Roasting tin spiced chicken
An all-in-one traybake of chicken in a five-spice marinade. It can be prepared up to four hours ahead and thrown in the oven just before you want to eat.
Ingredients
For the five-spice marinade
- 4 tbsp mango chutney
- 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 mild peppers from a jar, such as Peppadew, drained and finely chopped
- ½ lemon, juice only
For the traybake
- 8 large boneless and skinless chicken thighs (aprox. 1kg/2lb 4oz total weight)
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into 8 wedges through the root
- 2 small red peppers, deseeded and chopped into large pieces
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm/1¼in cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Measure all the marinade ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the mixture. Cover and leave to marinate for 1–2 hours in a cool place, or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Blanch the fennel wedges in boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Drain well.
Tip the blanched fennel and all the prepared vegetables into a large roasting tin. Drizzle with the oil and season generously. Add the chicken and all the marinade and toss everything together to coat the vegetables and meat. Roast for about 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully pour off any juices into a small saucepan. Return the roasting tin to the oven for a further 10 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are starting to brown and cooked through.
Meanwhile, mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Bring the roasting juices to the boil and pour in the cornflour mixture. Stir until thickened. If it’s a little too thick add more water until it is a coating consistency. Pour the sauce into a jug.
Serve the chicken and vegetables piping hot with the sauce alongside.
