I remember the first time I stumbled across Nigella Lawson’s Chicken Traybake with Bitter Orange and Fennel. It was one of those moments where, while scrolling through a recipe book or a food blog, something just jumps off the page at you. The combination of juicy chicken, zesty orange, and the slightly aniseed flavor of fennel felt so intriguing, like it would be one of those meals that could elevate an ordinary weeknight into something special. Honestly, I had no idea how much I would fall for it.
This recipe speaks to Nigella’s genius-she has this unique way of making food feel like an indulgence, without making it complicated. The beauty of a traybake, in particular, is that it’s straightforward and minimal effort, yet the result feels like something you’d expect at a fancy dinner party. I can’t help but think this is the kind of meal that might have been cooked by an old family friend who had a love for homey yet elegant meals that somehow still felt fresh.
Nigella Lawson’s Chicken Traybake With Bitter Orange And Fennel Recipe
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. The chicken becomes so tender in the oven, infused with the sweet and tangy flavors of bitter oranges and the subtle, slightly sweet notes of fennel. I think one of the things I love most about it is the perfect balance it strikes-there’s the richness of the chicken, the bite of the fennel, and then the citrusy kick from the orange, all melded together in a kind of culinary harmony that makes you wonder why you didn’t think of this combination yourself.
It’s not too sweet or too sour, and the fennel, while a bit of an acquired taste for some, turns incredibly mild and almost sweet when roasted, adding a lovely depth to the dish. There’s no real "wow" factor in terms of complexity-no long lists of ingredients or techniques. It’s a straightforward recipe that results in a dish with so much character. If you’ve been feeling stuck in a routine of bland chicken dinners, this traybake could be the thing that shakes things up.
Ingredient List
The ingredient list is a bit like the recipe itself-simple, but with a few key players that make it special. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs (with skin, for that extra crispy goodness)
- 2 bulbs of fennel, sliced thin (the fennel softens up as it cooks, becoming almost sweet and tender)
- 2 blood oranges (you can use regular oranges if you can’t find blood oranges, but the blood oranges bring a beautiful color and more complexity)
- 1 onion, cut into wedges (for a bit of sweetness as it caramelizes in the oven)
- Olive oil (to roast everything beautifully)
- 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds (the seeds bring a punch of flavor that enhances the fennel itself)
- 1 tablespoon of honey (this balances out the bitterness of the oranges and fennel)
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano (herbaceous and earthy, just the right touch)
- Salt and pepper (to season and bring everything together)
There’s nothing fancy here, which is what I love. The ingredients are relatively accessible, and you don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets to make it happen. But what really makes the difference is how these basic ingredients meld together, creating something truly unforgettable.
How To Make Nigella Lawson’s Chicken Traybake With Bitter Orange And Fennel?
Making this dish is almost like a therapeutic ritual-the kind of cooking you do on a quiet evening when you don’t want to rush through the process. Here’s how you go about it:
- Preheat the Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 200°C (400°F). It’s one of those steps you don’t think much about, but it ensures everything cooks just right.
- Prepare the Chicken: Take your chicken thighs and season them with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil. The skin will crisp up beautifully, so don’t be shy with the seasoning. You want that skin to be well-seasoned.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Slice the fennel bulbs thinly, and cut your blood oranges into wedges. I also like to squeeze a little bit of the juice from the oranges onto the chicken before laying them in the tray. It gives them that lovely citrusy infusion.
- Arrange Everything on a Tray: You want a large baking tray for this. Lay the chicken thighs skin-side up, and scatter the fennel, onion wedges, and orange slices around the chicken. Sprinkle the fennel seeds, dried oregano, and a good drizzle of olive oil over everything. Then drizzle the honey across the top-this part is key, because it helps caramelize everything in the oven and gives the vegetables that slight sweetness that plays so well with the bitter orange.
- Roast: Pop the tray in the oven and let it roast for about 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and the juices run clear. You’ll want to check the chicken after 30 minutes to make sure the skin doesn’t burn. If it’s looking a little too brown, cover it loosely with foil and let it cook through. The result should be a tray filled with golden, crispy chicken, tender fennel, and caramelized orange slices that you can almost drink with a spoon.
- Serve: Once it’s all roasted to perfection, pull it out and serve it hot, making sure to spoon some of the roasted fennel and onions over the chicken. You can even serve it with some crusty bread to soak up all those flavorful juices.
Things I Learned
While cooking this dish, I came to appreciate just how much of a difference small details can make in cooking. I had always loved fennel but had never truly considered how much its flavor changes when you roast it. It transforms from being an intense, licorice-like vegetable to something much more subtle, almost sweet. And the blood oranges? They’re not just for decoration. The combination of their tartness and sweetness made the dish feel fresh, without being overpowering.
I also learned to trust the process. The whole dish takes a bit of time in the oven, but the low maintenance nature of the recipe means you don’t have to hover over it constantly. It’s easy to get impatient, especially when there are so many quick-fix recipes out there, but this traybake is a reminder that sometimes the best meals come from letting things take their time.
Lastly, it confirmed my belief that simplicity doesn’t have to mean dullness. You don’t need a million ingredients to make a meal exciting. Just a few well-chosen items-like fennel, oranges, and chicken-can create a dish that’s both comforting and vibrant.