Chicken Traybake With Bitter Orange and Fennel

Name: Chicken Traybake With Bitter Orange and Fennel
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 large bulbs fennel (approx. 1kg/2 1/4lbs total, though less wouldn't matter); 100 millilitres cold-pressed rapeseed oil (or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on the chicken when cooking); 2 seville oranges (zested and juiced, or zest and juice of 1 eating orange and juice of 1 lemon, about 100ml /scant half cup of juice); 2 teaspoons Maldon sea salt flakes; 4 teaspoons fennel seeds; 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 12 chicken thighs with skin on and bone in (preferably organic)

Instructions

I don’t think I could say how often I’ve made this since settling into my new kitchen. Not that I’m ashamed of being repetitive — I find that comforting — but I’ve simply cooked it too often to count. This, as it cooks, fills your kitchen with its gentle anise and citrus scent, working as well in midwinter with in-season Seville oranges as it does in summer with eating oranges, their sweetness soured by lemon. I always get the chicken in its marinade a day ahead, but if you don’t have time, an hour would be fine (out of the fridge, but in a cool place) so long as you start off with good chicken. If you can afford good organic chicken, buy it. It is this chicken that provides a strong natural “gravy”, and the other reasons to do so are even more compelling.

Updated at: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:27:10 GMT