A wonder pan recipe with incredible flavour, this lemon chicken tray bake is truly sensational!
It's one that will please the whole family and can be whipped up for a hearty midweek meal or even take centre stage for a Sunday afternoon lunch. Plus, it's perfectly versatile, meaning you can adapt the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- If you like garlic, is the recipe for you... this lemon and garlic chicken tray bake uses a whole bulb of garlic, for an intense garlic flavour and fragrance
- It's a one tray wonder with everything cooked in just one pan – easy prep, easy cooking, easy washing up!
- The combination of juicy chicken legs, fresh fragrant thyme, new potatoes, lemon and honey is absolutely wonderful!
Equipment you'll need
There are a few key items you'll need for this lemon chicken tray bake recipe:
- Roasting tray – get yourself a quality deep roasting tin for this recipe
- Meat thermometer – this little gizmo comes in really handy when it comes to pinpointing the moment chicken is cooked. This helps to avoid overcooked, dried out rubbery chicken
How to make lemon chicken traybake
Toss the onion, garlic, lemon and potatoes in olive oil and season. Arrange in a single layer with the chicken legs and bake.
Remove from the oven and drizzle over the marinade.
Twenty minutes before end of cooking add the asparagus on top.
When the chicken is cooked and golden, and the potatoes soft, remove from the oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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Top Tip
Cooking times may vary depending on your oven. Your best bet is to use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken is properly cooked.
What to serve with garlic chicken tray bake
Sides
Steamed broccoli or blanched kale would be perfect on the side of this lemon chicken tray bake. Another ideal green vegetable side is roasted green beans.
Variations to this recipe
- If you fancy a little more of a tomatoey taste, chop up some fresh tomatoes and add them to the dish.
- You could also play with different herbs and spices. Something like thyme, oregano or rosemary would work really well with this recipe.
- Add some heat to this recipe and use a hot paprika. You could also add some ground mustard seeds for earthy heat, or add some chilli flakes or chopped fresh chilli for a tongue tingling sizzle.
- If you fancy extra lemony chicken, you can add lemon slices straight to the pan
What's the best chicken to use for this recipe?
For me, cooking chicken breasts in a tray bake can lead to them drying out. So, go for dark meat. I've specified chicken legs, although you could also go for juicy chicken thighs.
Should I use skin-on chicken legs or remove the skin?
I recommend leaving the skin on, as you'll be able to get a deliciously crispy outer texture to your chicken legs.
How long does chicken take to bake?
It takes about 45 minutes to bake it in the oven at 210°C / fan 190°C / 355°F / gas mark 7. These temperatures and timings produce the best tasting chicken for this recipe.
How do you prevent chicken from drying out in the oven?
That's where the sauce comes in!
Adding the lemon, honey and garlic sauce to the tray halfway through cooking ensures that your chicken legs (or thighs) stay tender and juicy.
How do you prevent rubbery chicken?
It's very much the same as stopping chicken from drying out. The sauce helps to keep moisture in the tray and prevents the chicken from taking on a rubbery texture, while the cooking temperature and time ensures that chicken isn't overcooked.
Keep in mind that all ovens vary in performance. So, once the tray is starting to take on a golden brown colour, it's worth checking the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure it's cooked.
How do you know when chicken is cooked?
It’s recommended that it’s cooked until it reaches at least 74ºC / 165ºF. If in doubt, use a meat thermometer.
Can you make lemon tray bake ahead of time?
While it’s best to serve this immediately, you can definitely make it ahead of time, up to 2 days before serving it.
How do you reheat lemon and garlic chicken leftovers?
You can heat up garlic chicken tray bake in the oven at 180°C / fan 160°C / 355°F / gas mark 4 for 10-15 minutes.
Is this recipe dairy free?
Yes! This recipe is 100% dairy free and gluten free.
