Beetroot Chicken Traybake

Key Ingredients For Beetroot Chicken Traybake

I am using free-range chicken thighs in this recipe. Chicken thighs are juicy and meaty parts of chicken legs. They cook fast and are ideal for traybakes like this.

Beetroot is a beautiful root vegetable, which is just in season. It grows well during colder and shorter days which we typically get in autumn (fall).

Beetroot has got plenty of health benefits and is a perfect addition for everyone who wants to improve their diet. It can be cooked, baked, minced... You name it, beetroot is good for it! Check out this recipe for borscht to find out how amazingly versatile this root vegetable is.

Carrots are a source of vitamin A amongst other important nutrients. Remember to use fresh carrots in this dish, as frozen ones would be too soggy and too soft after baking.

Chunks of onion add a bit of sweetness to the meal. Use either red or brown onion, both will work well.

A wedge of lemon will bring some acidity (sourness) to the dish. Half of an unwaxed lemon is enough for one baking tray.

Herbs such as thyme and rosemary give this dish a wonderful fragrance.

Black pepper and salt are also used for seasoning.

Finally, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and honey creates a delicious glaze on this bake.

Substitutes

Yes, you can get creative when cooking this chicken and beetroot bake! Make the most of what you have in your pantry and fridge.

Feel free to swap cooked beetroots for uncooked ones. Although remember that the cooked ones will need only 30mins of baking! Add them halfway through cooking the rest of the traybake, so that everything cooks well, the chicken is tender and the veg slightly crunchy on top.

Use fresh parsnips or sweet potatoes instead of carrots.

The recipe will also work with chicken legs or drumsticks - please use whatever you have on hand! Again, adjust the cooking times accordingly - add/reduce minutes where needed.

What To Serve With This Chicken and Beets Bake?

This chicken and beets bake goes very well with mashed potato and boiled potatoes.

However, brown rice, long-grain rice are also great companions to this one-pan meal.

And if you fancy something slightly different, try it with a flatbread!

Storage

This beetroot and chicken bake will keep fresh in your fridge for up to 2 days.

After cooking, let it cool down completely, cover with an aluminium foil and place in the fridge. Reheat fully before serving; pre-heat the oven to 180C, and bake for 30mins (covered).

This traybake is not suitable for freezing.