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Recipe

Easy spiced chicken and lentil tray bake

Prep time: 
10
Cook time: 
30
Skill level: 
Low
Serves: 
4
A rectangular baking tray with spiced chicken thighs roasted on top of lentils. It's topped with dill and lemon wedges.

This easy weeknight dinner can be on the table in 40 minutes. (ABC News: Zain Ayub)

Ismat Awan is Sydney-based multimedia culinary creative who blends her cultural heritage with modern cooking techniques. She works across a number of food publications and brands. She's on Instagram as @MadeByIsmat

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There's something so satisfying about throwing a few ingredients into a tray, popping it in the oven, and letting the magic happen. 

This recipe is simple but delivers big results. Juicy, charred chicken bakes on top of creamy lentils. It's a win for your taste buds and and leaves very little washing up. 

Eight seasoned chicken thighs sit on top of lentils mixed with cream, ready to be baked.

The lentils will soak up extra flavour from the chicken as it bakes. (ABC News: Zain Ayub)

Tips:

  • Tray size is key for this type of cooking: It's important to use a tray that's about the same size as the one I used, a 32cm x 25cm oven-safe rectangular tray with 2.5L capacity. This helps keep the lentils and chicken tender. If you use a bigger tray, the liquid might evaporate too quickly due to the larger surface area.
  • Don't worry if the chicken seems cramped: The chicken thighs will shrink as they cook, so it's totally fine. Plus, the chicken's seasoning adds even more flavour to the lentils, which is delicious.
  • Make it dairy-free: You can replace the cream with equal parts of blended silken tofu and soy milk. Just blend them together until smooth, and you'll have a dairy-free alternative to cream.
  • Make it vegetarian: Instead of chicken, you can use portobello mushrooms, or a mix of mushrooms like oyster, king oyster, or Swiss brown.
An individual serving of chicken and lentil tray bake in a bowl with lemon wedges and dill.

A hearty dinner that can be served with lemon wedges, herbs and bread. (ABC News: Zain Ayub)

Easy spiced chicken and lentil tray bake

Prep time: 
10
Cook time: 
30
Skill level: 
Low
Serves: 
4

Ingredients

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional/200°C fan-forced.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the chicken thighs, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, Italian herbs, chilli powder and olive oil together and set aside.
  3. In an oven-safe tray, measuring approx. 32cm x 25cm 2.5L, mix the garlic, onion, lentils, pepper, cream and remaining 1 teaspoon salt together.
  4. Place the chicken on top of the lentils and bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Turn the oven up to 240°C conventional/220°C fan-forced and continue to bake for 10 more minutes or until the chicken is slightly charred and crisp on top.
  6. Remove from the oven and top with fresh dill. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.
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