Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Vegetables
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 500 g baby potatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thick strips
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
Marinade
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 g dried oregano
- 6 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Finishing Ingredients
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 g pitted kalamata olives
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 10 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 818 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 57 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1230 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 26 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Cholesterol
- 218 mg
- Potassium
- 1334 mg
- Calcium
- 213 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 93 mg
- Phosphorus
- 519 mg
- Zinc
- 4.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 172 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 109 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 67 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.34 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.60 mg
- Niacin
- 11.5 mg
- Folate
- 71 mcg
- Water
- 340 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Place a rack in the center position.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper to create the marinade.
Add the chicken thighs, halved baby potatoes, bell pepper strips, and red onion wedges to the bowl. Toss well until all ingredients are evenly coated in the marinade.
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to the large baking sheet. Arrange them in a single layer, ensuring the chicken thighs are placed skin-side up.
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven briefly. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and Kalamata olives evenly around the chicken and vegetables.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Remove the traybake from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the meat juices to redistribute.
Garnish the dish evenly with the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley right before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For maximum flavor development, you can marinate the chicken and vegetables for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator before baking to allow the lemon and garlic to penetrate the meat.
- Adding the delicate cherry tomatoes and olives only in the last 15 minutes of cooking prevents them from breaking down completely and becoming unpleasantly bitter in the high heat.
- Do not discard the pan juices left on the baking sheet. This emulsion of rendered chicken fat, olive oil, and lemon juice is incredibly flavorful and should be drizzled over the finished plates or soaked up with warm crusty bread.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The potatoes may absorb more dressing over time.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through, or microwave in 1-minute bursts.
Troubleshooting
Chicken skin is pale and lacks crispness
Cause: Overcrowding the baking pan or excess moisture trapped on the chicken skin before roasting
Fix: Place the tray under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes at the very end of cooking, watching closely to prevent burning
Prevention: Pat the chicken skin completely dry with paper towels before marinating, and ensure ingredients are spread out in a single layer with breathing room
Potatoes are still firm in the center after cooking
Cause: Potatoes were too large or oven temperature dropped
Fix: Remove the chicken to a plate to prevent overcooking, and return the pan of vegetables to the oven for an additional 10 minutes
Prevention: Ensure potatoes are cut into uniform, bite-sized halves or quarters depending on their original size
Cultural Context
Traybakes, locally known in Greece as tapsi dishes, are a cornerstone of home cooking that historically utilized communal village wood-fired ovens. The bright combination of lemon, olive oil, and wild mountain oregano forms the holy trinity of Greek flavor, bringing sunny, aromatic notes to hearty roasted meats and vegetables alike.
