Spanish Chicken Tray Bake

A gloriously easy one-tin Spanish supper: chicken breasts roasted over potatoes, peppers and tomatoes with chorizo, smoked paprika and whole garlic. The chorizo bleeds its paprika oil over everything as it cooks, so the whole tin tastes of Spain for barely any effort.

Why this works

• The chorizo is the seasoning: as it roasts it releases a smoky, paprika-red oil that bastes the chicken and vegetables. Free flavour.
• Everything in one tin, staggered: the potatoes and onions get a head start, so every element finishes perfectly cooked.
• Slits in the chicken and a paprika-oregano rub get the seasoning right into the meat and help it cook evenly.

Ingredient notes and swaps

• Chicken breast is used here with slits cut in; thighs are more forgiving and even more flavoursome.
• Chorizo: cooking chorizo gives the best oil; sliced cured works too. Sweet smoked, not hot, unless you want heat.
• Smoked paprika, sweet (dulce), to echo the chorizo.
• New potatoes, small and waxy, quartered so they roast through.

Spanish Chicken Tray Bake

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Using chicken breasts, you can take another boring chicken dinner and turn it up a notch like this recipe for Spanish Chicken Bake. The powerful flavours of paprika and chorizo give the chicken a lovely Spanish twist

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Prep Time 19 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 59 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Spanish

Calories: 540

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 Onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
• 1 Red Onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
• 300g New Potatoes, quartered
• 6 Whole Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
• 8 Tomatoes, quartered
• 100g Chorizo, sliced
• 4 Skinless Chicken Breasts, make 3 slits in each careful not to cut right through the meat
• 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
• 2 Tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 Green Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• 1 Red Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C
2. Put the Onions, Potatoes, Garlic and Tomatoes in a large roasting bowl and season with Salt and Pepper.
3. Toss everything together lightly
4. Place in the oven for 20 minutes
5. Season the Chicken all over with Ground Black Pepper
6. Mix together the Smoked Paprika and Oregano and set aside
7. Take the roasting bowl out of the oven, scatter over the Chorizo and turn everything a couple of times
8. Place the Chicken on top of the vegetables and Chorizo and sprinkle with the Paprika and Oregano
9. Season with a little Sea Salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes
10. Take the roasting bowl out of the oven and using a spoon drizzle the cooking juices over the Chicken
11. Place the Pepper strips around the Chicken and vegetables
12. Return the roasting bowl back to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the Peppers are just softened and the Chicken is fully cooked

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 64gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 460mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11g

Notes

Ensure you don't overcrowd the roasting bowl at this stage; give everything enough space to roast rather than steam. If your tray is too small, divide the ingredients between two to ensure even cooking and lovely caramelisation.
When adding the chicken, make sure it's nestled amongst the vegetables and chorizo but still has direct contact with the heat. This helps the skin (if you were using skin-on pieces) crisp up and the meat to cook evenly.
Keep a close eye on the chicken during the final cooking stage to avoid overcooking. Chicken breasts can dry out quickly, so aim for just cooked through and juicy rather than tough. A meat thermometer should read 74°C in the thickest part.

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Tips for success

• Do not overcrowd the tin; give everything room to roast and caramelise rather than steam, and use two tins if needed.
• Give the potatoes and onions their head start before the chicken goes in.
• Baste the chicken with the paprika-stained juices partway through.
• Add the peppers near the end so they soften but keep some shape.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Make ahead: Best fresh from the oven, but you can chop everything ahead so it is a five-minute assembly.
• Storage: Two days in the fridge.
• Reheating: Warm through in a moderate oven until piping hot.

What to serve it with

• Crusty bread or saffron rice to mop the juices, and a simple green salad. A glass of cold Spanish white.

FAQ

Can I use thighs? Yes, and they are more forgiving than breast in a hot oven; give them a little longer.

Which chorizo? Cooking (raw) chorizo gives the best oil; cured sliced works too. Sweet smoked, not hot, unless you like heat.

Can I prep it ahead? Chop everything ahead; it then takes minutes to assemble.

Why slits in the chicken? They help the seasoning get in and the meat cook evenly.

Try these next

Get to grips with smoked paprika in our How to use spices guide, explore the Spain chapter of the Kitchen Atlas, or find another Easy Midweek supper, then cook more:

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