Name: Chicken Thighs with Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 6 pcs chicken thigh; 0.5 pcs lemon; 4 tbsp olive oil; 500 g potato; 1 pcs onion; 0.5 pcs green zucchini; 6 cloves garlic clove; 250 g cherry tomato; 0.5 package baby spinach; 0.5 bunch fresh basil

UntrainedChef

Tips from the kitchen

Pat the chicken thighs as dry as you can before marinating. Wet skin steams instead of crisping, and you lose that golden colour you want after 20 minutes in the oven.
Slice the potatoes thin, around 3-4mm. Thick slices won't cook through in the time the chicken needs, and you'll end up with crunchy potatoes under perfectly cooked chicken.
The garlic cloves go in whole and uncut. They soften and turn almost sweet by the time everything is done. Don't chop them or they'll burn.
Wait until the last few minutes to add the spinach and basil, not during the tomato stage. The residual heat from the pan wilts the spinach just enough without turning it to mush.
Check the chicken is done by cutting into the thickest piece near the bone. The juices should run clear and the meat shouldn't look pink. If you have a thermometer, 74°C at the bone is what you're after.

Ways to vary it

Swap the zucchini for a handful of sliced bell pepper if that's what you have. It softens at the same rate and works well with the tomatoes.
If you want a bit more acidity, squeeze the other lemon half over the whole dish right before serving. The base recipe is balanced without it, but it's a nice option in summer.
You can use bone-in chicken breasts instead of thighs, but add about 10 minutes to the cooking time and check carefully, as they dry out faster.

Storage & leftovers

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. This dish doesn't freeze brilliantly because the potatoes go grainy, so better to just eat it up. To reheat, put it in a covered dish in the oven at 160°C for about 15 minutes rather than microwaving, which makes the chicken rubbery.

What to serve with it

A chunk of crusty bread to mop up the tomato juices is all you need. A simple green salad on the side works if you want to stretch it a little further.

By Untrained ChefPublished 24 June 2026