Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake (Printable)

One-pan piri-piri chicken with sweet potatoes and colorful roasted vegetables. Bold flavors in 55 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ 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 - 5.3 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F with a fan setting or standard heating.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken thighs with piri-piri seasoning, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until thoroughly coated.
03 - Arrange the sweet potatoes, red onion, and both bell peppers on a large baking tray. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and scatter over the sliced garlic. Toss to combine and spread in a single layer.
04 - Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs among the vegetables with skin-side facing up.
05 - Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
06 - Add the cherry tomatoes to the tray and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through with clear juices running and the vegetables are golden and tender.
07 - Garnish with chopped coriander or parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks together on one tray, which means less washing up and more time to sit down and actually enjoy your meal.
  • The piri-piri seasoning does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you don't need a culinary degree to make this taste incredible.
  • You get three portions of veg per serving without even trying, which feels like sneaking nutrition past your own defenses.
  • Crispy chicken skin and caramelized sweet potato edges create textures that make every bite different and interesting.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the tray or the vegetables will steam instead of roast, use two trays if you need to and swap their positions halfway through.
  • Adding the tomatoes at the end is crucial, they need just enough time to blister and burst without collapsing into sauce.
  • Let the chicken rest on the tray for a few minutes after it comes out, the juices will redistribute and the skin will stay crispier.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken skin completely dry with paper towels before seasoning, moisture is the enemy of crispness.
  • Use a tray large enough that nothing overlaps, crowding traps steam and you'll end up with soggy vegetables instead of caramelized edges.
  • If your oven runs cool, bump the temperature up by 10°C or give everything an extra five minutes, you want genuine color on those vegetables.
  • Toss the vegetables halfway through if you're a perfectionist, though honestly it works beautifully even if you don't.
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