Name: Roast chicken, pancetta and Brussels sprouts tray bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme; Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon; 80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in; 8 long, thin slices flat pancetta (see note); 8 golden shallots, trimmed, halved lengthways; 500 gm Brussels sprouts, halved lengthways; 300 gm green beans, trimmed, halved lengthways; ½ bunch cavolo nero, leaves stripped and torn into pieces; Finely grated parmesan, to serve; Caesar butter; 150 gm softened unsalted butter; 4 anchovies, mashed to a paste; 1 large garlic clove, crushed; 1 tbsp each finely chopped tarragon; 1 tbsp aged red wine vinegar; Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

This winter-ready tray bake takes only 15 minutes to prep. The addition of a punchy, umami-rich Caesar-style butter takes it all up a notch on the flavour dial.

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp finely chopped thyme

Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

8 long, thin slices flat pancetta (see note)

8 golden shallots, trimmed, halved lengthways

500 gm Brussels sprouts, halved lengthways

300 gm green beans, trimmed, halved lengthways

½ bunch cavolo nero, leaves stripped and torn into pieces

Finely grated parmesan, to serve

Caesar butter

150 gm softened unsalted butter

4 anchovies, mashed to a paste

1 large garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp each finely chopped tarragon

1 tbsp aged red wine vinegar

Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C fan-forced. Combine garlic, thyme, lemon zest and juice and olive oil in a large bowl, season to taste, then add chicken thighs, toss to coat and set aside to marinate (10 minutes).

Meanwhile, for Caesar butter, place all ingredients in a food processor and process to combine. Season to taste. Transfer to a small saucepan and set aside.

Drain chicken from marinade (reserve marinade for vegetables). Wrap chicken thighs with pancetta and place seam-side down on 2 large oven trays lined with baking paper. Roast until chicken is light golden (20 minutes). Add shallots and Brussels sprouts to bowl with marinade, toss to coat, then divide among oven trays around chicken in a single layer. Return trays to oven and roast until chicken runs clear when thighs are pierced with a skewer (20 minutes). Transfer chicken to a plate; cover loosely with aluminium foil to rest (10 minutes).

Divide beans and cavolo nero among trays with Brussels sprout mixture, carefully toss to coat, return to oven and roast until vegetables are golden and tender (10 minutes).

Warm butter over low heat until melted. Arrange chicken and roast vegetables on a large serving platter; drizzle with warm Caesar butter and scatter with finely grated parmesan to serve.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Photography by James Moffatt Photographer

Ingredients

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