Creamy French Chicken Tray Bake

Written By Kalpi Prasad

Tray bakes are the ultimate weeknight heroes — minimal prep, maximum flavour, and barely any dishes. This creamy French chicken tray bake transforms everyday ingredients into a comforting, restaurant-quality meal.

The secret? Browning the chicken in butter for depth of flavour, then baking everything together in a creamy French onion and Dijon mustard sauce that perfectly coats the golden roast potatoes.

Ingredients (10)

  • 600 g baby Carisma potatoes, quartered

  • 1 brown onion, cut into thick wedges

  • 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

  • 20 g Coles Simply Unsalted Butter

  • 4 (250 g each) small chicken breast fillets

  • 40 g pkt Coles Simply French Onion Soup Mix

  • 250 ml (1 cup) Coles thickened cream

  • 1 tbsp Coles Dijon mustard

  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked

  • 100 g green beans, thinly sliced and steamed

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Arrange potatoes and onion in a 25 x 35 cm baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, season, and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

Step 2
Meanwhile, heat butter and remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 2–3 minutes each side until browned. Transfer to a plate. Whisk soup mix, cream, mustard, and 80 ml (1/3 cup) water in a jug until smooth.

Step 3
Place chicken between potatoes and onions. Pour the creamy mixture over the top and sprinkle with thyme. Bake for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes tender. Serve topped with green beans.

Pro Tips

  • Use smaller chicken breasts for faster cooking.

  • Don’t skip browning — it adds richness to the dish.

  • Substitute French onion soup mix with 1 tsp onion powder + ½ tsp garlic powder if unavailable.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Energy: 2450 kJ (586 cal)

  • Protein: 41.3 g

  • Total Fat: 31.5 g

  • Saturated: 16.2 g

  • Carbohydrate: 34.8 g

  • Sodium: 680 mg

Kalpi Prasad
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