Lemon Chicken Tray Bake

Published: Sep 6, 2023 · Modified: Jun 4, 2024 by Michelle Minnaar · This post may contain affiliate links

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.

raw chicken with lemons and potatoes traybake.

Remove from the oven and drizzle over the marinade.

Twenty minutes before end of cooking add the asparagus on top.

add asparagus to a stray with baked chicken.

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

Popular substitutions

You can use skin-on chicken thighs in place of chicken legs. If you prefer white meat to dark meat, you can substitute the chicken legs with chicken breasts.
Feel free to swap out the honey for syrup if you prefer
You can use lime juice in place of lemon juice.

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

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