Lebanese Spatchcock Chicken Tray Bake with Baby Potatoes
This Lebanese-style spatchcock chicken tray bake is packed with garlic, citrus, warm spices, crispy baby potatoes, and juicy roast chicken. A low-effort one tray dinner perfect for meal prep, hosting, or easy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Dry Brining (Optional Step)
- 1.5 -1.75 kg Whole Chicken Skin on, Spatchcocked
- 3 tablespoon Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Handful Thyme Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Granules
- 1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Lemon Zest only
Marinade
- ⅓ cup Toum
- 1 Orange Juice only
- 1 Lemon Juice only
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 heaped tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon All Spice
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Baharat Spice Mix Optional
Potatoes
- 800 g Baby Potatoes
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Baharat Spice Mix
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Dry Brine the Chicken - Pat the chicken dry thoroughly and season generously with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, light brown sugar and lemon zest all over. Place uncovered in the fridge overnight, or for at least 6 hours but overnight/24 hours is better. This step helps season the meat deeply while drying out the skin for maximum crispiness. It is an optional step though!
- Prep the Potatoes - Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Boil the halved baby potatoes for 10 minutes, then drain well and allow them to steam dry for a few minutes. Toss in baharat seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Make the Marinade - In a bowl, mix together Toum, Orange juice, Lemon juice, Olive oil, Garlic, Tomato paste, Black pepper, Cumin, Allspice, Paprika and Baharat if using. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, making sure to get some underneath the skin.
- Assemble the Tray - Preheat the oven to 90°C fan / 210°C conventional (UK)/ 375°F. Add melted Ghee and Potatoes.Place a wire rack over the tray and sit the chicken on top.This allows the chicken fat and marinade to drip down onto the potatoes while keeping the skin crisp.
- Roast - Roast for around 50 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden, the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75°C, the juices run clear. Optional: increase the oven temperature or finish under a very hot grill for 4 - 5 minutes at the end to get extra crispy, deeply golden chicken skin.
Notes
Use it for Meal Prep
This chicken works beautifully for meal prep throughout the week. Build bowls with:- Rice, couscous, or quinoa
- Fattoush
- Pickled onions or cabbage
- Fries
- Garlic yoghurt sauce or extra toum
- Fresh green herb sauce like zhug or coriander sauce
Notes & Tips
- Dry brining overnight gives the best flavour and texture
- Use a large tray so the potatoes roast rather than steam
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting
- Boiling the potatoes first helps create fluffier centres and crispier edges
- Extra lemon squeezed over at the end brightens everything up
- Leftovers are perfect for wraps, salads, and rice bowls
How To Serve
Serve straight from the tray with:- Toum or garlic yoghurt
- Warm pitta or flatbreads
- Crispy fries
- Lebanese pickles
- Fresh chopped salad
- Extra herbs or lemon wedges
Storage
FridgeStore in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze cooked chicken for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
Leftovers
Great for wraps, salads, rice bowls, and flatbreads throughout the week.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 33gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 1080mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 506IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 3mg
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