Quite often when I cook I don't have a particular recipe in mind. I just kind of throw things together and it works. I call it cooking by the seat of your pants! I will look to see what I have in the fridge that needs using and then I'll just put them together in a way that more often than not turns out to be quite delicious.
Like today for instance . . . I had two chicken leg quarters (with leg and thigh together) and a variety of root vegetables and at first I thought I would do a casserole of sorts . . . but then I decided to just do a simple tray bake. No sauce involved . . . just some herbs and salt and pepper, a bit of paprika and some garlic, some olive oil. You toss the vegetables in this and then spread them out onto a baking sheet.
The chicken quarters get rubbed with some more of the herbs and some olive oil and then placed on top, and then the whole thing gets roasted until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize and the chicken is golden brown and almost done through.
You give the veg a bit of a stir and drizzle some honey on the chicken and bang it all back into the oven for a few minutes longer . . . just until the chicken is cooked through and nicely glazed and golden brown.
I hesitate to call it a recipe really . . . as it is quite simple to do actually, and quite variable. You could use any combination of vegetables,depending on what you have to hand, and any herb you might have as well. Rosemary and marjoram and savory all work very well as does sage, or even a combination of the lot.
The simple things in life really are the best things I think. If you enjoy sweetly roasted and caramelized vegetables and succulent and moistly tasty chicken you will love this! Enjoy! We did!
*Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Tray Bake*Serves 2Printable Recipe
This is for two servings but is quite easily adaptable to more if you wish, or even less if you only have one person to feed! It's easy to do, economical and quite tasty!
2 free range chicken leg quarters1 large potato, scrubbed, but unpeeled1 sweet potato, peeled1 parsnip, peeled2 carrots, peeled2 medium beetroot, peeled1 small turnip peeled1 large onion, peeled and quarteredolive oil
salt and pepper1/2 tsp dried thyme1/2 tsp garlic powder1/4 tsp paprikaa drizzle of honey
Preheat your oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5. Line a baking tray which has sides with some foil. Lightly oil the foil and then set aside.Prepare your vegetables. Cut the potato into wedges. Place them into a bowl. Cut the sweet potato into 1 inch cubes. Put them into the bowl. Cut the carrots in halve lengthwise and then cut the halves in half. Place them into the bowl. Repeat with the parsnit. Cut the turnip into 1 inch chunks. Quarter the beetroot. Place into the bowl with the other vegetables. Add the onion. Mix together all of the herbs along with some salt and pepper. Reserve about 1/2 tsp of this mixture. Put the remainder into the bowl with the vegetables along with a good dollop of olive oil. Toss all together with your hands and then spread them out on the baking tray. Rub the chicken quarters with the remainder of the herb mixture and a bit of olive oil. Place these on top of the vegetables.
Place the roasting tin in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes. Give the vegetables a stir and then drizzle some honey over top of the chicken. Return the tray to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until all of the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize on the edges and the chicken is golden brown and cooked through so that the juices run clear.
Divide the vegetables and chicken between two heated plates and serve immediately.
