Cypriot Chicken and Potato Tray Bake (Kıbrıs Usulü Fırın Tavuk)

Heat the oven to 200 °C. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks, quarter the onions and cut the tomatoes into thick slices; lightly crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife.

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl, keeping the squeezed halves. Add the olive oil, dried thyme, cinnamon, salt and black pepper to the lemon juice and mix with a fork.

Spread the potatoes, onion and garlic in a deep baking tray of about 30x40 cm. Nestle the chicken thighs and drumsticks among them skin side down, and scatter the tomato slices and the squeezed lemon halves on top. Pour the spiced oil over everything and rub it into the chicken and potatoes with your hands.

Chef's tip: If you have time, leave the chicken in the spiced oil in the fridge overnight; the flavour gets deeper into the meat.

Pour 1 water glass (200 ml) of water in at the edge of the tray. Cover the tray tightly with aluminium foil and bake on the shelf just below the middle of the oven for 40 minutes.

Lift off the foil, turn the chicken pieces skin side up and spoon the juices in the tray over the chicken and potatoes. If the tray is starting to dry out, add the remaining half water glass (100 ml) of water. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken skin has browned and the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Chef's tip: Check doneness at the thickest thigh, close to the bone: when you pierce it with a knife, the juices should run clear, not pink. If you use a thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 75 °C.

Take the tray out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken and potatoes to plates, and spoon the thickened juices and softened onions from the bottom of the tray over them.