This chicken tray bake—the British answer to a sheet pan dinner—makes quick work of chicken, potatoes and colourful vegetables, all roasted together with a bright lemon-oregano dressing.

Don’t you always check in with other parents to see what they’re having for dinner? It’s one of the things hanging over us all—damned dinner needs to be made again—so I do a survey of what everyone else is making to get my own juices flowing. One afternoon I asked a friend, and this dish was her answer. Well, not exactly. This is the SPC version of a dish she quickly rattled off to me, in between interruptions from our children and before she had to run off. That’s the other thing about parents, we never get to finish a conversation. So, since I likely didn’t get the chance to say it at the time, thank you, Gina.

Ingredients for Herbed Chicken Tray Bake

1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper
4 chicken wings
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3–4 lb red potatoes, halved
1 yellow zucchini, chopped
1 green zucchini, chopped
1 red onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
32 cherry tomatoes, on or off the vine

Instructions for Herbed Chicken Tray Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large rimmed baking tray with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with half the dressing. You can allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for more intense flavour (anywhere from 1 to 3 hours) but it’s also great if you use it right away.

4. In a separate large bowl, coat the potatoes, zucchinis and onion with the remaining half of the dressing. Scatter the vegetables and garlic on the prepared baking tray. Arrange the chicken on the tray as well.

5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Take out the baking tray and scatter the cherry tomatoes across the top of the vegetables. Return to oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

6. Plate appropriate portions for family members (make mine big, please) from the tray and serve immediately.


Originally published in How to Feed a Family, 2013. Updated in August 2026.