This tray bake lemon mustard chicken combines boneless chicken thighs, potatoes and zucchini with a lemony Dijon mustard marinade. It's mostly hands-off once it goes into the oven and works well for both a weeknight dinner and meal prep because chicken thighs stay tender after reheating.
Mustard is probably close to one of my most used condiments in the fridge. At any one time, there's numerous different types. The Dijon and wholegrain combination in my lemon mustard sauce is the one I keep coming back to when I want something savoury and sharp rather than sweet (although if you prefer the sweet, take a look at my honey mustard dressing)
This dish takes that sauce and turns it into a full tray bake. The only extra step stopping it from being a true one pan is parboiling the potatoes, and I keep it because it fixes one of my biggest tray-bake complaints: chicken that's ready while the potatoes are still borderline raw. I've tested enough meal preps to know that one-pan is only useful if everything is actually cooked properly at the end.
TL:DR
- Servings: 5
- Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes
- Meal prep: Chicken thighs stay more forgiving in the longer cook with the potatoes and the lemon mustard sauce keeps it moist.
- Fridge storage: 3-4 days in an airtight container
- Freezer storage: Freeze chicken (cooked or uncooked and marinated). Don't recommend freezing potatoes.
- Reheating: Microwave for convenience, or use the air fryer, stovetop or oven if you want to bring some texture back to the potatoes and chicken.
- Customise: Swap the vegetables, adjust the mustard ratio or mustard type for different vibes.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
Mostly one pan. Other than parboiling the potatoes, everything cooks together on one tray.
Tray bake. If low-clean-up dinners are your thing, my one pan chicken fajitas use the same hands-off approach.
Flexible vegetables. Carrots, green beans, peas and other roasting vegetables can be swapped in depending on what needs using.
Savoury mustard sauce. This is less sweet and more punchy than my baked honey mustard chicken and potatoes.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs. I use boneless, skinless thighs because they are more forgiving than chicken breast during the longer cook needed for the potatoes and they retain moisture better after reheating.
Dijon mustard. Dijon gives the sauce its smooth, sharp mustard base without the stronger bite you would get from English mustard.
Wholegrain mustard. Wholegrain adds texture and a slightly different mustard flavour, which is why I prefer combining it with Dijon rather than using only one type.
Lemon. Fresh lemon provides both acidity and the lighter flavour I associate with this style of summer meal prep; I prefer fresh over bottled when lemon is one of the main flavours.
All-rounder potatoes. An all-purpose potato is a good middle ground for tray bakes because it holds together after parboiling while still developing a soft centre and roasted edges.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken breast. Chicken breast can be used, but it is less forgiving over a 45-minute bake. I do use this in my honey mustard chicken bake and I keep them whole so they don't overcook too quickly. Start with the 45 minutes, but rely on the internal temperature of the breast rather than the time.
Bone-in chicken thighs. These also work but will generally need longer in the oven, so rely on internal temperature rather than the stated cooking time.
Extra vegetables. Carrots, corn cobs, even broccoli and cauliflower (although they may go a bit soft) can go in from the beginning, while quicker-cooking vegetables such as peas and green beans are better added closer to the end so they don't overcook.
Different mustard. Extra Dijon can replace wholegrain mustard if needed. Mild English mustard can be used for part of the Dijon if you want more bite, similar to the flavour direction in my slow cooker honey mustard chicken.
How to make lemon mustard chicken bake
Step 1. Mix the Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, lemon, garlic and dried oregano until combined.
Step 2. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and turn until well coated, then marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Even a short marinating time gives the lemon, mustard, garlic and oregano a chance to coat the chicken properly rather than simply sitting on top during baking.
Step 3. Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces and place them in a saucepan of cold salted water. Starting in cold water lets the potatoes heat more evenly, reducing the chance that the outside softens before the centre has started cooking.
Bring the water up until it begins to bubble, then drain the potatoes well. They don't need to be fully cooked at this stage; the goal is simply to give them a head start before they go into the oven.
Step 4. Add the parboiled potatoes and zucchini to a large baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with oregano, salt and pepper.
Avoid piling the vegetables on top of each other. If the tray is crowded, use two trays so the vegetables have room to roast rather than trapping steam.
Step 5. Place the marinated chicken thighs over and around the vegetables and pour all of the lemon mustard marinade from the bowl over the chicken.
Keep the chicken spread across the tray rather than overlapping the pieces so they cook evenly.
Step 6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the chicken thighs reach at least 75°C / 165°F in the thickest part and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a skewer.
If the potatoes need more colour once the chicken is cooked, remove the chicken and return the vegetables to the oven for another 5-10 minutes rather than continuing to cook the chicken unnecessarily.
Lauren's Top Tips
Parboil the potatoes. It is an extra saucepan, but it means the potatoes and chicken are much more likely to finish at the same time.
