RECIPE: EASY HERBED CHICKEN TRAY BAKE

A firm favourite from Dr Cat Stone & Jessica Giljam-Brown, this is a dish that can be prepared in the morning then put in the oven when you're ready, and it's all baked on one tray for easy prep, cooking and clean-up! Packed full of antioxidants, this recipe is full of nutrients that support liver detox and digestion, it's a win win in our book and a great one for the week!

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Tray Bake Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 fennel bulbs, stalks and fronds removed, cut into quarters
2 large beetroot, cleaned and cut into wedges
1–2 apples, cut into quarters
1 red onion, cut into quarters
6 sprigs of thyme
6 cloves of garlic, skin on
¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Herb-coated Chicken or Chickpeas: 

1 cup parsley
½ cup raw almonds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 clove of garlic, peeled
Zest of ½ lemon
Large pinch of Himalayan salt and pepper
500g chicken thighs or 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Torn fennel fronds to top

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large baking tray or ovenproof dish. Place the fennel, beetroot, apple, onion, thyme and garlic, and toss to coat in oil. Lay vegetables in a single layer, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Pop the tray into the oven to begin baking while you prepare the chicken or chickpeas.
• In a food processor, place the parsley, almonds, cumin, chilli, garlic, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Pulse until the herb mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then tip out onto a flat bowl or large plate.
• If using chicken, rub the olive oil over the chicken thighs, and then dip the chicken into the herb mixture, coating all of the chicken. You may need to press the herb coating into the chicken.
• If using chickpeas, tip them into a bowl, add the oil and toss to coat, then add the herb mixture and toss to coat and mix together. Don’t worry if the herb mixture doesn’t stick to the chickpeas — it doesn’t need to.
• Once the vegetables have been baking for 30–40 minutes (the beetroot should be softening), remove the tray or dish from the oven and nestle the chicken, or sprinkle the chickpeas and herb mixture between the vegetables.
• Return the dish to the oven and bake for 20–30 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven, scatter fennel fronds on top and serve with a large green salad.

Enjoy! x

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