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This Lemon Chicken Tray Bake with garlic, lemon and honey is outrageously delicious but is also super quick and easy for a midweek family dinner. Serve with potatoes and veggies, or your favourite sides.
It’s a simple but flavour-packed recipe that can be easily modified with whichever sides you fancy – salads, vegetables, chips or potatoes.
Make a simple fragrant marinade for your meat and bake – that’s it! Out comes succulent, juicy chicken that’s lipsmackingly good.
Why you’ll love this Lemon Chicken Tray Bake recipe
⭐️ All made in one sheet pan – less washing up!
⭐️ Quick but healthy midweek dinner
⭐️ Delicious and satisfying
Lemon Chicken Tray Bake Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – We’re using thighs for this as they’re so flavourful and tender when baked, and they take on the marinade beautifully. They’re also slightly better value for money too (bonus). You can use breast meat if you prefer but adjust the cooking time slightly as it will vary.
- For the marinade – Coat the chicken with olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, lemon zest and juice and mixed herbs.
- To serve – Lemon wedges and finely chopped parsley.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – Season to taste.
How to make Lemon Chicken Tray Bake
1. Make the marinade, keeping aside a little to glaze the chicken at the end. Mix it with the chicken thighs and leave (see full recipe below).
2. Bake the chicken before brushing the chicken with the marinade you kept back earlier, then grill to brown the tops a little. Serve with parsley and lemon slices.
What I use for this recipe
- You may have heard me talking about this Mircroplane Zester before. It’s a total game changer and I use it all the time for lots of different recipes.
Leftovers
In the fridge These are great for cold leftovers for lunch the next day. Add them into salads, pastas or sandwiches for a different meal.
In the freezer You can freeze any leftovers. Allow to fully thaw in the fridge and reheat thoroughly before eating.
Recipe Tip
You don’t have to brush over the reserved marinade at the end of cooking if you’d rather not add a step.
This just gives it an extra boost of flavour but this dish is still delicious if you just chuck all the ingredients in a baking dish together and bake without grilling at the end!
More simple tray bake dinners…
Under 30 minutes
GIANT Baked Chicken Quesadilla {One Pan}
Under 15 minutes
Halloumi Fajitas {15 Minute Meal}
FAQs
This is already a gluten free recipe. As always, make sure you double check all of your ingredients for allergens first.
It will be It will be really flavourful if you can leave it for at least 2 hours in the fridge. BUT if you need to marinate for less, even half an hour is better than nothing. Longer is better if you can though, up to 12 hours.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Lemon Chicken Tray Bake
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) Chicken thigh fillets, Skinless and boneless
For the marinade:
- 5 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Garlic cloves, Crushed
- 1 Lemon, Zest and juice
- 1 tbsp Mixed herbs
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, Season generously
To serve:
- 1 Lemon, Sliced
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, then take 2 tbsp of this mix and place in a small separate bowl to the side (optional: this is to use to glaze the chicken at the end of cooking.)
- Add the chicken thighs to the large bowl containing the marinade and mix together, coating well. Leave covered, in the fridge, for as long as you have (maximum 12 hours). Season with salt and pepper.
- When ready to cook: pre-heat the oven to 180℃ fan/350F, 200℃/400F or Gas Mark 6.
- Bake the chicken thighs in a baking dish for 20 – 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Optional: brush the chicken with the marinade you kept back earlier. Pre-heat the grill to high and pop under the grill for 3 – 5 minutes until the chicken is browned a little on top (be sure your dish is grill safe if doing this!)
- Scatter over the parsley and wiggle in a few extra lemon slices before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on April 28th, 2017 and republished on September 9th, 2025 to make improvements.
This post was originally published on September 9, 2025 and updated later to make improvements.
Really tasty and so quick and easy
Very good recipe. Easy and tasty.
We had with mashed potato which caught all the juices.
What a great idea! Glad oyu enjoyed it.
Really liked this recipe but the potatoes took absolutely ages to cook! Should I have parboiled them first?
We just made this for the first time and found the same, delicious flavour but potatoes not cooked enough despite leaving in 10 mins longer than the rest. Next time, I’ll put them in first with a little oil then add the chicken after 20 minutes
I love local asparagus too! Got some in our camper van as we speak and can’t wait to cook with it. Cute little hut! X