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Chicken and Chickpea Tray Bake | Yotam Ottolenghi

When the snow is piling high and the wind is howling hard, there is no better place to retreat to than the comfort of hearth and kitchen. It’s a last-minute decision and totally unplanned. The deal is to make a no-fuss tray bake. I find this Ottolenghi’s chicken and chickpea tray bake recipe in the New York Times. Since I have chicken and chickpea, I just need to improvise and make do with what I have on hand to get to the finish line.

I’ve made enough Ottolenghi’s recipes to know they will deliver bold flavors. Flavors come from several sources: 1) good ingredients, 2) spices and 3) proper cooking techniques. As far as ingredients go, besides chicken and chickpea, there are tomato, bell pepper, potato. Whee, I have all that in the pantry!

What surprised me are how few seasonings and aromatics are needed to bring out the big flavor. One standout is ras el hanout, a pungent warm spice blend which I’ve gotten some from Morocco. The constituent spices may vary, but principally of paprika, black pepper, turmeric and cinnamon. Together with the everyday seasoning of garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil, they forge the finished tray bake with flavor and bravado.

Roasting all the ingredients for over an hour with ras el hanout and loads of olive oil is the winning technique. The tray bake resembles that of a confit dish — when the bell pepper turns soft, the chickpea gets crispy and the chicken develops a deep roasted flavor. A finishing drizzle of sherry vinegar adds a bright, tangy kick which brings it all together into one harmonious flavorful dish.

Print Recipe

Chicken and Chickpea Tray Bake

By Yotam Ottolenghi – Serves: 4

This easy chicken sheet-pan supper brings bold, warming flavors with minimal fuss. Tossed with ras el hanout, the chicken roasts alongside potatoes, sweet peppers and chickpeas, creating a richly flavored dish that practically makes its own sauce.

Ingredients

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 ¼ pounds)
2 tablespoons ras el hanout
Fine sea salt and black pepper
3 small Yukon Gold (or similar) potatoes, each cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
3 medium Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 romano peppers, halved lengthwise and stems removed (or 12 mini bell peppers)
1 head garlic, top ½ inch removed to expose the tip of each clove
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

HEAT the oven to 375 degrees.

SEASON the chicken with the ras el hanout, 2 teaspoons of salt and a good crack of black pepper on a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

SEASON THE REST: Add the potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, oil and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and gently mix so that everything is coated with oil. Spread the mixture as evenly as possible across the baking sheet and set the chicken on top, skin-side up.

BAKE for 30 minutes, then give the pan a gentle shake to encourage everything into an even layer. Cook for another 35 minutes, until the chicken is tender and well browned.

SERVE: Use tongs to squeeze out the garlic cloves, discarding the papery skins. Use a fork to crush the tomatoes and the garlic cloves, then loosely mix them into the sauce. Sprinkle with the cilantro, mixing it in as well. Drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar before serving.