Meat-based recipe
Chicken thighs roast over potatoes and carrots, with courgette and tomatoes added later so they stay tender rather than collapse. It is a low-fuss tray supper built around vegetables that allotment growers can harvest through summer and autumn.
Ingredients
- 8, about 1.2kg Bone-in chicken thighs
- 700g, cut into 3cm chunks Potatoes
- 300g, cut into thick batons Carrots
- 1 medium, cut into thick half-moons Courgette
- 250g Cherry tomatoes
- 1, cut into wedges Red onion
- 1, cut into wedges Lemon
- 3 cloves, lightly crushed Garlic
- 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary or thyme
- 2 tbsp Olive or rapeseed oil
- to taste Salt and black pepper
Equipment
Large roasting tin · Food thermometer (recommended) · Kitchen tongs
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Pat the chicken skin dry with kitchen paper. Put the potatoes and carrots in a large roasting tin with the onion, garlic and herbs; toss with half the oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes to give the firm roots a head start. Take the tin out carefully and turn the vegetables.
- Rub the remaining oil over the chicken skin and season. Nestle the thighs skin-side up among the vegetables with the lemon wedges. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Add the courgette and tomatoes, turning them briefly in the pan juices without covering the chicken skin. Roast for another 20–25 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the potatoes are tender.
- Check the thickest part of a thigh with a clean food thermometer, avoiding the bone: it should reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Without a thermometer, check that the juices run clear and there is no pink meat at the thickest point. Return to the oven if needed.
- Rest the chicken for 5 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the vegetables and serve straight from the tray.
Allotment tip
Leave space between the chicken pieces so the skin roasts rather than steams. Add quick-cooking vegetables later; use seasonal beans or small squash in place of courgette.
Serving suggestions
Serve with plot-grown salad leaves or steamed greens. Spoon over the lemony roasting juices.
Seasonal allotment note
Use tomatoes and courgettes in summer; in cooler months swap them for extra carrots, parsnips or squash and adjust roasting time for chunk size.
Ingredient swaps
Use chicken drumsticks and allow a little extra cooking time, checking doneness in the thickest part. Swap courgette for sliced fennel or runner beans; add beans for only the final 12–15 minutes.
Allergens: No major allergens are intentionally included in the listed ingredients; check product labels for cross-contact and any additional declared allergens.
Storing leftovers
Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 48 hours or freeze. Remove meat from the bones before freezing. Defrost in the fridge and reheat once until steaming hot throughout; do not reheat more than once.