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Introducing my easy Chicken Thigh Tray Bake! This delicious meal is a healthy combination of chicken and vegetables, roasted to perfection in the oven. It is so easy to make and will be a hit with the family. Once the tray is in the oven, it looks after itself, so you can get on with your evening. Prefer chicken breasts? Try my Chicken Traybake.
Chicken Thigh Tray Bake at a Glance
James's tipPar-boil the new potatoes first. They then crisp up in the same time as the chicken skin.
Key ingredients
- Bone-in chicken thighs
- New potatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Peppers
- Asparagus
- Fresh thyme
Why you'll love it
- One tray, less washing up
- Crispy skin, juicy chicken
- Family friendly
Quick summary
This chicken thigh tray bake roasts bone-in thighs with par-boiled new potatoes, peppers and cherry tomatoes, then adds asparagus for the last few minutes. It takes 10 minutes of prep and about 50 minutes in the oven, and it is gluten free and dairy free.
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Why this recipe works
This Chicken Thigh Tray Bake with Potatoes is perfect all year round! It takes about an hour to prepare, but 50 minutes of that is cooking time. And you don’t even have to slave over the hob for that hour! Just pop it in the oven!
I love a good chicken dinner and this one does not disappoint! It will become one of your favourite dishes.
It’s also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, which is a win for those with allergies!
Ingredients to make Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
- Chicken Thighs – I recommend skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 150g each) as they retain more juices, but if you prefer a boneless chicken thigh tray bake, that works great as well!
- Olive Oil – helps the chicken and veg to cook to perfection.
- New Potatoes – Be sure to scrub them before boiling them.
- Cherry Tomatoes – add a beautiful burst of flavour.
- Salt – is used to taste throughout.
- Black Pepper – gives a little bit of heat.
- Paprika Powder – can adjust the flavour based on the kind of paprika you use.
- Garlic Powder – brings the perfect umami flavour.
- Red Pepper – is the ripest of the peppers, bringing a nice, sweet flavour.
- Green Pepper – is the least ripe, keeping a more bitter flavour.
- Yellow Pepper – is the happy medium between green and red, and also adds a great colour!
- Asparagus – is not only tasty, but is a great source of many vitamins.
- Fresh Thyme – You’ll just need the leaves for this recipe.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs – If you don’t like skin-on chicken thighs (or even chicken thighs altogether), chicken breasts or drumsticks would also work well for this recipe. Boneless thighs cook faster: roast for 25 to 30 minutes in total. Drumsticks need the same time as bone-in thighs.
- New Potatoes – can be replaced with Charlotte, red or sweet potatoes. Short on oven space? Make my Air Fryer Baby Potatoes.
- Vegetables – You’re welcome to swap or add veg as you see fit. Good options are red onion, courgette, broccoli and carrots, or see my Roasted Root Vegetables. You can also swap the asparagus for broccoli florets.
- Herbs – Feel free to use whatever herbs you have on hand. Rosemary, basil, or oregano are great choices.
Variations
- Spicy – For a spicy tray bake, add cajun seasoning (check it is gluten free) or cumin to the chicken. Fancy a fakeaway? Try my Salt and Pepper Chicken.
- Honey mustard – Brush the thighs with 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (check it is gluten free) for the last 15 minutes.
- Mediterranean – Add a handful of pitted olives, a sliced red onion and a sliced courgette with the peppers, and sprinkle over 1 tsp dried oregano.
- Deluxe – Serve this tray bake topped with toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
- Kid friendly – Simply adjust the veg to your child’s preferences to make this a kid-friendly dinner.
How to make Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Step 1: Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, gas 7). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Brush your chicken thighs with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season them with salt to taste, garlic powder, paprika powder and half of the pepper. Place the chicken thighs into the baking tray while you prepare your vegetables.
Step 2: Add the potatoes to a saucepot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook them for 5-7 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool down a bit. Cut the potatoes into halves.
