Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake (Printable version)

Juicy piri-piri chicken roasted with sweet potatoes and colorful vegetables in one pan. Ready in 55 minutes.

# Ingredients list:

→ 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 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 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 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (optional)
14 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (180°C fan).
02 - In a large bowl, toss the chicken thighs with piri-piri seasoning, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until well coated.
03 - Arrange the sweet potatoes, red onion, and both bell peppers on a large baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and scatter over the sliced garlic. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer.
04 - Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs among the vegetables, skin-side up.
05 - Roast in the 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 Tips:

01 -
  • Everything cooks on one tray, so cleanup is just a quick rinse and you're done.
  • The piri-piri seasoning does all the heavy lifting, turning ordinary chicken thighs into something restaurant-worthy.
  • You get three servings of vegetables per plate without even trying, and they taste like the best part of the meal.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, sometimes even better when the flavors have mingled overnight.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the tray or the vegetables will steam instead of roast, and you'll lose that caramelized sweetness.
  • If your chicken thighs are especially large, check them with a knife after 35 minutes to make sure they're cooked through without drying out the vegetables.
  • Add the tomatoes later in the process or they'll collapse into a watery puddle instead of staying plump and juicy.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels before seasoning so it crisps up instead of steaming in the oven.
  • Use a baking tray that's large enough to hold everything in a single layer, or the vegetables will steam and turn soggy instead of caramelizing.
  • Check your piri-piri seasoning for salt content, some brands are very salty and you may need to reduce the added salt to avoid overdoing it.
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