John Torode’s chicken, potato and mushroom miso traybake with spring veg
There's nothing like a simple traybake bursting with flavour for an easy Monday night feast. John is in the kitchen to whip up a spring chicken, miso and mushrooms traybake packed full of flavour and served with simple seasonal greens - budget friendly and feeds the whole family.
Chicken, Potato and Mushroom Miso Traybake with Spring Veg
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
For the miso sauce 100g white miso50g honey1 tbsp light soy50ml vodka or sherry or sake50ml boiling water1 tsp sesame oil4 very large potatoes, peeled2 large onions, peeled20ml vegetable oil1 chicken stock cube100ml boiling water10 chicken things, bone in, skin on200g large chestnut or button mushrooms, cut in half2 tbsp sesame seeds2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)
For the spring vegetables100g runner beans, sliced on the angle100g green beans, sliced on the angle5 spears asparagus, sliced on the angle100g sugar snaps, kept whole150g frozen peas50g mange tout, kept whole4 spring onions, sliced on the angleOlive oilLemon juiceSalt and freshly ground black pepper
To serveLarge handful of watercress
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Mix together the miso, honey, soy and vodka and stir well, then add the boiling water and mix to dissolve the honey. Lastly add the sesame oil. Keep for later or can be done whilst the potatoes are cooking or the day before. All the preparation steps can be done in advance and simply assembled in the evening.
2. Slice the peeled potatoes into thick slices, the thickness of a mobile phone. Next do the same with the onions.
3. Mix the veg oil with the potatoes and onions and mix them together with a good amount of pepper.
4. Take a large roasting tin and line with grease proof paper.
5. Sprinkle the stock cube in the tray and add the boiling water and drop the potatoes and onions on top.
6. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, do not move it if possible.
7. Whilst the potatoes start to cook, take the chicken thighs and using a sharp knife, prick the skin in about six places, this makes sure they will be crisp.
8. Coat the chicken thighs liberally with the miso mix, there will be some left over. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the miso coated chicken and keep to one side.
9. After 15 minutes take the baking tray from the oven and sprinkle over the sesame and pumpkin seeds and now squeeze the marinated chicken and mushrooms amongst the potatoes so it’s all a little higgledy piggledy.
10. Place the tray back in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes at 180°C so turn the oven down a little.
11. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and drop all the spring vegetables in at once. Bring back to the boil and cook for a few minutes. Drain, then dress with lots of olive oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper.
12. Take the chicken tray from the oven directly to the table and serve with a load of fresh watercress and the spring vegetables. There will be enough to feed the family and some left over as it makes a delicious salad to eat cold the next day.