More wonderful tray bake recipes
There's something so satisfying about the simplicity of a tray bake. When done right, the results are out of this world. Here are some of my favourites:
- Romesco chicken tray bake – a sizzling Spanish classic
- Oven-baked barbecue chicken – a smoky sensation that you can cook up easily, this barbecue chicken recipe gets amazing results every time
- Chicken and leek pasta bake – a super simple pasta bake that’s ideal as a healthy, quick midweek meal meal
- Baked seafood pasta – a succulent traybake that’s as comforting as it is simple to make
📖 Recipe
Lemon Chicken Tray Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Simplify dinner with a Lemon Chicken Tray Bake. It is zesty, tender, and hassle-free - the perfect one-pan meal for busy nights!Â
Ingredients
Tray Bake
- 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 whole garlic bulb, halved
- 1kg new potatoes
- 1 lemon, thinly slices
- 30ml olive oil
- 4 chicken legs
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 250g asparagus
Lemon, Honey and Garlic Sauce
- 30ml olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 250ml chicken stock
- 30ml honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 210°C/190°C fan/410°F/gas mark 7.
- Prepare the tray with the vegetables: Cut the red onion into wedges, halve the garlic bulb into individual cloves, and slice the lemon thinly. Divide them between two large baking trays along with the new potatoes.
- Drizzle 30ml of olive oil over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together using your hands to ensure the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Pat dry the chicken legs with kitchen roll to remove excess moisture. Place the chicken legs in between the potatoes and vegetables on the tray. Sprinkle each chicken leg with salt and pepper. Add the thyme sprigs.
- Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
- While the tray bake is cooking, prepare the Lemon, Honey, and Garlic Sauce: In a bowl, mix 30ml of olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chicken stock, and honey until well combined.
- After the initial 20 minutes of baking, remove the tray from the oven, and carefully add the asparagus to the tray around the chicken and potatoes. Drizzle some of the Lemon, Honey, and Garlic Sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
- Return the tray to the oven and continue baking for another 25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, and the top is crispy and browned.
- Once the tray bake is ready, remove it from the oven. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley for added flavor and presentation.
- Serve the Lemon Garlic Chicken Tray Bake hot, and you can accompany it with any additional side dishes of your choice. Enjoy your delicious and flavorful meal!
Notes
Cooking times may vary depending on your oven. The chicken should be fully cooked, and the top should turn brown and crispy during baking. Make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 528
- Sugar: 15.3 g
- Sodium: 281.9 mg
- Fat: 20.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.1 g
- Fiber: 8.2 g
- Protein: 32.9 g
- Cholesterol: 117.6 mg
Lynda
I tried these and reviewed them here:
http://misslyndaj.blogspot.com/2012/05/sticky-lemon-honey-chicken-drumsticks.html
Happy Eating!
Lynda
andrea
This looks absolutely mouth water! I am looking for a recipe for drumstick to feature on my foodblog. Do you mind if I use yours and I will hand you the credit?
Thanks, I love your site! Full of mouth watering goodness!
michelle
Sure, Andrea!
andrea
This looks absolutely mouth water! I am looking for a recipe for drumstick to feature on my foodblog. Do you mind if I use yours and I will hand you the credit?
Thanks, I love your site! Full of mouth watering goodness!
Jody
Gorgeous recipe! Made it several times now using balsamic, my friend ended up licking the plate clean of the lovely sauce!
jill
gonna try raspberry vinegar cos haven't any sherry - wich me luck
Jill
Jacky
Tried this recipe last night. Loved it, absolutely delicious! I substituted the sherry vinegar for balsamic with good results.
HowCookFood.com
Yummy. I love lemon chicken. I think you did a great job explaining the recipe.
Michelle
Sherry: First of all, I'm really sorry to hear about your mishap because I'd like everyone to enjoy recipes from this site!
The sauce has a slightly bitter edge to it but if it is overwhelmingly so something is not right. I have thought about a few factors that might contribute. Firstly, it might be the type of lemon - some are more bitter than others. From experience I learnt that if you cook lemon (even the juice!) for too long or hard it will turn bitter, so shorten the cooking time or put them in at a later stage. Lastly, maybe try less lemon next time, maybe half or a quarter of lemon?
I hope it helps!