Give everything space. If the vegetables are piled up, use two trays; crowded zucchini and potatoes release moisture and steam rather than roast.
Meal Prepping lemon mustard chicken bake
This lemon mustard chicken works well as meal prep because you've already got chicken thighs for the protein component, potatoes for the carbohydrate base and zucchini for vegetables.
The lemon mustard sauce coating the chicken helps to keep them moist - although it does soften the vegetables slightly (but I've given you some tips on reheating to bring back a bit of the texture).
Storing
Allow the lemon mustard chicken, potatoes and zucchini to cool before transferring them to airtight meal-prep containers (no more than 2 hours at room temperature). Store refrigerated for up to 3-4 days in airtight containers.
The sauce will look thicker once cold because it has chilled and settled around the chicken and vegetables. It loosens again during reheating, so don't add too much extra liquid before heating.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
If you're meal prepping several portions, a little fresh lemon mustard sauce added after reheating can bring the whole meal back to life.
Reheating
For the microwave, add a very small splash of water or olive oil if the mustard sauce looks dry or very thick. Microwave for approximately 2-3 minutes, checking and turning the chicken halfway through, until everything is steaming hot.
Use liquid sparingly at first. The sauce will naturally loosen once warm, and adding too much water before reheating can leave you with soggy potatoes and zucchini.
For more texture, reheat the chicken and potatoes in the air fryer at around 180°C / 350°F for approximately 5-8 minutes, checking regularly. The stovetop also works: add the chicken and vegetables to a pan over medium heat and warm for around 5 minutes, turning regularly.
For several portions at once, cover loosely and reheat in a 180°C / 350°F oven for around 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Add a small amount of extra sauce or water before covering if the chicken looks dry.
Freezing
I don't recommend freezing the potatoes in this recipe because their texture changes too much for my liking once frozen, thawed and reheated. If you don't mind softer potatoes, you can test a portion and decide whether the convenience is worth the texture change for you.
The cooked lemon mustard chicken can be frozen with suitable vegetables for up to 3 months. Add a little extra sauce before freezing so there is enough moisture around the chicken when it reheats, then thaw overnight in the fridge before heating until steaming hot.
You can also freeze the raw chicken in the lemon mustard marinade. Add the chicken and marinade to a freezer-safe bag or container, freeze promptly, then thaw it in the fridge before cooking with freshly prepared potatoes and zucchini.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Potatoes usually take longer to cook than boneless chicken thighs, especially when cut into larger pieces. Parboiling gives them a head start so they can become tender without leaving the chicken in the oven long enough to dry out.
Zucchini and chicken both release liquid as they cook, and a crowded tray traps that moisture. Spread everything in a single layer and use two trays if necessary so the vegetables can roast instead of steam.
The sauce becomes thicker once chilled and also absorbs into the chicken and potatoes while stored. Reheating usually loosens it again, but a small splash of water or olive oil can help if it still looks too thick.
Other chicken thigh recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my chicken thigh recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Lemon Mustard Chicken Bake with Potatoes
Save Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemon mustard sauce
- ¼ cup dijon mustard, see note 1
- ¼ cup wholegrain mustard, see note 1
- 1 lemon juice, approx.3tablespoon
- 2 cloves garlic, fresh recommended
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
Chicken bake
- 800 g (1 ¾ lb) boneless chicken thigh, approx. 5 large
- 6 potatoes, all-rounder, small
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preparing
- Mince 2 cloves garlic then mix with the ¼ cup dijon mustard, ¼ cup wholegrain mustard, 1 lemon juice2 tbsp dried oregano until combined.
- Add the 800 g (1 ¾ lb) boneless chicken thigh to the marinate and turn until completely coated in the lemon mustard marinade. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Cut the 6 potatoes into evenly sized pieces (approx. 1inch cubes). Place in a saucepan of cold salted water so the potatoes heat evenly as the water comes to temperature.
- Bring the saucepan of potatoes to the point where the water begins to bubble, then drain well. Note - The potatoes should only be partially cooked at this stage; parboiling gives them a head start so they finish cooking at the same time as the chicken.
- Cut the 2 zucchinis into evenly sized pieces and set aside.
Cooking
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Add the potatoes and zucchini to a large baking tray in a single layer. Drizzle with the 1 tbsp olive oil, then season with the 1 tbsp oregano and Salt and pepper.Note - if overcrowded, consider using 2 trays so the veggies roast instead of steam.
- Arrange the marinated chicken thighs over and around the vegetables without overlapping. Pour the remaining lemon mustard marinade from the bowl over the chicken.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches at least 75°C / 165°F in the thickest part and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a skewer.Note - If the chicken is cooked but the potatoes need more colour, remove the chicken and return the vegetables to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.
Leave a Reply