One-pan wonder

I do like a one-pan wonder. Does anyone else use this term to describe a meal that is all cooked in a baking pan in the oven? They are easy to assemble, the flavours meld really well, they take no effort to cook and they can come in endless varieties.

Tonight I took advantage of my pickings and made a chicken, fennel and lemon dish. It's totally from my head which can sometimes mean 'disaster imminent' but not on this occasion.

Chicken, fennel and lemon ( *from the garden)
olive oil
3 onions (or more shallots)
5 small potatoes
1.5 fennel* heads
5 boned chicken thighs, cut in half
fennel seeds
black pepper corns
chilli flakes
coriander seeds
3 small lemons*
a head of broccoli* cut up and steamed to accompany


Add the olive oil to the baking pan and heat in the oven. When warmed, add quartered onions and quartered potatoes and get baking. While cooking  prepare the fennel bulb by cutting into chunky slices and washing to remove any lurking dirt. Put in a bowl and add a little lemon juice over the fennel to stop it browning. Mix and add to the pan.

Smash up the seeds and pepper in a mortar and pestle to a textured rub, add the chilli flakes and mix. Pat onto the chicken thigh pieces.

Add the chicken pieces into the pan keeping all ingredients in one layer in the pan.  Cut the lemons into 8ths and squeeze over meat.  Tuck in the pieces of lemon close to the chicken.

This is pretty yummy.  Initially I was just going to make a lemony chicken dish but the lad's suggestion of adding fennel inspired the dry spice rub and  t'daaa!  I will make this again.


It somewhat borrows from my Roast chicken and lemon dish, but that is the beauty of a one-pan wonder isn't it?  Endless variation?

What's your one-pan wonder?