Free recipes · from Book 2, Mince, Chicken, Tomatoes & Beans
One-Tray Roast Chicken Thighs
Allergens: none Brands differ: always check the packaging of what you buy. Sauces made with vinegar or wine are tagged sulphites, to be safe.
Dinner in one tray: bone-in thighs on top, potatoes and onions underneath, catching all the juice. Change the rub and you change the country.
8 thighs + 800 g potatoes + 2 onions + 1 rub
By Chef Aurélie, professional chef
Ingredients
| Metric | US | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on | 8 (1.2 kg) | 8 (2½ lb) |
| Potatoes, in wedges | 800 g | 1¾ lb |
| Onions, in wedges | 2 | 2 |
| Garlic cloves, unpeeled | 6 | 6 |
| Olive oil | 3 tbsp | 3 tbsp |
| Lemon, zest and juice | 1 | 1 |
| Dried oregano or thyme | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
| Salt (+ a pinch of pepper) | 1½ tsp | 1½ tsp |
Method
- Oven 220 °C / 425 °F (200 °C fan). Pat the chicken dry.
- Toss the potatoes, onions and garlic with 1 tbsp oil and a little salt. Spread in a large tray.
- Rub the chicken with the rest of the oil, the lemon zest, herbs, salt and pepper.
- Chicken on top, skin up. Cover with baking paper, then foil, and roast 30 to 40 min. Uncover and roast 15 to 20 min more, until the skin is golden and crisp, the potatoes are roasted and the chicken reaches 75 °C / 165 °F.
- Squeeze the lemon over. Rest 5 min and serve from the tray.
Chef's tip Covered first, then uncovered: the covered time cooks the potatoes and chicken right through, and the last minutes uncovered crisp the skin while the fat drips into the potatoes. The time depends on your oven: a strong oven may be done in 45 min, an old one (like mine!) can take much longer. Trust the 75 °C and the golden skin more than the clock. Glass dish? Check its maximum temperature: if it can't take 220 °C, cook lower and allow more time.
Watch me make it
Published 17 November 2026 · Watch on YouTube
5 ways to make it your own
same tray, change the rub at step 3
| Name | The rub | Serve with |
|---|---|---|
| Honey-soy & sesame | Soy, honey, garlic; sesame seeds to finish SOY SESAME | Rice, greens |
| Pollo a la brasa | Cumin, paprika, garlic, lime, a dash of soy SOY | Chips, green sauce |
| Jerk | Allspice, thyme, chilli, spring onion, lime | Pineapple salsa, rice |
| Peri-peri | Chilli, paprika, garlic, lemon, a splash of vinegar SULPHITES | Chips, salad |
| Provençal | Just salt, pepper and herbes de Provence (or dried oregano and thyme). On the barbecue, sprinkle the herbs on while it cooks | Ratatouille (17) |
| Bonus Cajun | Paprika, garlic and onion powder, thyme, cayenne | Corn, coleslaw |