This is a great way to feed the family as the chicken and veg are all cooked in one very large tray in the oven. It takes only minutes to put everything together then it sits in the oven for under an hour with no fussy finishing off to do and only one pan to wash up.
INGREDIENTS
• 1kg main crop potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm (2in) chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, snipped into 1cm (½ in) pieces
• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 5 preserved lemons, cut into quarters
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• 3 courgettes, thickly sliced
• 1 x 200g can of anchovy-stuffed green olives, drained
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
The recipe allows one chicken thigh and one drumstick per person, but use less if you are not such big eaters.
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas mark 7.
2 Place the potatoes in a large roasting tin with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Toss well to coat them. Add the onion, garlic, bacon and chicken pieces and toss together.
3 Add the lemons to the roasting tin. Season everything well and sprinkle with the paprika. Roast for 40 minutes.
4 In a bowl toss the courgettes in the remaining tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper, then poke them in among the chicken and scatter the olives over the top. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are golden brown and tender.
TOP TIPS
• Stuffed olives are great, but use plain green or black ones if you prefer.
• The preserved lemons really give a lovely citrus tang to the dish – they sit in salt water and are beautifully soft and citrusy and are well worth using – but if you can’t find them use one sliced lemon instead.
• Don’t overcrowd the roasting tin, you need everything to be in a single layer or it will not cook evenly – divide between two tins if necessary.