Roast chicken & vegetables

Serves: 2 · Preparation: about 15 minutes · Cooking: about 40–50 minutes · Total: allow around 1 hour.

The vegetables get a head start so the chicken does not have to remain in the oven while large potato pieces catch up. Timing depends on thickness and your oven; use the cooking checks below.

Equipment

A large roasting tray, chopping board and knife, tablespoon, tongs, oven gloves and a clean food thermometer.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, around 150–180g each
• 400g potatoes, washed and cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 medium carrots, cut into pieces about 1cm thick
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into thick wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• A small pinch each of salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 210°C conventional or 190°C fan. Spread the vegetables in the tray with 1½ tablespoons oil, half the paprika and the seasoning. Avoid piling them deeply.
2. Start the vegetables. Roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with the remaining oil, paprika and garlic. Keep utensils that touch raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat food, and wash hands and surfaces after handling it.
3. Add the chicken. Turn the vegetables and place the chicken among them. Return the tray to the oven for around 25–35 minutes. Start checking earlier for thin breasts; larger pieces can take longer.
4. Check the centre. Use a clean thermometer in the thickest part of each breast. One FSA temperature-time combination is 75°C for 30 seconds. Keep cooking if that is not reached; do not rely on the timer or browned outside alone.
5. Finish the vegetables. A fork should enter the potato and carrot easily. If the chicken is ready first, move it to a clean plate and cover while the vegetables finish. Serve when everything is cooked through.

Useful adjustments

Pale vegetables: a crowded tray can trap moisture. Use a larger tray or two trays next time. Garlic darkening: tuck the coated chicken away from particularly hot edges. Large potatoes: cut them smaller at the start instead of assuming the same time will work.

For a larger batch, preserve space between pieces and check each chicken portion. Doubling ingredients does not give a reliable rule for doubling cooking time.

Food safety and leftovers

FSA advice is to chill cooked leftovers within two hours, use within 48 hours or freeze, and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Keep raw poultry separate from other foods. Read the FSA cooking guidance for the full advice and alternative safe temperature-time combinations.

Allergen notes

Check seasoning blends, oils and any sauces you add. Ingredient substitutions and shared preparation equipment can introduce allergens.