The golden chicken tray bake made for long weekends

What’s the secret to a stress-free long weekend? A recipe that does all the hard work in the oven while you’re busy catching up with friends and family.

This golden chicken tray bake is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, combining juicy chicken and crispy baby potatoes with a clever twist. The addition of Jack Daniel’s Black Label into the pan juices at the end creates a rich, mellow glaze that takes this from a simple roast to a delicious centrepiece.

It’s hearty, aromatic, and designed to go straight from the oven to the centre of the table.

Watch the full video to follow along at home.

Serves: 4

Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5kg chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks or a mix), skin on
• 750g baby potatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 1 lemon, thickly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1½ tsp dried thyme or oregano
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 60ml Jack Daniel’s Black Label
• Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• To serve, an ice-cold XXXX Gold

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
2. Add the chicken, baby potatoes, red onion, lemon slices and sliced garlic to a large roasting tray.
3. Sprinkle over the dried herbs, drizzle with olive oil, then season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything well to coat.
4. Arrange the chicken skin-side up and roast for 50–55 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through, until the chicken is deeply golden and cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
5. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour the Jack Daniel’s Black Label into the pan juices.
6. Return the tray to the oven and roast for a further 8–10 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off and the juices to reduce slightly.
7. Transfer to a serving platter, scatter with fresh parsley and spoon the pan juices over the chicken and potatoes.
8. Serve with an ice-cold XXXX Gold.

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Drink responsibly. For people aged 18+ only.