Chicken

Chicken and kale traybake recipe

Prep 10 minutes, cook 35 minutes
4

Looking for a simple, healthy and tasty chicken recipe? This one from Discover Great Veg is the answer. It couldn’t be more straightforward – perfect for a mid-week meal – as all of the ingredients bake in one tray.

Green olives, tomatoes and kale give this dish colour and a healthy vitamin hit. Kale contains high levels of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin C. This makes kale excellent for our immune system. These essential vitamins help us to stay feeling healthy and keep the bugs at bay, as well as keeping the linings and connective tissues of the body healthy and strong.

Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene – lycopene levels in the blood have been found to be higher after eating cooked tomatoes compared to consuming them raw or as tomato juice. Some studies suggest that eating lycopene-rich food may lower our risk of certain types of cancer, particularly cancers of the prostate, lung and stomach.

And then of course there is the chicken. Chicken is a fantastic source of lean protein, helping to support our muscles. This recipe uses chicken thighs, but also works well drumsticks instead. You could also use a tapenade or pesto in place of the tomato paste.

Love this chicken recipe? Read more

Ingredients

  • 800g chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin and scored
  • 500g plum tomatoes, halved
  • 60g pitted green olives, halved
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (60g)
  • 250g kale

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200oC/180oC fan/gas mark 6.
  2. Place the thighs in a roasting tin with the tomatoes and olives.  Mix the stock with tomato paste and pour over the chicken. Bake for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the kale in boiling water for three minutes, drain.  Stir into the chicken and bake for a further 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked throughout.