Chicken Ratatouille Traybake

A Provençal‑style tray bake that cooks itself in the oven. One dish, minimal washing‑up, and a nourishing dinner for the whole family.

This is the kind of dinner I rely on when I want something nourishing and satisfying without spending the evening in the kitchen. I love that everything goes into one dish – a simple tomato and herb sauce, layered with sliced vegetables and topped – and the oven does the rest.

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What you need for 4 servings:

For the sauce:

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 2 tsp dried thyme

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

For the chicken ratatouille:

• 1 aubergine, finely sliced

• 2 small courgettes, finely sliced

• 3 medium tomatoes, finely sliced

• 1 onion, finely sliced

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp dried thyme

• Salt and pepper

The recipe:

1.     Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2.     Blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth.

3.     Pour the sauce into an ovenproof dish and spread it evenly over the bottom.

4.     Arrange the sliced aubergine, courgettes, tomatoes and onion on top of the sauce in a single layer, alternating the vegetables.

5.     Place the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables, skin side up.

6.     Drizzle with the 2 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with the dried thyme, salt and black pepper.

7.     Bake for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

The benefits:

• Chicken provides high-quality protein while the vegetables add fibre to support fullness and digestion.

• Tomatoes, peppers and courgettes provide vitamin C and protective antioxidants.

Per serving:

Protein: 29 g | Fibre: 7 g

Also provides B vitamins and vitamin C.