I really enjoy cooking, but some days I just want something I can throw together and whack in the oven. That’s when this chicken pumpkin tray bake is a godsend. It’s the quickest way I know to get restaurant-quality flavour. It’s the balsamic vinegar, honey and sage dressing that really brings it.
This one is good too: Sticky chicken tray bake (our new family favourite)
I get quite excited in autumn because it’s my favourite time of year for veggies (and weather, too, but mostly veggies). Sweet potato, new potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and, my very favourite, the pumpkin to make this pumpkin tray bake.
All you need to do to make it is lay your chicken thighs in the base of a large baking dish. Top with the pumpkin, onion and garlic. Then mix the dressing and pour it over the lot. Then it’s into the oven. It’s honestly no harder than that! Apologies in advance for how crap my photos are for this dish. I wanted to share it as soon as we fell in love with it. I will reshoot it one day…
We serve this dish with a bunch of steamed green vegetables – like green beans, broccoli and snow peas. They don’t need anything added as the sauce from the chicken pumpkin tray bake really makes them sing. Hope your family loves this recipe as much as mine do.
Go the tray bake! 21 satisfying and nutritious tray bakes for busy nights
Chicken and pumpkin tray bake
Makes 4-6 serves
Takes 10 minutes
Bakes 1¼ hours
8 chicken thighs, visible fat removed
750 gm pumpkin, cut into 1cm thick slices
2 red onions, chopped into sixths
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
2 tsps dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
Preheat fan-force oven to 180ºC and lightly grease a large roasting pan.
Place the chicken things into the roasting pan in a single layer. Add the pumpkin on top, then the onions. Lightly bash the garlic (do not peel) and add to the pan. Season to taste.
Whisk together the oil, balsamic and honey and pour over the dish. Sprinkle over the sage and thyme.
Bake for around 1 hour. Take from oven, gently push the vegetables to the side and bake for a further 15 minutes to brown the chicken.
When it’s time to serve, plate up and reserve the pan juices to pour over the top of the finished plate. Keep any remaining pan juices to add flavour to your cooking, much like you would use a stock.
Do you have a pumpkin tray bake recipe to share below?
