A note from Sophie
A delicious and aromatic homemade chicken biryani made with basmati rice, fresh spices, and tender chicken. Perfect for family lunch or dinner.
Main Course
Updated 26 May 2026 · 4 min read
Tender beef cooked in a rich
A delicious and aromatic homemade chicken biryani made with basmati rice, fresh spices, and tender chicken. Perfect for family lunch or dinner.
tonight's dinner — sorted
35 min
total time
kid-tested
4.9 / 5
The recipe card
Tender beef cooked in a rich
Servings
1
Ingredients
For the traybake
4
boneless chicken thighs
— or 2 chicken breasts, halved
2
medium sweet potatoes
— cut into 2 cm chunks
1
unwaxed lemon
— half sliced, half juiced
3
tbsp
olive oil
2
cloves
garlic
— finely grated
To finish
handful
fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
— optional
crumbled feta or grated cheddar
— optional
Instructions
1
Heat the oven & prep
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Tip the sweet potato chunks into a roomy roasting tin, drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil, season with a pinch of salt and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes while you prep the chicken.
Top Tip →
Cut your sweet potato chunks the same size — chunky chips, not coins — so everything cooks evenly.
2
Add the chicken & lemon
In a small bowl, mix the remaining oil with the lemon juice, grated garlic and a pinch of salt. Tuck the chicken thighs and lemon slices in between the sweet potato. Drizzle the lemony oil all over.
Top Tip →
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper first — that’s what gives you golden, glossy skin instead of a steamed grey thigh.
3
Roast & rest
Slide back into the oven for 22–25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear) and the sweet potato is tender at the edges and a little caramelised. Scatter with herbs and feta if using, then rest for 3 minutes before serving with greens.
Top Tip →
Spoon the lemony pan juices over each plate at the end — that’s the bit kids ask for more of.
412
Calories
28g
Protein
32g
Carbs
5g
Fibre
18g
Fat
0.6g
Salt
Notes, swaps & little tweaks
Make it for fussier eaters
Skip the lemon slices and serve the juice on the side. Swap herbs for a sprinkle of cheddar — works every single time.
Freezer & batch notes
Roast a double batch and freeze portions in lidded containers for up to 2 months. Reheat covered at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Allergen-friendly swaps
Naturally gluten-free. For dairy-free, skip the feta. For nut allergies, no swaps needed — this is already nut-free.
What parents are saying
4.9 out of 5 — from 312 parent reviews.
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“Both kids ate it without a single negotiation. That has literally never happened with chicken before.”
“Made it on a Tuesday after work, ten minutes hands-on tops. The lemon-garlic juice is the chef's kiss.”