Tray bakes are fab! You just lay everything out on a baking tray, pop it in the oven, take a look or add some more ingredients and let the oven do the work.

The chicken which absorbs flavours well, provides low fat protein. Over half the dish is vegetables, which offers fibre and substantial nutrient density to the dish.

Raw spinach will further amp up the nutrient and phytonutrient quality which tends to be more palatable (I think!) when uncooked. However, you can use Rocket (Arugula) instead.

Add as many veg as you like to the dish. Use up what you have in fridge: Tomatoes, courgettes, broccoli florets and green beans. The idea is to keep the veg slightly crunchy

Cooking Time: around 20 – 25 minutes in total
Oven Temp: 400°F/200°C/Gas mark 5 -6
Ingredients

  • Serves 4 generously500 – 600 gm of chicken fillets (‘thigh’ taste great for this and are less expensive). Chopped into approximately 5 cm slices. They will be about 1 cm thick.
  • 2 Tablespoons of Oil (Good quality Rapeseed or Coconut work well and take high temperatures well)

Marinade

  • 3 Tablespoons or Tamari (preferably)or Soy Sauce
  • 2 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon of runny Honey
  • 1 dessertspoon of cider or balsamic vinegar (not malt, it is too harsh)

Tray bake

  • 1 Large Fennel bulb
  • 2 Red peppers
  • 2 large or 3 small Red onions
  • 4 garlic cloves

To finish

  • 200 gms Fresh raw Spinach
Method

  1. Turn on the oven while you prepare the marinade; mix all the ingredients for this in a large bowl.
  2. Add the chopped chicken pieces and add to the marinade
  3. Making sure you use a different chopping board (from the one used for the chicken) prepare the vegetables set aside. All this will take around 20 minutes
  4. Add the oil to the chicken and marinade and pour onto a large baking tray with shallow sides and bake for 10 minutes. Wash the large bowl really well as you will be using it at the end of the cooking for the raw spinach.
  5. After ten minutes add the chopped veg and stir well so they become coated in the hot juices, marinade and oil. Bake at the top of the oven for a further 10 minutes. The veg need to be still slightly firm not soggy,
  6. Put at least half a bag of washed and dried (use a salad spinner for best results) spinach in the large bowl. Check the chicken is cooked through and then pour the chicken and veg tray bake onto the spinach and fork it over, so the spinach is mixed in well.
  7. Serve on its own or with small new potatoes, rice noodles (uber quick!) or rice.