A simple one-tray chicken dinner with soft, flavour-soaked potatoes – ready in 30 minutes.
There are plenty of nights where I love cooking. And then there are the nights where I just want to put something in the oven, shut the door, and get on with everything else that needs doing. This Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake recipe was created for those nights.
It uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs – which, if you’re anything like me, are probably already in your supermarket trolley most weeks. They’re affordable, forgiving and hard to overcook, which makes them perfect for a fast tray bake (sheet-pan dinner) like this. Here, they’re coated in all those classic Greek-inspired flavours I love – lemon, garlic, oregano – and roasted over finely sliced potatoes.
As it cooks, the red onion softens and caramelises, the capsicum (bell pepper) turns sweet, and the chicken stays juicy while the potatoes sit underneath everything, soaking up all those lemony, garlicky tray juices. You won’t see crispy potatoes here – they’re meant to be soft, creamy and full of flavour from cooking under the chicken. And it all comes together in 30 minutes, which feels like a little lifeline when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.
I like to serve this with a scattering of feta, a big dollop of tzatziki and a squeeze of lemon. Everything melts into those potatoes and suddenly it feels a bit special, even though it took very little effort and is completely doable on a weeknight. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days, although truthfully, unless I make a double batch, I rarely have any!
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
Yes, but I recommend adjusting the method slightly so everything cooks properly. Because chicken breast cooks faster than thigh, I like to give the potatoes a head start. Roast the sliced potatoes, onion and capsicum (bell pepper) – tossed with 1 tablespoon of the marinade as per the recipe – for 10–12 minutes first.
While they’re in the oven, slice 3–4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally to create thinner steaks (about 2–3 cm/¾–1¼ inches thick) and coat them in the remaining marinade. After the vegetables have had their head start, remove the tray, place the chicken on top, then return to the oven for a further 15–18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Turn the oven grill (broiler) to high for 2 minutes to caramelise the edges of the chicken and vegetables.
That said, I still prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this tray bake because they’re more forgiving and stay juicier at high heat.
Why aren’t the potatoes crispy?
This Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake recipe is designed to have soft, flavour-soaked potatoes rather than crispy roast potatoes. Because they cook underneath the marinated chicken, they absorb all the lemon, garlic and pan juices, which keeps them tender and full of flavour.
If you prefer crispy potatoes, you can roast them separately. Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F) (220°C/425°F fan-forced). Toss the sliced potatoes with 1–2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt flakes, then spread them in a single layer on a large metal tray (avoid overcrowding so they crisp rather than steam). Place the potatoes in the oven first and roast for 10–15 minutes to give them a head start.
After that, place the tray of marinated chicken and vegetables into the oven as per the recipe. Reduce the heat to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). Continue roasting both trays for a further 20–25 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are golden and crisp around the edges.
Serving them this way gives you crispy potatoes with the same Greek-inspired flavours, just without the soft, tray-baked texture.
What can I serve with Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake?
I usually keep it simple and serve it with toasted pita bread, tzatziki and a scattering of feta. A fresh Greek-style salad with cucumber, tomato and olives works beautifully alongside it too.
If you want to stretch it further, you could add:
- Steamed rice
- A simple cucumber and dill salad
- Hummus or garlic dip
- Warm flatbreads for assembling wraps
It also works really well served “bowl-style” with rice, salad and Greek yoghurt on top.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes! Use two trays and rotate them halfway through cooking. Leftovers keep well – see the leftover instructions below.
If you enjoyed Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake, I think you’ll love:
Mediterranean Chicken Tray Bake Recipe
One-pot Greek Chicken and Rice Recipe
One-pan Greek Chicken and Risoni (Orzo) Recipe
Easy Greek Chicken Recipe
Baked Greek Chicken Recipe
Chicken Souvlaki Tray Bake
“OMG deeeeeelicious!!! This was so good!” Share PrintIngredients
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus extra to serve
- 600 g (1¼ lb) brushed or sebago (russet) potatoes, sliced into thin wedges roughly 5 mm (¼ inch) thick (see note 1)
- 1 red onion, cut into thick wedges
- 200 g (7 oz) marinated capsicums (bell peppers), drained and sliced
- 1 kg (2 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approx. 6) (see the FAQ section if you want to use chicken breast)
- 100 g (3½ oz) feta, sliced
- Fresh dill sprigs (optional)
- Toasted pita bread
- Tzatziki, store-bought or homemade
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced).
- Prepare the marinade – In a jug, combine all the marinade ingredients and set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables – Place the potato, onion and capsicum in a large metal baking dish. Add 1 tablespoon of the marinade and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer.
- Marinate the chicken – Add the remaining marinade to the chicken and toss to coat well. Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables in a single layer.
- Roast – Roast for 28 minutes (in the top third of the oven) or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Turn the oven to high grill (broiler) and cook for a further 2 minutes to lightly char and crisp the edges.
- Finish – Scatter with feta and herbs. Drizzle with extra olive oil and finish with cracked black pepper.
- Serve – Serve with toasted pita, tzatziki and lemon wedges.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Robyn says:
I was genuinely impressed by how simple this recipe was to pull together — and how much flavour it delivered. The potatoes turned out perfectly tender in just 30 minutes, which honestly surprised me. I didn’t have fresh dill on hand, so I used dried, and it still turned out beautifully. I will definitely be making this again.
This was my 4th dinner this week from your website. Thanks for making meal planning so easy!
Nicole says:
Hi Robyn, I’m beyond thrilled that you’ve cooked 4 SHE recipes this week! Amazing! 🙌🏻🥹 Also so happy you enjoyed this dish! Thanks for the rating too. 🧡 Nic x
Julia says:
Really good ! Simply and quick to prepare but so tasty. Had with a simple side salad and drizzled the lot with some lemony yoghurt. Definitely a keeper !
Nicole says:
Wonderful to hear, Julia! Thanks for the rating. 🧡 Nic x
Meg Spots says:
OMG deeeeeelicious!!! This was so good! I drizzled a little lemon over the finished dish too. Will definitely have dill in stock next time but this was soooo good! Thank you for yet another cracker dish to add to the rotation for my very picky family x
Nicole says:
Hi Meg, so excited to hear this was a hit for you! 🙌🏻 Thanks for the rating too. 🧡 Nic x