For an easy weeknight dinner packed with delicious flavor, try this one-pan Greek lemon chicken and potatoes recipe. This dish combines juicy bone-in chicken thighs with tender potatoes, all roasted in a zesty lemon sauce made from fresh lemons, olive oil, garlic, and Greek herbs. The marinated chicken soaks up all the citrusy goodness to create a juicy, flavorful, and irresistibly good meal!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
The chicken skin and russet potatoes crisp to a perfect golden brown as they bake. This is one of those chicken recipes that fills the kitchen with a fantastic aroma, getting your taste buds excited before the first bite. Whether you’re new to Greek cuisine or looking for a fresh go-to meal, this recipe is sure to become a staple in your kitchen.
Jump to:
Why we love it
- One-Pan Meal: The best part of this chicken dinner is that everything cooks in a single pan, making cleanup a breeze. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights! And if you love one-pan chicken dinners, you might also love this marry me chicken or ranch chicken and potato casserole.
- Easy Meal Prep: This family favorite features simple ingredients that deliver bold flavors everyone will love! Toss the chicken thighs and potato wedges in the marinade and roast them together in a roasting pan—it’s that easy!
- Perfect Mediterranean Main Dish: Paired with a traditional Greek salad, tzatziki sauce, or warm pita, this main course brings the authentic taste of the Mediterranean straight to your table!
Ingredients
Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Bone-in chicken thighs: Whole chicken thighs work best in this chicken recipe because they stay juicy and develop a lovely crust while baking. If you use boneless skinless thighs or breasts, they’ll take less time to cook, but you’ll miss that golden, crispy skin!
- Russet potatoes: Starchy russets bake up all nice and creamy and they crisp up nicely, but red potatoes or yellow potatoes (Yukon gold potatoes) are also great, or even baby potatoes. Even sweet potatoes are delicious with this Greek chicken dish.
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): EVOO is a classic, flavorful oil in Greek dishes. Avocado oil is milder but works, too. Avoid regular butter, which has a lower smoke point and burns quickly in the oven.
- Lemon juice: Always use fresh lemon juice in cooking and baking for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice tastes artificial and bitter. For a punchier lemon flavor, add lemon zest to the marinade.
- Chicken broth: Chicken stock amplifies the savory chicken flavor, but you can use vegetable stock instead.
- Garlic cloves: I prefer fresh garlic, but store-bought minced garlic or garlic powder work in a pinch. You can substitute the garlic cloves with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Dried herbs: I use dried oregano, rosemary, and thyme in my chicken marinade. If you have fresh herbs on hand, just triple the specified amount of dried to get the same level of flavor. (For example, use 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano instead of 2 teaspoons of dried oregano.)
- Paprika: I like the lemon and herbs to really shine here, so regular paprika works best. If you do want to introduce some smoky flavor, used smoked paprika. Or substitute it with a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes if you want some heat.
- Salt: Kosher salt and coarse sea salt are ideal for roasting savory dishes. If you use fine table salt, make sure you reduce the quantity to ¾ teaspoon.
- Black pepper: If you want to stick with the Mediterranean theme, choose Aleppo pepper. It has some heat and slightly fruity, smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with Greek lemon chicken.
- Fresh oregano for garnish (optional): Freshly chopped oregano is the perfect garnish for Greek lemon chicken and potatoes! It’s a staple in Greek cooking and brings a brighter, more aromatic touch to the dish. If you don’t have fresh oregano, fresh parsley or sprigs of thyme would be tasty, too! Any oregano will be fine, but if you can find Greek oregano, all the better.
How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
- Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges, and pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
- Toss the chicken and potato wedges in the marinade and arrange them into a single layer in a large casserole dish or sheet pan.
- Cover the baking pan with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Seal it tightly.
- Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, remove the seal from the top of the potatoes and chicken, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter, spoon the lemony sauce over them, and garnish with fresh oregano and fresh lemon slices.
