A comforting Cypriot family recipe received the one-pan treatment on Weekend Sunrise, with home cook and food stylist Nikoletta Nicolaou sharing her lemon chicken bake. Influenced by the dishes she grew up eating from her yiayia and mum, Nicolaou combines chicken, potatoes, onions and warming spices in a simple tray bake designed to deliver maximum flavour with minimal washing up. Served alongside a fresh Cypriot cabbage salad, it is an easy winter meal packed with Mediterranean flavours.
Kotopoulo Ttava – Cypriot One-Tray Chicken Bake (Κοτόπουλο Τταβάς)
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 800 g potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 onions, peeled and quartered
- 8 whole garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 200 ml stock or 2 teaspoons Vegeta with water
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan.
- In a large baking dish, mix the tomato paste, olive oil, cumin, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to form a marinade.
- Add the chicken, potatoes, onions, and garlic, tossing well to coat. Arrange chicken skin-side down.
- Pour in the stock. Squeeze the lemon over the tray, then nestle the lemon halves in the centre, cut side up.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove the foil, flip the chicken skin-side up, and baste everything with the juices. Bake uncovered for another 45-60 minutes, basting once more halfway, until the chicken skin is crisp and the vegetables are golden and caramelised.
- Serve warm with Greek yoghurt and a crisp green salad.
Krambosalata – Cypriot Cabbage Salad (Κραμποσαλάτα)
Ingredients
- 300 g white cabbage, finely shredded with a mandoline or peeler
- 2 cucumbers, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- a handful of coriander, finely chopped or leaves picked
- 2 tablespoons pickled capers
- Dressing, to taste: Extra virgin olive oil, Fresh lemon juice, Sea salt
Method
- Combine the cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss gently.
- Add the coriander and capers.
- Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt in a small bowl or shake in a jar. Taste and adjust until balanced.
- Drizzle over the salad and toss gently so everything is coated and still crisp.
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