Good morning! It's been a hot, sweaty week, hasn't it? This weather requires minimal effort cooking, fresh flavours, and barely any washing up. And then you can get back to lying in front of the fan.
This week I'm sharing one that I make regularly because it's cheap, low effort, and healthy. My kids also love it.
See you Friday. Here's to a good weekend - make time for the things that fill you up, and cut yourself some slack, because one day these will be ‘the good old days’. Don't waste them waiting for better.
Carla x
Lemon & Paprika Chicken Traybake
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1kg) or boneless fillets
1kg new potatoes
300g green beans, trimmed (or frozen)
1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
20g butter
Small handful parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C fan (200°C/gas 6). Halve any larger potatoes so they're all roughly even, toss with 2 tbsp of the oil, salt and pepper, spread on a large tray and roast for 15 mins.
Meanwhile, mix the garlic powder, paprika, ½ tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Rub it all over the chicken.
Heat the last 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high. Sear the chicken skin-side down for 3-4 mins until golden, then 2 mins on the other side. (If you're using fillets, skip the sear - it's mostly for the skin.)
Pull out the tray, nestle the chicken in among the potatoes and squeeze over half the lemon. Back in for 15 mins.
Scatter the green beans around, give everything a gentle toss, and roast a final 10 mins until the chicken's cooked through (juices run clear) and the potatoes are tender.
Off the heat, dot the butter around, squeeze over the rest of the lemon and scatter with parsley.
Serving suggestion. If you fancy it, squeeze a bit of lemon with some mayo to make a lemon aioli as a dip.
A great one for leftovers. This one isn't really freezer friendly, but it's great for meal prep. Doubles easily across two trays - just don't crowd them or the potatoes steam instead of crisping.
For the kids. This one is gentle enough for little ones. If green beans are a hard no, serve theirs on the side or swap in sweetcorn or peas. Go light on the lemon for the fussier palate. Scatter the parsley on serving for adults if your kids are scared of green bits.