Rick Stein's 'perfect' traybake recipe with chicken is easy and quick to make

Whipping up a traybake from scratch is so easy – with the most strenuous step being chopping.

The magic in a traybake lies in the melding of veggies, stock, and your choice of meat or fish, but it's the herbs and spices that truly make it sing, just as Rick Stein demonstrates with his seasonal special.

Straight from his "simple suppers" collection, Rick's zesty chicken creation is touted as "the perfect one-tray dish" for its minimal fuss and effort.

Rick champions the art of simplicity in this recipe, opting for succulent whole chicken thighs seasoned with a fragrant mix of thyme, fennel, garlic, and lemon.

Chicken thighs are often favoured over breasts for their juicier bite and fuller flavour, thanks to a bit more fat.

READ MORE: Mary Berry's 15 minute easy to cook weeknight panang chicken stir fry recipe

Seasonal chicken traybake recipe

• Four tbsp olive oil
• 12 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
• Juice of one to two lemons
• Five garlic cloves, chopped
• Small bunch of thyme, leaves stripped from stalks
• Three courgettes, cut into thick slices on the diagonal
• Two fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced
• Eight new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thick slices
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Since a traybake spends most of its time in the oven, getting it hot and ready is key. Of course, a large ovenproof dish is also essential for this recipe.

Crank up your oven to 220C (or fan 200C) and arrange all your ingredients. Swirl a splash of oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high flame.

Rest the chicken thighs at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before cooking. A brief rest allows the chicken to warm up slightly, for more even cooking and a better sear.

When you're ready to cook, sizzle the chicken thighs until they're golden and crispy, then flip them quickly for an extra minute.

In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and a drizzle of olive oil. Lay out slices of courgette, fennel, and potato in a sizeable roasting tin.

Pour two-thirds of the zingy lemon-oil blend over the vegetables and give them a good tumble to coat. Season well with salt and pepper.

Position the chicken on top, skin-side up, and drizzle the leftover lemon and oil over it.

Give it another seasoning, then pop it in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken skin is crispy and golden, and the veggies are soft but still have a bit of bite.

Pair with a green salad or some green beans for a well-rounded meal.