5-a-day chicken with kale and pistachio pesto

Name: 5-a-day chicken with kale and pistachio pesto
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 3-4
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: olive oil; 500g butternut squash peeled and cut into thin slices (keep the seeds if you like and toast them on a separate tray to scatter over the finished dish); 200g shallots peeled and halved; 300g leeks use baby leeks or cut large ones into lengths and halve them; 300g carrots use baby ones or cut them into long batons; 400g fennel cut into long wedges; 1 garlic bulb halved through the middle; 3-4 large or 6-8 small chicken thighs (depending on whether you’re serving 3 or 4), skin patted dry; 200g chopped kale woody stalks removed; 1 garlic clove crushed; 2 tbsp pistachio kernels; 2 tbsp grated parmesan; 1/2 lemon juiced; 60ml olive oil

4.00 (10)

⏱ 65 mins 🍽 Serves 3-4 🌶 italian ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This Italian-inspired traybake is a complete meal that cleverly incorporates your five daily portions of fruit and vegetables. Chicken thighs are roasted atop a colourful medley of butternut squash, shallots, leeks, carrots and fennel until golden. The dish is finished with a fresh, homemade pesto made from kale, pistachios, parmesan and lemon. It serves three to four people and is ready in just over an hour.

Ingredients

olive oil
500g butternut squash peeled and cut into thin slices (keep the seeds if you like and toast them on a separate tray to scatter over the finished dish)
200g shallots peeled and halved
300g leeks use baby leeks or cut large ones into lengths and halve them
300g carrots use baby ones or cut them into long batons
400g fennel cut into long wedges
1 garlic bulb halved through the middle
3-4 large or 6-8 small chicken thighs (depending on whether you’re serving 3 or 4), skin patted dry
200g chopped kale woody stalks removed
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tbsp pistachio kernels
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/2 lemon juiced
60ml olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place all the vegetables for the bake, except the garlic bulb, into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and use your hands to gently coat the vegetables. You may lightly oil the baking tray to prevent sticking.
Distribute the vegetables across the tray, either in piles or scattered. Position the halved garlic bulb and the chicken thighs on top of the vegetables. Season generously and bake for 40 mins. If the chicken skin is not browned, increase the oven temperature or use the grill setting until it colours nicely.
While the traybake cooks, prepare the pesto. Process the kale, crushed garlic clove and pistachio kernels in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the grated parmesan, lemon juice and 60ml olive oil, then process again. Loosen the mixture with a splash of water. Any leftover pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Serve the baked chicken and vegetables with the pesto spooned over.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories698 kcal

Fat40 g

Saturates9 g

Carbs34 g

Sugars18 g

Fibre16 g

Protein42 g

Sodium280 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryMain course

Cuisineitalian

DietGluten-free