Sherry
Made it tonight and something went very wrong...All I could taste was bitter lemon peal, I end up throwing the whole batch out. Was I suppose to peal the lemon?
mary
hi tried your recipe tonight!!! it was easy and delicious. i made 2 mistakes, i splashed too much sherry and if you use dried thyme, do NOT use a lot 🙂 but will make again, a little wiser. thanks for the recipe@!!!
Jackie
howdy Findley - Maybe I'm wrong, but aren't those more thyme sprigs?
Jeanne @ Cooksister!
Donner.... dit lyk lekker. Nou moet ons net wag vir braai weer!!
Colleen
Just closing my eyes to the delectable food here. Im on a mission.....
I am busy inviting any food and wine bloggers I can find on the internet to the first ever South African food bloggers conference. You can find all the info here http://sa-food-blogging-conference.blogspot.com/
The cost is R430 all inclusive for the day. Sunday 21 March 9.30am at Giggling Gourmets Cooks Playground opposite the new Cape Quarter parking garage entrance, De Waterkant, Cape Town. There will be a buffet lunch & refreshments, great speakers and a big goodie bag stuffed with amazing foodie things. And fab give aways and prizes. Very exciting stuff.
If you know of any food or wine bloggers that might be interested in attending please could you either let them know about it or let me know their blog addies and I will go invite them. Thank you so much. I need to get the word out urgently....
Colleen (aka browniegirl) xx
http://blogs.food24.com/kitchendiary
Marisa
That looks fingerlicking good...
Findley
Hi--I was directed here via Tastespotting and I have to agree--these look amazing. One question-what is the green you have so nicely draped over the drumsticks? Thanks, Findley
The Hungry Teacher
I was pretty sure that's what you meant by garlic bulbs halved, but thanks for clarifying!! My husband was peeking over my shoulder while I was browsing and strongly encouraged me to try this recipe! They look delicious and I'm making them for a party this afternoon! Thanks!
arugulove
Looks so good! Just in time for summer grilling!
Michelle
Adele: Thanks! 🙂 It's an easy recipe to prepare. Just remember to be patient and wait for the chicken to be completely cooked through, because sometimes it's a bit deceiving.
Thanks, Deana!
The Hungry Teacher: To answer your question, you simply slice the whole garlic bulb in half - like here http://www.1001recipe.com/recipes/food/roasted_garlic_tomato_soup/roasted_garlic_tomato_soup_2.jpg. It is used for flavouring the sauce. Afterwards you chuck out the two halves.
Mrs Ergül
Michelle, this looks great!! It's just beautiful!
How's the pregnancy coming along?
catty
Hey Michelle! I saw this photo/recipe being pushed by TasteSpotting on twitter (see, the goodness of twitter hehe) and was like OMG that looks delicious! When I clicked on the link it took me here which was like a sign from above because I was just about to come here anyway and say it was a true pleasure spending the afternoon with you today! I loved chatting with you and hope to see you again before the bubba comes along. Hope dinner at Mango Tree was good... look forward to seeing you again xxx
Kasey
This looks like a good dinner party starter! And I can see the stickiness! Gorgeous photos.
Sherry
I was looking at dumsticks the other day at the store and was thinking I love them, dark meat rocks. How can I make them so the hubby with enjoy them as much as me and kids... This is how!
Sherry
I was looking at dumsticks the other day at the store and was thinking I love them, dark meat rocks. How can I make them so the hubby with enjoy them as much as me and kids... This is how!
The Hungry Teacher
These look amazing!! But I have a question. In the ingredients, you call for a head of garlic, halved horizontally. Is it to be broken into cloves and peeled? Or is it just used for flavouring and then discarded after?
deana@lostpastremembered
That picture is just heaven... the depth of color is really something... great work! As for the recipe... you hit it out of the park too... a great one that I had forgotten about... great for the weekend... thanks for the great post!
Adele
Hi Michelle. This looks fabulous, thank you. I'm always looking for easy chicken recipes to throw together for dinner. This definitely fits the bill. Great photos!
Michelle
Julia: One vinegar that immediately came to mind was balsamic vinegar. Malt vinegar will be a bit strong I think. Let me know how your experiment goes. 😉
Julia
Oh my that looks so delicious!
But... Can I replace the sherry vinegar with another sort of vinegar?