Fennel Chicken Tray Bake

Name: Fennel Chicken Tray Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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roubashahin.com.au

Mains

One pan, big flavour, minimal fuss — this fennel chicken tray bake is my new go-to weeknight dinner.

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

50 minutes

SERVES

6-8

About this recipe

There is something so satisfying about a good tray bake — everything goes into one pan, the oven does the work, and dinner is ready with barely any clean-up. This fennel chicken tray bake has become one of those meals I turn to again and again. The fennel is the surprise here — it softens and sweetens as it roasts, adding a gentle aniseed note that rounds out the dish without ever taking over.

What’s more, the marinade is where all the flavour lives. A mix of yoghurt, tomato paste, garlic, lemon, mustard and warm spices coats the chicken beautifully, and as it roasts over the vegetables, those same flavours soak right down into the potatoes and capsicums underneath. As a result, every part of the tray ends up tasting just as good as the chicken itself.

If you love an easy, one-pan dinner as much as I do, this sits alongside my Pomegranate Glazed Chicken and my Juicy Baked Chicken Drumsticks as one of my regular rotation meals. That said, this fennel chicken tray bake has its own personality — a little brighter, a little more herby — and it’s become a real favourite in my house.

Ingredients

For the marinade

10–12 chicken chops
1⁄4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 1⁄4 cup)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the tray

1-2 tablespoons ghee, for greasing
1 fennel bulb, sliced (1 centimetre thick)
4 potatoes, sliced into rounds (1⁄2 cm thick)
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1 small red capsicum, sliced into rounds
1 small yellow capsicum, sliced into rounds
1 small green capsicum, sliced into rounds
250 grams small cherry tomatoes
Salt, to season

Notes from Rouba

Slice the potatoes and fennel evenly so everything cooks through at the same rate
Don’t skip greasing the tray with ghee — it stops the potatoes catching and adds lovelyflavour underneath
Give the chicken a really good coat in the marinade so every piece picks up the flavour as it roasts
Keep an eye on the chicken in the last 15 minutes — ovens vary, and you want it golden without going too dark so you may need to cover it.

Method

Step 1. Marinate the Chicken

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F)

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, yoghurt, tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, turmeric, paprika, chilli flakes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken chops and turn to coat well in the marinade.

Step 2. Prepare the Tray

Grease a large tray with the ghee. Layer the fennel slices over the base, then the potatoes on top, followed by the red onion wedges and tri-colour capsicum rounds. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the top, then season with salt.

Step 3. Assemble and Bake

Arrange the marinated chicken chops over the vegetables, spoon over any remaining marinade. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender and lightly golden. At the 35–40 minute mark, check on the chicken — if it's already well browned, scrunch up a piece of baking paper, dampen it with water slightly, and lay it loosely over the top to stop the chicken from burning.

A FEW THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW

Do I have to use fennel?
Not at all. It adds a gentle sweetness once roasted, but if it's not your thing, you can leave it out and the tray bake will still turn out beautifully.

Do I need all three capsicum colours?
No need to stress over this — one or two colours is completely fine. It's just a nice touch to have a mix if you have them on hand.

Can I use a different onion?
Yes, red or white onion both work well here — whatever you happen to have in the pantry.

Can I use other chicken pieces instead of chops?
Absolutely. Thighs or drumsticks work just as well — just keep an eye on the cooking time, as bone-in pieces can take a little longer.

Can I marinate the chicken ahead of time?
Yes, and I'd actually recommend it if you have the time. You can marinate the chicken a few hours ahead or leave it in the fridge overnight — the flavour only gets better.

My chicken looks like it's browning too quickly — what do I do?
Every oven runs a little differently, so keep an eye on it from about the 35-minute mark. If the chicken is getting dark before the vegetables are tender, scrunch up a piece of baking paper, dampen it, and cover the tray loosely with it for the remaining time. This stops the top from burning while everything underneath keeps cooking through.

Why do I need to dampen the baking paper before covering the chicken?
Wetting the paper first and wringing out the excess makes it heat-resistant, so it won't scorch or curl up under the oven's heat the way dry paper can. It also creates a little steam as it heats, which helps keep the top of the chicken moist while everything underneath finishes cooking — much gentler than covering with foil.