Low‑carb chicken traybake with courgette and broccoli
Golden roast chicken thighs with charred courgette, tender broccoli and blistered cherry tomatoes — an easy low‑carb midweek supper.
This low‑carb traybake is proof that fuss‑free cooking can still taste like you’ve been working on it all day. Skin‑on chicken thighs roast to golden, succulent perfection and the veg caramelises in the same pan for minimal washing up.
Make it for a simple weeknight supper, or double the veg and serve at the weekend. It’s hearty, protein‑packed and keeps the carbs low without feeling like a diet meal.
Ingredients
- 1.1 kg chicken thighs
- 60 ml olive oil — use most for the marinade; a little will be drizzled over the veg
- 1 lemon — zest and juice for the marinade; extra wedges to serve
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed or finely grated
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 10 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 5 ml chilli flakes — optional, for a gentle heat
- 2 courgette — cut into thick half‑moons
- 300 g broccoli florets — trimmed into bite‑size pieces
- 250 g cherry tomatoes — halve if large
- 1 red onion — cut into wedges
- 100 g Kalamata olives — pitted
- 15 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- large baking tray
- meat thermometer
- large mixing bowl
- kitchen tongs
Instructions
Make the marinade: zest the lemon then squeeze the juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper and chilli flakes. Whisk to combine.
Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and turn them in the marinade until thoroughly coated. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Prepare the vegetables: cut the courgette into thick half‑moons, trim the broccoli into small florets, halve the cherry tomatoes if large and slice the red onion into wedges.
Spread the marinated chicken skin‑side up on a large baking tray with space between each piece. Toss the courgette, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, red onion and Kalamata olives in any remaining marinade (or a little extra olive oil) and scatter around the chicken. Drizzle any leftover marinade over the veg.
Roast in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is deeply golden and an instant‑read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 74°C and the vegetables are tender and charred at the edges.
Remove the tray from the oven and rest for 5 minutes. Scatter over the fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- Use bone‑in, skin‑on thighs for the best flavour and succulence — they tolerate roasting better than breasts.
- If your oven runs hot, start checking the chicken at 30 minutes; shield the skin with foil if it’s browning too fast.
- For meal prep divide into portions when cold and refrigerate up to 3 days; gently reheat in a moderate oven to keep the skin crisp.
- A quick hit with the grill for 2–3 minutes (watching closely) will crisp skin that has gone soft after refrigeration.
- Don’t skip the resting step — it keeps the chicken juicy when you carve it.
Substitutions
chicken thighs → chicken breasts, bone‑in or boneless, 900–1000 g
Noticeably differentKalamata olives → green olives, pitted, same weight
Stays closecourgette → aubergine, cut into similar‑sized pieces
Noticeably differentolive oil → avocado oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 812
- Calories
- 51 g
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 61 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1250 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use boneless skinless thighs instead?
Yes — boneless thighs cook a little faster (start checking at 25–30 minutes). Expect slightly less crispness without the skin.
How can I tell the chicken is cooked through?
Use an instant‑read thermometer: 74°C in the thickest part (not touching bone) is safe. Juices should run clear and the meat no longer be pink.
Can I prepare this ahead and roast later?
Yes — marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge and bring back to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before roasting. Add the veg just before roasting for best texture.
Is this recipe suitable for keto?
This traybake is low in carbs and high in fat and protein, so it fits many keto plans, but check portion sizes against your daily macros.
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