Chicken, Potato and Tomato Roast

by Meliz Berg
Star 4.1
    10m prep time
    100m total time
    Medium level
    21 ingredients

*Tavuklu Patates Kebabı* was a weekly staple dish for us growing up. In fact, my mum still makes it for us now when we all get together; it’s such a simple one-tray meal, and it really does go a long way. This recipe and Küp Kebabı (Lamb Shanks & Potatoes, also in Meliz's book) are two meat-based dishes synonymous with slow-cooking in outdoor ovens, which so much of Cypriot cuisine has been traditionally built upon. These recipes can easily be adapted to be cooked in conventional Western ovens, and here I have added my own twist of spices and flavours to my mum’s traditional recipe.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6.

Step 2

Dissolve the stock cube and tomato purée in 200ml boiling water (if cooking for 4) in a heatproof jug and leave to one side.

Step 3

Drizzle 1/3 of the olive oil into a deep baking tray, then add the onions, potatoes, chicken and garlic to the tray. Sprinkle over the dried oregano, spices, salt, pepper and parsley. Give everything a gentle stir so that the chicken and vegetables are fully coated in the oily spices.

Step 4

Pour the chopped tomatoes into the baking tray, then fill up the can with cold water; top up the dissolved stock and tomato purée with enough water from the can to take the total amount of liquid up to 600 ml (if cooking for 4), give it a stir and pour this into the baking tray as well. Add the bay leaves and the lemon halves, drizzle over half the remaining olive oil (save a little for the last 30 minutes of cooking), cover with foil and place the baking tray on the bottom shelf of the oven.

Step 5

After 35–40 minutes remove the baking tray from the oven, take off the foil, turn the chicken over, baste the potatoes and return to the oven without the foil. After another 25–30 minutes, remove again, turn the chicken over, basting the potatoes in the juices, drizzle everything with the remaining olive oil and return to the oven for a final 25–30 minutes.

Step 6

Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then serve with a liberal pouring of the thick basting juices and onions, accompanied by a fresh salad (baby gem, tomatoes are optional in the ingredient list), and in true Cypriot style, rice (cooked according to the packet instructions) and thick-set natural yoghurt.
  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • 2 pouches Cooked Rice 2 x Ben's Original Classic Long Grain Microwave Rice 220g
  • 150g Baby Plum Tomatoes, halved 1 x Sainsbury's Baby Plum Tomatoes 325g
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 1 x Sainsbury's Ground Cinnamon 38g
  • 0.5 tsp Ground Cumin 1 x Sainsbury's Ground Cumin 43g
  • 2 heads Baby Gem, leaves washed and seperated 1 x Sainsbury's Little Gem Lettuce x2
  • 1 Chicken Or Vegetable Stock Cube 1 x Sainsbury's Stock Cubes, Chicken 10x10g
  • 750g Cyprus Or Maris Piper Potatoes, peeled and halved 1 x Sainsbury's Maris Piper Potatoes 2kg
  • 8 Chicken Thighs And/Or Drumsticks 1 x Sainsbury's 1kg British Fresh Chicken Skin on Thighs
  • 6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and bashed 1 x Sainsbury's Garlic
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano 1 x Sainsbury's Oregano 12g
  • 2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley Leaves 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Flat Leaf Parsley 30g
  • 0.5 tsp Paprika 1 x Sainsbury's Paprika 44g
  • 1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes 1 x Stamford Street Co. Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g
  • 1 Lemon, halved 1 x Sainsbury's Lemons
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Purée 1 x Sainsbury's Tomato Puree, Double Concentrate 200g
  • 6 tbsp Olive Oil 1 x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 1L
  • 0.25 tsp Pul Biber Or Chilli Flakes 1 x Sainsbury's Crushed Chillies 32g
  • Maldon Salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
  • 4 tbsp Greek-Style Yoghurt 1 x Sainsbury's Greek Style Natural Yogurt 200g
  • 3 Bay Leaves 1 x Sainsbury's Bay Leaves 3g
  • 4 Onions, peeled and quartered 4 x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
Shop this recipe
Products and prices from