Lemon and rosemary traybake chicken with new potatoes
Family-friendly traybake: skin-on chicken thighs roasted with lemon, rosemary, new potatoes, carrots and green beans.
This lemon and rosemary traybake is the sort of midweek miracle that gets everyone round the table fast and with minimal washing up. Skin-on chicken thighs roast beautifully alongside parboiled new potatoes, carrots and green beans — the marinade gives a sweet‑tangy glaze and the rosemary adds that classic roast aroma.
Make it for a busy weeknight or a lazy Sunday; the only faff is a 30-minute chill for the chicken and then the oven does the rest. Serve it straight from the tray for full, rustic charm.
Ingredients
- 1 kg skin-on chicken thighs
- 600 g new potatoes
- 300 g carrots
- 200 g green beans
- 1 red onion — large
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 lemon
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 45 ml olive oil
- 15 g honey
- 15 g Dijon mustard
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 15 g fresh parsley — for garnish
Equipment
- baking tray
- large saucepan
- parchment paper
- kitchen tongs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
Make the marinade: zest and juice one lemon. In a medium bowl combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, honey, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, crushed garlic cloves, finely chopped rosemary leaves, sea salt and black pepper. Stir to an even paste.
Toss the skin-on chicken thighs with roughly two-thirds of the marinade so they are well coated. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours penetrate.
Meanwhile, halve the new potatoes (leave small ones whole), peel and cut the carrots into batons, trim the green beans and peel and cut the red onion into wedges. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a pinch of sea salt and bring to the boil. Parboil for 8 minutes, then drain and shake the pan briefly to roughen the edges (this helps them crisp in the oven).
Toss the parboiled potatoes and carrots with the remaining marinade (or drizzle with a little extra olive oil if you prefer). Spread them out in a single layer on the prepared baking tray, skin side up where applicable.
Roast the potatoes and carrots in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to start them cooking and colour the edges.
Remove the tray from the oven. Nestle the marinated skin-on chicken thighs among the vegetables, add the green beans and red onion wedges, and squeeze the second lemon over everything. Return the tray to the oven and roast for a further 25 minutes, or until the chicken skin is deep golden and juices run clear when pierced.
Remove the tray from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Scatter over chopped fresh parsley, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve straight from the tray with extra lemon wedges if you like.
Tips
- Pat chicken skins dry before marinating if they're wet — that helps them crisp in the oven.
- Parboil the potatoes so they get fluffy inside and crisp outside once roasted; don't fully cook them in the saucepan.
- Don't overcrowd the baking tray — use two trays if necessary so everything roasts instead of steams.
- Make the marinade up to 24 hours ahead and keep the chicken covered in the fridge for deeper flavour.
- Leftovers keep for 2 days in the fridge; reheat in a 180°C fan oven for 10–12 minutes to restore crispness.
Substitutions
skin-on chicken thighs → skin-on chicken legs or bone-in chicken breasts, same weight
Stays closenew potatoes → baby potatoes or waxy potatoes, same weight
Stays closehoney → maple syrup, same weight
Stays closegreen beans → asparagus tips or tenderstem broccoli, same weight
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 780
- Calories
- 50 g
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes — bone-in breasts work best to avoid drying out. Reduce the final roasting time slightly and check they are cooked through before resting.
Do I have to parboil the potatoes?
You can skip parboiling, but cut the potatoes smaller and increase the initial roast time so they cook through. Parboiling gives a better texture and saves total oven time.
Can I prepare this ahead for guests?
Marinate the chicken the day before and keep covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before roasting and add vegetables just before cooking.
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