(The oven dinner that does the heavy lifting for you)
There’s something deeply satisfying about tossing everything into one tray, shutting the oven door, and walking away until dinner is done.
No stirring, no hovering, no 16 pots to clean up.
Just simple, real food—cooked slowly and beautifully while you get on with life (or stand at the kitchen bench having a quiet moment while no one talks to you).
This week’s Throw it in the Oven Thursday recipe?
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs roasted with root vegetables, herbs, and garlic. It’s flexible, family-friendly, and freezer-friendly too.
🍗 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 4–6 skin-on chicken thighs (bone-in for flavour, but boneless works too)
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2–3 potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
- 1 sweet potato or pumpkin wedge, cubed
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 6–8 cloves garlic (keep whole, peel on)
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Fresh rosemary or thyme (or dried if that’s what you have)
🔥 Optional Add-Ins
- Zucchini or capsicum in the last 15–20 mins
- A squeeze of balsamic or honey over the top
- Frozen peas stirred through at the end for colour and freshness
🥘 Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
- Toss chopped veg with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs on a large baking tray.
- Nestle chicken thighs skin-side up amongst the veg. Drizzle everything with a little more oil.
- Roast for 40–50 minutes, until the chicken skin is crisp and golden and the veg is soft and caramelised.
- Optional: Grill for 5 minutes at the end for extra colour on the chicken.
Serve as is, or with a dollop of yoghurt or pesto, a green salad, or a slice of sourdough to soak up the juices.
👩🍳 Tips
- Want to batch cook? Double the recipe and freeze extra portions for later.
- Got leftover roast veg? Turn them into soup or frittata the next day.
- Don’t peel the garlic cloves! They roast sweet and sticky in their skins—just squeeze out the goodness when serving.
Welcome to Throw it in the Oven Thursdays
Each week I’ll bring you an oven-based dinner that’s:
✅ Simple
✅ Nourishing
✅ Minimal dishes
✅ Big on flavour
Because you deserve a break from complicated midweek cooking.