Traffic Light Chicken

by Jane Lovett
Star 4.2
    15m prep time
    75m total time
    Easy level
    10 ingredients

A lovely, silky-soft and colourful mélange, that was originally created when I had a glut of vegetables in the garden. The name came about when my friend Georgie exclaimed, ‘Ooh, traffic light chicken,’ upon seeing the bright red, amber and green colours! Use the recipe as a guide and swap around any vegetables that you have to hand, bearing in mind that root vegetables need to go in with the chicken, and green ones (that grow above the ground) should be added with the orzo.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8. Find a large, shallow roasting tin around 40 x 25cm and ideally no deeper than 4cm, and line it with a large piece of baking parchment (including up and above the sides).

Step 2

Drizzle the paper with a little olive oil and arrange the chicken thighs, beetroot and carrots in the tin, spaced out in a single layer. Scatter over the garlic cloves. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, scatter over the tarragon and season everything generously with salt and pepper. Put into the top of the oven, turn the oven down to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and cook for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Remove from the oven, baste the chicken with the juices and turn the beetroot over (the point of a knife is best for this). Add the orzo, avoiding the chicken as you do so. Pour the stock into the tin around the chicken, ensuring all the orzo is submerged in the liquid and not sitting on top of the chicken, otherwise it won’t cook. Scatter over the courgettes, then return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Step 4

Remove from the oven and stir the orzo around a little with a teaspoon to ensure it’s all submerged and cooking evenly. Turn the vegetables over and nestle them in, too, if necessary. Cook for a final 10 minutes, then remove and leave to stand for 10 minutes (or a little longer) before eating.
  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • 3 Courgettes, cut diagonally into 2cm triangular chunks 3 x Sainsbury's Courgettes Loose
  • 350g Carrots, peeled, halved lengthways, larger ones cut into quarters lengthways 1 x Sainsbury's Carrots 500g
  • 1 tsp Maldon Salt 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
  • 500ml Strong Chicken Stock, use 2 cubes per 500ml water 1 x Sainsbury's Stock Cubes, Chicken 10x10g
  • 1 tsp Dried Tarragon, or rosemary 1 x Sainsbury's Tarragon 12g
  • 8 Skin on and Bone in Chicken Thighs, well trimmed and snipped twice through the skin and flesh with scissors 1 x Sainsbury's 1kg British Fresh Chicken Skin on Thighs
  • 250g Dried Orzo 1 x Sainsbury's Orzo Pasta, Taste the Difference 500g
  • 4 Raw Beetroots, peeled, halved, and each cut into 6 wedges 1 x Sainsbury's Bunched Beetroot 500g
  • 1 head of Garlic, cloves separated and peeled (halve any larger cloves) 1 x Sainsbury's Garlic
  • A drizzle of Olive Oil, for drizzling 1 x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml
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