Top Tips
- Let the chicken marinate if you have time. For maximum flavor, let the bone-in chicken thighs sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes to soak up the herby lemon sauce.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Use paper towels to dry off the chicken thighs before tossing them in the marinade. This will help the marinade stick to the chicken skin better and promote browning in the oven.
- Slice the potatoes evenly. Try to use potatoes that are close in size and slice them into even wedges. That way, they’ll bake evenly.
- Add more seasonings to the marinade. Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, or red pepper flakes are good flavor options.
- Tightly seal the top of the baking dish. Covering the top of the baking dish for the first 45 minutes prevents all the juices from evaporating, so the chicken stays moist. It’s important to use parchment paper, then aluminum foil. The acid in lemon juice reacts with aluminum pans or foil, causing the foil to release small amounts of metal into the food.
- Uncover the dish for the last 15 minutes. Baking Greek lemon chicken and potatoes uncovered at the end of the cooking time ensures they develop a crispy, golden-brown crust.
- Spoon the juices over the top of the chicken and potatoes. Baste the finished dish with the leftover sauce to keep the chicken juicy and flavorful.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating. Reheat leftovers in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes to keep the chicken skin crispy and the potatoes from getting soggy.
- Freezing. Place the cooled chicken and potatoes in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For the best results, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 375F oven until warmed through. Note that the potatoes may soften slightly after freezing.
FAQs
Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs stay super moist while baking, and their skin crisps up beautifully in the oven. But boneless chicken breasts, skin-on chicken breasts, or boneless skinless chicken thighs will work, too. However, remember that boneless chicken pieces will require a shorter cooking time than bone-in.
Chicken thighs are cooked through when the internal temperature of the chicken measures 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Yes! You can prep the marinated chicken and potato wedges up to 24 hours in advance. Store them in the fridge. When ready to cook, let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking to ensure even cooking.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
This one-pan Greek lemon chicken and potatoes recipe combines juicy bone-in chicken thighs with tender potatoes, all roasted in a zesty lemony sauce. The chicken and potatoes soak up all the citrusy goodness to create a juicy, flavorful, and irresistibly good meal!
Print Pin Rate Save RecipePrevent your screen from going dark
Servings: 8
Calories: 470kcal
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°
Peel and cut potatoes into quarters, then into wedges.
Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, chicken broth, garlic, dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat them in the marinade. In a 9×13″ baking dish, place the pieces, skin side up, in a single layer.
Add the potato wedges to the bowl and toss to coat them in the marinade. Place the potato slices in the baking pan around the chicken thighs.
Cover the dish with parchment paper, then with aluminum foil and seal tightly.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and parchment and bake for a further 15 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are browned and crisp.
To serve, transfer the chicken and potatoes to a serving platter. Spoon the pan juices over them and sprinkle with fresh oregano.
Notes
- Let the chicken marinate if you have time. For maximum flavor, let the bone-in chicken thighs sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes to soak up the herby lemon sauce.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Use paper towels to dry off the chicken thighs before tossing them in the marinade. This will help the marinade stick to the chicken skin better and promote browning in the oven.
- Slice the potatoes evenly. Try to use potatoes that are close in size and slice them into even wedges. That way, they’ll bake evenly.
- Add more seasonings to the marinade. Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, or red pepper flakes are good flavor options.
- Tightly seal the top of the baking dish. Covering the top of the baking dish for the first 45 minutes prevents all the juices from evaporating, so the chicken stays moist. It’s important to use parchment paper, then aluminum foil. The acid in lemon juice reacts with aluminum pans or foil, causing the foil to release small amounts of metal into the food.
- Uncover the dish for the last 15 minutes. Baking Greek lemon chicken and potatoes uncovered at the end of the cooking time ensures they develop a crispy, golden-brown crust.
- Spoon the juices over the top of the chicken and potatoes. Baste the finished dish with the leftover sauce to keep the chicken juicy and flavorful.
- Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating. Reheat leftovers in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes to keep the chicken skin crispy and the potatoes from getting soggy.
- Freezing. Place the cooled chicken and potatoes in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For the best results, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat in a 375F oven until warmed through. Note that the potatoes may soften slightly after freezing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 785mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg