip the skin-on thighs, because boneless skinless chicken will dry out and you'll lose all that gorgeous rendered fat that flavors the vegetables.
  • Cut the sweet potatoes into even chunks or some will turn to mush while others stay hard, and no one wants that texture surprise.
  • Add the tomatoes later or they'll burst too early and turn watery, losing that fresh pop they're meant to bring at the end.
03 -
  • Use a large enough tray so the vegetables aren't piled on top of each other, or they'll steam and turn soft instead of getting those caramelized edges.
  • Let the chicken rest for five minutes after it comes out of the oven so the juices settle back into the meat and it stays tender when you cut in.
  • If your oven runs cool, bump the temperature up by 10°C or give it an extra five minutes, checking that the chicken juices run clear before serving.
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