Step 3: Trim the asparagus ends by removing the wooden parts. Slice the peppers into wedges. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Step 4: Add the potatoes, peppers and cherry tomatoes into the baking tray with the chicken. Keep the thighs skin side up and everything in a single layer so the skin crisps and the veg roasts rather than steams. Season the veg with salt and the remaining pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle the thyme leaves over the veg and chicken. Bake the chicken and vegetables for 30 minutes.
Step 5: After 30 minutes, add the asparagus and snug them into the baking tray. Drizzle the asparagus with cooking liquid and roast for 15 minutes. Serve the chicken while still warm with veg on the side.
Hint: The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the thickest part reads 75C on a meat thermometer.
Hint: If you don’t have as much time to make dinner, you can prep the veg and potatoes ahead of time and then throw them on the baking tray to just focus on cooking.
Leftovers
This meal will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven, microwave or air fryer until piping hot.
To get ahead: Par-boil the potatoes and chop the veg the night before, cover and chill.
To freeze: Cool, then freeze the chicken and potatoes for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
Leftover chicken? Shred it into my Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Chicken will cook just fine straight on a baking tray. If you’d like to line it with foil, baking paper or a silicone mat to help with cleanup, that will also be fine.
A chicken tray bake is great by itself, but you could also serve it with rice, my How to Cook Quinoa guide, a fresh Rocket Salad or gluten free bread.
Yes! As long as everything reaches the appropriate internal temperature, chicken and veg can be absolutely delicious when cooked together!
About 45 to 50 minutes at 220C (200C fan, gas 7) for bone-in thighs, and 25 to 30 minutes for boneless thighs.
Bone-in thighs need about 45 to 50 minutes at 220C (200C fan, gas 7). They are done when the juices run clear and the thickest part reads 75C on a meat thermometer.
Add a handful of pitted olives, a sliced red onion and a sliced courgette with the peppers, then sprinkle over 1 tsp dried oregano. See Variations above.
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Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone-in, about 150g each
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 220 g new potatoes, scrubbed
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- Salt, to taste
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- ½ yellow pepper
- 1 small bunch asparagus, wooden parts trimmed
- a few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan, gas 7). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Then brush your chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, to taste, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp paprika powder and half the pepper. Place the 4 chicken thighs skin side up into the baking tray while you prepare your vegetables.
- Add the 220 g new potatoes to a saucepot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook them for 5-7 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool down a bit. Cut the potatoes into halves.
- Trim the 1 small bunch asparagus ends, by removing the wooden parts, and slice the peppers into wedges. Cut the 200 g cherry tomatoes into halves.
- Add the potatoes, peppers and cherry tomatoes into the baking tray with the chicken. Season the veg with salt and the remaining pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Scatter the thyme leaves over the veg and chicken. Bake the chicken and vegetables for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, add the asparagus and snug them into the baking tray. Drizzle the asparagus with cooking liquid and bake for 15 minutes. Serve the chicken while still warm with veg on the side. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the thickest part reads 75C on a meat thermometer.
So easy to prepare,then put in the oven and it looks after itself. Tasted delicious my Husband loved it,
He can be a bit of a fuss pot . lots of mmm and when can we have this again,,,
Will definitely be making again ..
Thank you
Thanks so much Jackie.
This was quick and easy to prepare not only delicious but colourful on the plate too. Every one enjoyed it. X
Yay 🙂 glad you all enjoyed it!
The best and easiest way with chicken thighs. I used sweet red peppers and broccoli instead of asparagus. Delicious
Thank you Nick 🙂
Had your chicken tray bake this evening & will be making it again, yummy
Also made your carrot & coriander soup, very good , will be making another batch tomorrow for the freezer my husband enjoyed both so much, thank you.
Thank you Dorothy 🙂
Cooked this Chicken tray bake last night really easy to do and was very tasty, filling and delicious .
Thank you for all your recipes’ James.
Thank you Rosey 🙂