Smoky & Spicy Chicken Sweet Potato Traybake with Feta and Chimichurri Dressing

This is a staple midweek meal for us. You can buy all the ingredients on your way home, it’s quick, easy and completely delicious. Smoky, spicy chicken thighs are roasted in a mixture of spices before adding sweet potatoes, peppers and tenderstem broccoli for sweetness, colour and texture. A fresh and herbaceous chimichurri adds a citrus zing while salty, creamy feta finishes everything off. You can use thighs with or without the bone if you’re short on time, but the bone does help them stay lovely and moist and tender. Plus, its all roasted in the same tray so washing up is minimal - ideal.

(Serves 4 - £2.59 per portion)

1. First, place 8 chicken thighs in a large bowl or dish and add 1tbsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tbsp of ground coriander, 1/2 tbsp of red pepper or chilli flakes (less if using chilli flakes), 4 crushed garlic cloves and the juice of a lemon. Add a couple of tbsps of olive oil, some seasoning and mix well. Set aside.
2. Chop 3 large sweet potatoes in wedges and place on a large parchment lined baking tray with 3 peppers of any colour chopped into chunks and 2 large red onions cut into wedges. Add a couple of garlic cloves with their skins on and 1 tsp each of the paprika, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes. Drizzle over a little olive oil and some seasoning and toss together. Roast at 180C fan/200C for 15 minutes until slightly softened.
3. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat and fry the chicken skin side down for 3-4 mins until golden and crispy. Briefly fry on the other side before placing on top of the potatoes and vegetables. Add 200g of tenderstem broccoli to the tray, turn the oven up to 200C fan/220C and roast for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the veg is nicely caramelised (they won’t go crispy but they will soak up all the lovely cooking juices from the chicken).
4. While the traybake is cooking, make your chimichurri by finely chopping 1 shallot, 1 red chilli, and a handful of coriander or parsley (stalks and all). Add 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, the juice and zest of a lime, 1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, plenty of olive oil to make a drizzling consistency, 1/2 tsp sugar and a 1/4 tsp of salt. Taste and correct the seasoning.
5. When the chicken is almost ready, drizzle over 1 tbsp of runny honey and return to the oven for a couple mins.
6. Serve with crumbled feta and a good drizzle of the chimichurri. Enjoy.