Greek Lemon-Oregano Chicken Traybake with Summer Vegetables
One-pan chicken thighs roasted over zucchini, peppers and tomatoes in lemon, oregano and olive oil.
Best for high protein · lots of veg · heart-healthy fats
This is the Greek Sunday-lunch traybake stripped down to what actually matters: bone-in thighs that stay juicy, a heap of summer vegetables that soak up the pan juices, and a proper hit of lemon and oregano. I use skin-on thighs for flavour but sit them on a bed of zucchini, peppers and cherry tomatoes so the vegetables outweigh the meat two to one — lean protein, a real load of veg, and good olive oil doing the seasoning instead of butter or cream. Naturally gluten-free, and one tray means the only washing-up is the tray.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs , about 800 g total
- 2 zucchini , cut into thick half-moons
- 2 red and yellow peppers , deseeded, cut into wide strips
- 250 g cherry tomatoes , left whole
- 1 red onion , cut into thick wedges
- 4 garlic cloves , cloves, lightly crushed
- 60 ml olive oil
- 2 lemons , 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
- 2 dried oregano , tablespoons, Greek if you have it
- 100 g feta (full-fat, ~22% fat) , crumbled over at the end (optional – can be omitted)
- 60 g Kalamata olives (optional – can be omitted)
- 1 Fresh dill , small handful, torn, to finish (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Pat the chicken thighs very dry — dry skin is the difference between crisp and flabby. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, peppers, onion wedges, cherry tomatoes and crushed garlic with half the olive oil, half the lemon juice, the oregano, salt and pepper. Spread them in a single layer across a large roasting tray.
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2
Nestle the thighs skin-side up on top of the vegetables, giving each one space so it roasts rather than steams. Rub the skins with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and oregano, then season the skin generously with salt. Tuck the lemon wedges in around the edges. Roast for 35 minutes.
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3
Scatter over the olives and roast a final 10 minutes until the skin is deep golden and the juices run clear (75°C at the thickest part of a thigh). Crumble the feta over the hot tray, strew with torn dill, and let it sit 5 minutes so the juices settle before serving straight from the tray.