Chicken and Sweet Potato Traybake (Printable Page)

One-pan piri-piri chicken with roasted sweet potatoes and colorful vegetables, ready in under an hour.

# What You Need:

→ 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 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

07 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with fan setting at 350°F (180°C).
02 - In a large bowl, toss the chicken thighs with piri-piri seasoning, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until well coated.
03 - Arrange the sweet potatoes, red onion, and both bell peppers on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter over the sliced garlic. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer.
04 - Nestle the seasoned chicken thighs among the vegetables with skin-side facing up.
05 - Roast in the 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 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 minimal washing up and maximum flavor as the chicken juices mingle with the sweet vegetables.
  • The piri-piri seasoning gives you that bold, smoky kick without needing to marinate for hours or dirty extra bowls.
  • You get three portions of vegetables per serving tucked into a meal that feels indulgent, not virtuous.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, sometimes tasting even better when the flavors have had time to deepen overnight.
02 -
  • Do not add the cherry tomatoes at the start or they will collapse into mush, wait until the last 10 minutes so they soften and burst without disintegrating.
  • Cut your sweet potatoes into evenly sized chunks or some will be rock hard while others turn to puree, consistency in size means everything finishes together.
  • Make sure your baking tray is large enough to spread everything in a single layer, overcrowding traps steam and you will end up with soggy vegetables instead of caramelized ones.
03 -
  • Use a large, heavy baking tray that conducts heat evenly, flimsy trays buckle and create hot spots that burn some vegetables while leaving others undercooked.
  • Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before roasting so it cooks more evenly and the skin crisps faster.
  • Save any leftover tray juices and drizzle them over the chicken and vegetables just before serving, they are packed with flavor and should not go to waste.
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