Anna Stanford: Lemon & Honey Chicken Traybake

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 50 minutes | Serves: 4

Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan/210°C/410°F/ Gas Mark 6½.

Squeeze the juice from 1½ lemons into a small bowl or jug.

Add the garlic, honey, olive oil and Dijon mustard and mix together.

Arrange the chicken thighs (skin-side up) and potato slices in a roasting tin. Nestle in the lemon slices.

Season well with salt and pepper.

Spoon over the lemon and honey mixture.

Roast for 40 minutes.

Turn the chicken and potatoes over in the juices, then make space for the asparagus. You can just throw it on top! Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the asparagus and drizzle over a little extra olive oil.

Season and return to the oven for 8 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the asparagus is al dente. Serve.

ADAPTATIONS

▶ I love chicken thighs in this recipe as not only are they budget friendly and full of flavour, you also get caramelized crispy skin. But if you want to use boneless, skinless breasts/thighs, for the oven method, cook the potatoes in the oven first for 15 minutes, then add the chicken and lemon slices, season, drizzle over the lemon and honey mix and cook for another 25 minutes before adding the asparagus, drizzling with a little olive oil and squeezing over the remaining lemon half. Cook for 8 minutes.

▶ If using boneless, skinless breasts or thighs in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 190°C/375°F. Chicken breasts will need to be flattened first so they are evenly 2cm (¾ inch) thick. Toss the potatoes through half of the lemon and honey mix and tip into a liner or air fryer tray. Cook for 5 minutes. Give the potatoes a turn, add the chicken, lemon slices and the rest of the lemon and honey mix, season and cook for 8 minutes. Add the asparagus, drizzling with a little olive oil and squeezing over the remaining lemon half. Cook for 8 minutes.

▶ To make this gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free mustard.

Air fryer method: Use a liner or tray and add the chicken (skin-side down) and the potatoes, then season. Pour over the lemon and honey mixture. Cook in a preheated air fryer at 190°C/375°F for 10 minutes, then turn the chicken over, give the potatoes a turn, add the lemon slices and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes more. If using a two-drawer model, you can cook the asparagus in the second basket and toss it through the chicken, potatoes and juices just before serving