We have all had those chaotic weeknights where dinner needs to happen, but you have zero time to stand over the stove. As a busy mum, my favorite solution is a traybake.

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This recipe uses a quick supermarket shortcut, a pre-marinated butterfly chicken, alongside whole sweet potatoes and potato rounds. Everything goes onto one tray, at the exact same time, for a complete family meal with minimal cleanup.

Baking at 200C for 1.5 Hours: The Reality Check

I roasted this entire tray at 200°C (400°F) for 1.5 hours.

If you look closely at the photo, the outside edges look incredibly dark. When you pull a tray like this out of your oven, don’t panic! Because the chicken marinade includes honey, that high heat causes intense browning on the skin.

It is not ruined or burnt, it is deeply caramelized. That crisp exterior locks in all the juices, making the chicken incredibly tender while the sweet potatoes cook down until they are soft enough to eat with a spoon. If you prefer your vegetables less brown I give tips on how to achieve that. This time I was very short on time..

Easy Butterflied Chicken Traybake Recipe

Ingredients

1 Pack Waitoa Free Range Manuka Honey & Rosemary Butterflied Chicken
2 Large Sweet Potatoes (Kumara), washed
2 White Potatoes, washed and cut into thick rounds
Optional: 1-2 tbsp avocado oil & salt. A few fresh herbs on top, I used thyme.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Arrange the Tray: Place your butterflied chicken right in the center of the tray. Place your whole sweet potatoes and white potato slices all around it.
The Survival Roast: Put the tray straight into the oven. Leave it completely alone to bake for 1.5 hours.
Serve: Carve up the chicken, slice open the steaming sweet potatoes, and serve immediately. Add gravy if you like, I personally love gravy and will pour half a packet on my roast at a time. 😀

Simple Marinades for Plain Butterfly Chicken

If you cannot find the pre-marinated Waitoa chicken at your local Woolworths NZ, you can buy a plain butterflied chicken and brush on a quick homemade glaze before cooking:

Honey Rosemary: Whisk 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and fresh chopped rosemary leaves.
Honey Mustard: Mix 2 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp whole grain mustard and a quick splash of apple cider vinegar.
Maple Smoked Paprika: Blend 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 tsp smoked paprika, a pinch of salt, and a splash of oil.

How to Keep the Vegetables from Getting Overcooked

If you have a bit of extra time and want a cleaner, lighter golden look for your vegetables, make these two quick changes next time:

Coat the Veggies: Before adding them to the tray, lightly toss your potatoes and sweet potatoes in a splash of avocado oil and salt. Avocado oil is perfect here because it safely handles high-heat roasting at 200°C.
Stagger Your Cooking Times: Put the chicken in the oven by itself first. Wait until the 1-hour mark to add your oiled vegetables to the tray. Letting them roast for just the final 30 minutes keeps them bright, tender, and perfectly golden.

If you are too busy for extra steps, just throw it all in together from the start. It still tastes amazing, feeds the family clean ingredients, and keeps your sanity intact!