Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake

Traybakes are the lazy cook's best friend on a cutting diet. You prep everything in 10 minutes, put it in the oven, and come back to a complete meal. Skin-off chicken thighs are used here — they have more flavour and fat than breast but less than skin-on thighs, hitting a good balance.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (approx. 500g total)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1 tsp cumin
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh parsley or coriander to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place the sweet potato chunks on a large roasting tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the remaining olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic granules, cumin, salt, and pepper together. Rub all over the chicken thighs.
4. Remove the tray from the oven. Add the red onion, red pepper, and chicken to the tray among the potatoes.
5. Return to the oven and roast for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden.
6. Scatter with fresh herbs and serve.

Nutrition Notes

Sweet potato is a superior carbohydrate source compared to white potato — it has a lower glycaemic index and provides significantly more beta-carotene and potassium. Paired with chicken thighs, this is a genuinely balanced one-tray dinner.