Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake (Printable Version)

One-pan piri-piri chicken with sweet potatoes and colorful vegetables delivering bold Mediterranean flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 - 1 1/3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (optional)
14 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (180°C fan equivalent).
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken thighs with piri-piri seasoning, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Spread sweet potatoes, red onion, and bell peppers on a large baking tray. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, scatter sliced garlic, toss to combine, and arrange in a single layer.
04 - Nestle seasoned chicken thighs among vegetables with skin-side facing up.
05 - Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes until chicken begins to color.
06 - Add cherry tomatoes to tray and return to oven for 10 minutes until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are golden and tender.
07 - Garnish with chopped fresh coriander or parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything roasts together on one tray, so theres barely any washing up and you can actually sit down while it cooks.
  • The piri-piri seasoning gives the chicken a smoky, spicy kick that soaks into the sweet potatoes and makes even the peppers taste exciting.
  • You get three of your five-a-day without even thinking about it, which feels like a small victory on a busy weeknight.
02 -
  • Dont skip the skin-side-up step, because if the chicken sits skin-down, it steams instead of crisps and you lose all that golden, crackling texture.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes later than everything else or they'll turn to mush and disappear into the tray instead of bursting into little pockets of sweetness.
  • If your tray is crowded, the veg will steam rather than roast, so use two trays if you need to and swap their positions halfway through.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken skin dry with kitchen paper before seasoning, because moisture is the enemy of crispness and you want that skin to crackle.
  • Slice your sweet potatoes to a uniform size so they cook evenly, otherwise you'll end up with some pieces that are burnt and others still hard in the middle.
  • Taste your piri-piri seasoning before you use it, because some brands are much hotter than others and you might want to dial it back or add more depending on your tolerance.
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