Chicken Traybake ... with sweet potato, red onions and broccoli

This easy chicken traybake could be perfect for a midweek family dinner, or in fact perfect for any day of the week! Chicken pieces and colourful sweet potatoes, red onions and broccoli are simply roasted with herbs, paprika and lemon. Adding stock ensures everything is beautifully tender and there’s a little gravy left in the bottom to serve.

Ingredients: 

Serves Four

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

2 red onions, cut into wedges
350g broccoli, broken into florets
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1½ tbsp. olive oil
6 skinless chicken thigh fillets, each cut in half
2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges to serve
1 tsp smoked paprika

150ml chicken stock

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, broccoli and garlic to a large roasting tray and sprinkle over the dried herbs. Season and drizzle over 1 tbsp. of the oil, then toss everything together. Spread the veg out in an even layer and roast for 15 mins.

2. Remove the tray from the oven and give the veg a good mix. Add the chicken pieces and drizzle with the remaining ½ tbsp. oil. Squeeze over the lemon juice and sprinkle with the paprika. Return to the oven for 15 mins.

3. Pour over most of the chicken stock, then roast for a final 15-20 mins (topping up with a little more stock if it starts to look too dry) until the chicken is cooked through and the veg is completely tender. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins and serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition - Each Serving:

Fat 20g Carbohydrate 33.3g Protein 33.8g Fibre 8.7g

Recipe from an original idea here

Sweet potatoes - did you know that:

They are native to Central and South America and are one of the oldest vegetables known to man. They have been consumed since prehistoric times as evidenced by sweet potato relics dating back 10,000 years that have been discovered in Peruvian caves.

Christopher Columbus brought sweet potatoes to Europe after his first voyage to the New World in 1492. By the 16th century, they were brought to the Philippines by Spanish explorers and to Africa, India, Indonesia and southern Asia by the Portuguese. Around this same time, sweet potatoes began to be cultivated in the southern United States, where they still remain a staple food in the traditional cuisine.

Worldwide, about 80 million tons of sweet potatoes are grown in China each year, with Africa producing about 14 million tons, Central and South America about 2 million, and the U.S. about 1 million tons. Within the U.S., over half of all commercially grown sweet potatoes come from the southern states (especially North Carolina). 

Buying and storing sweet potatoes:

Choose sweet potatoes that are firm and do not have any cracks, bruises or soft spots. Avoid those that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the produce department since cold temperature negatively alters their taste. 

Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place, where they will keep fresh for up to ten days. Ideally, they should be kept out of the refrigerator in a cool, dry, dark place not above 60°F /15°C, which would fit the characteristics of a root cellar. Yet since most people don't have root cellars, it's best to keep your sweet potatoes loose (not in a plastic bag, but if desired, a brown paper bag with multiple air holes punched in it will work) and storing them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated cupboard away from sources of excess heat (like the stove).

Nutritional Profile:

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fibre, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus. 

Blood Sugar Impact:

The carbohydrate content in sweet potatoes, (and white potatoes), will result in a blood sugar impact in any serving size and many diabetics choose not to eat them. However, sweet potatoes are naturally more nutrient-dense; so if you do choose to eat them they could be the better option between the two! 

Details above, plus more to read, can be seen here and here 

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues please take these into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. 

All the best Jan