Chicken thigh, courgette and blackberry traybake

Name: Chicken thigh, courgette and blackberry traybake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1kg chicken thighs; 2 courgettes, sliced 1cm on the diagonal; ½ fennel, sliced 1cm thick, any fennel fronds reserved; ½ garlic bulb (cut through the waist so you have the bottom half); 50g pitted kalamata olives; 5 tarragon sprigs; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp brown sugar; 80ml dry white wine or fino sherry; 1 tsp white wine vinegar; 100g blackberries

Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 21 Aug 25
Updated: 21 Aug 25

A gorgeous chicken thigh traybake for late summer, this simple recipe embraces seasonal gluts of courgettes and blackberries.

Why it’s so good: Beautifully fall-apart braised vegetables, crispy chicken, sweet and sharp brambles and salty olives – it has everything and requires just 10 minutes of prep.
What to serve it with: We like the dish served with crusty bread and thickly spread salted butter, but for something more substantial, a grain like rice or couscous is delicious and soaks up the juices nicely.
Easy swaps: This dish works with stone fruit too: wedges of peach, nectarine or plums are all fantastic fruity options.

You can’t go wrong with an easy chicken dinner. Browse more chicken traybake recipes.

Serves 4
Prep time 10 min. Cooking time 45 min

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Ingredients

1kg chicken thighs
2 courgettes, sliced 1cm on the diagonal
½ fennel, sliced 1cm thick, any fennel fronds reserved
½ garlic bulb (cut through the waist so you have the bottom half)
50g pitted kalamata olives
5 tarragon sprigs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
80ml dry white wine or fino sherry
1 tsp white wine vinegar
100g blackberries

Method

Heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4 and put a large frying pan over a high heat. Season the chicken thighs and put them skin-side down in the pan (they will release enough fat to not need any oil). Cook for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.
In the meantime, toss the courgettes, fennel, garlic, olives and 3 tarragon sprigs in the oil with the sugar and some salt and pepper, then arrange in a large oven tray. Add the chicken on top and pour over the chicken fat juices from the pan too. Pour over the wine/sherry and vinegar, then cook in the oven for 35 minutes.
Add the blackberries to the tray and return to the oven for a final 10 minutes. Chop the remaining tarragon leaves. When ready, divide between bowls, sprinkle with chopped tarragon and serve.

Recipe from August 2025 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 408kcals
Fat: 21g (4.3g saturated)
Protein: 43g
Carbohydrates: 5.6g (4.9g sugars)
Fibre: 2.6g
Salt: 1g

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