Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Potato Traybake
Chicken pieces and potato wedges roast together with garlic, lemon and rosemary until the edges caramelize and the potatoes turn golden and crisp. A high-protein one-pan dinner with almost no cleanup.
- Total
- 80 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 55 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Zesting
- Savory
- Oven
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 220°C. Pat the poulet dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, the zest of the citron and the leaves from 2 romarin sprigs. Rub this mixture over the poulet, including under the skin.
~10 min
Drying the skin prevents surface moisture from steaming, so the chicken browns and crisps instead of staying pale.
Dry the poulet skin well before rubbing it with oil: any surface moisture steams instead of browning, and the skin stays pale.
Zesting Grate only the colored outer peel, stopping before the bitter white pith; press lightly and rotate the fruit as you go.
-
Cut the pommes de terre into 3 cm wedges. Peel the ail cloves and slice them thinly. Toss the pommes de terre and ail with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 0.5 tsp salt.
~5 min
Even 3 cm wedges cook at the same rate, so potatoes and chicken finish together without burning.
Cut the pommes de terre into even 3 cm wedges so they finish at the same time as the chicken; thinner pieces will burn before the meat is cooked through.
-
Spread the pommes de terre and ail in a single layer on the baking tray. Set the poulet pieces on top, skin side up. Cut the citron in half and tuck one half among the potatoes. Scatter the leaves from the last romarin sprig over everything.
~5 min
A single layer lets hot air circulate, so the potatoes roast crisp rather than steam and turn soggy.
Roasting Arrange food in a single layer with space between pieces so hot air circulates; crowding steams food and prevents browning.
-
Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the poulet reaches 74°C at the thickest part and the pommes de terre are golden and tender when pierced with a knife. If the potatoes brown too fast, move them under the chicken.
~50 min
Reaching 74°C ensures the chicken is safely cooked while the potatoes turn golden and tender.
Roasting Arrange food in a single layer with space between pieces so hot air circulates; crowding steams food and prevents browning.
-
Squeeze the roasted citron half over the tray and let everything rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the juices settle into the potatoes.
~10 min
Resting 10 minutes lets juices redistribute so they settle into the potatoes instead of running out.