Mediterranean Chicken Tray Bake Recipes

HIT 'N' RUN TRAYBAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Quarter the tomatoes and place them in a large baking dish or roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm). Peel the onions and cut into large wedges, then deseed and roughly chop the peppers. Add all these to the tray along with the chicken thighs.
• Squash the unpeeled garlic cloves with the back of your knife and add to the tray, then pick over the thyme leaves and sprinkle over the paprika.
• Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the balsamic and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Toss everything together really well to coat, then spread across the tray, making sure the chicken isn't covered by the vegetables.
• Roast for around 1 hour, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through, turning and basting it a couple of times during cooking with the juices from the tray.
• Serve the traybake with a lovely green salad on the side. You could also buddy it up with a little rice, polenta or a loaf of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the peppers and onion on a big baking tray with half the oil. Transfer to the oven and cook on the top shelf for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, carefully make a pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast, but don't pull off the skin completely. Push equal amounts of cheese under the skin, smooth the skin back down, brush it with the rest of the oil, season, then add to the tray along with the tomatoes and olives. Return to the oven and cook for 25-30 mins more until the chicken is golden and cooked. Serve with baked potatoes, if you like.

SPANISH-STYLE CHICKEN BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Put the onions, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 minutes. While the vegetables are roasting, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices - 5mm is about right. Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside. Take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the veg and turn everything a couple of times. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano. Season with a little salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes. Take the tin out of the oven. Holding one corner carefully with an oven cloth, lift the tin a little so all the juices run to the opposite end, then spoon and drizzle the juices back over the chicken. Tuck the pepper strips loosely around the chicken and vegetables. Turn the oven up to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Put the tin back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the peppers are just softened and the chicken is golden and crisp.

BAKED MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degree F.
• In a large bowl combine all the ingredients under the "to marinate the chicken" section except chicken. Mix it well and add the chicken, toss and coat them well. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• In a 9X13 baking dish add the quartered red onions and potatoes, spread evenly. Place the marinated chicken on top of the vegetables.
• Pour the chicken stock over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degree F.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and spread the cherry tomatoes over the chicken. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on top and bake further for 40 minutes until the chicken skin turns golden and potatoes are cooked through.
• Once done, sprinkle the freshly chopped parsley on top and serve while it is still warm.