Chicken and Chickpea Tray Bake
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs roasted over spiced chickpeas and cherry tomatoes — one pan, bold flavour, minimal washing up.
Ingredients
- 4 largebone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 canschickpeas(400 g each, drained and rinsed)
- 10 ½ ozcherry tomatoes
- 1 largered onion(cut into thin wedges)
- 4 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 1 ½ tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspground cumin
- ½ tspground coriander
- ½ tspchilli flakes
- 1 tspfine salt
- ½ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- 1 tbsplemon juice(plus wedges to serve)
- 1 smallbunch flat-leaf parsley(roughly chopped, to finish)
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan / 425 °F) and position a rack in the upper third.
- 02
In a large bowl, combine the 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp fine salt, and ½ tsp black pepper. Stir into a loose paste.
- 03
Pat the 4 chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this is what gives the skin its crunch.
- 04
Add the chicken thighs to the spice paste and turn to coat all over, including under the skin where possible. Set aside.
- 05
Tip the drained chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red onion wedges, and sliced garlic into a large roasting tin (roughly 12 × 16 inches). Drizzle with any remaining spice paste left in the bowl and toss to coat evenly.
- 06
Spread the chickpea mixture in a single layer, then nestle the 4 chicken thighs skin-side up on top, spacing them so they don't crowd each other.
- 07
Roast for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken skin is deep golden and crisp and the chickpeas at the edges have started to catch and caramelise.
- 08
Check the chicken is cooked through — the juices should run clear when the thickest part is pierced, or an instant-read thermometer should read 75 °C (165 °F).
- 09
Remove the tin from the oven and squeeze the 1 tbsp lemon juice over the chickpeas and tomatoes. Scatter the chopped flat-leaf parsley over everything.
- 10
Rest for 5 minutes before serving straight from the tin with lemon wedges alongside.
Adapted from public domain & community sources