Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Name: Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 205 min
Ingredients: 1 kg (2¼ lb) potatoes, peeled (optional) and cut into wedges; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; ½ tsp sea salt flakes; 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock (can be substituted with water); 1 whole chicken (1.2–1.8 kg/2¾–4 lb), spatchcocked (see note 1 for using chicken pieces); 60 g (¼ cup) Greek yoghurt; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp freshly grated garlic; 2 tsp dried oregano; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 2 tsp sea salt flakes; ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper; Tzatziki or Greek yoghurt; Greek salad; Lemon wedges

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A Greek-style roast chicken with tender, flavour-soaked potatoes, all cooked together in one tray with a yoghurt, garlic, lemon and oregano marinade.

I roast a chicken around once a week, and this is one of my favourite recipes. I love Greek flavours at the best of times, but yoghurt in a marinade does something special in the oven. Mixed with garlic, lemon, oregano and paprika, it helps keep the chicken tender and juicy while the outside caramelises beautifully. And because the chicken roasts directly over the potatoes, all those juices end up exactly where you want them.

Finished chicken and potatoes in tray overhead shot — The potatoes cook directly underneath the chicken, soaking up all those beautiful juices as it roasts. They’re soft, creamy and full of flavour rather than crispy, which is exactly what we’re after here.

I almost always spatchcock (butterfly) a whole chicken now. It sounds far more technical than it actually is (a sharp pair of kitchen scissors is really all you need) and once you’ve done it a couple of times it becomes second nature. Here’s a video showing you exactly how I do it. The chicken cooks faster and more evenly, with more surface area exposed to the marinade, which means more colour and more flavour! If a whole roast chicken really isn’t your thing, I’ve also included details on how to use chicken pieces instead.

The potatoes underneath are worth mentioning because they are not crispy roast potatoes. They’re soft, creamy and deeply flavoured from the chicken juices, stock and marinade, and that is very much the point. I love serving the whole thing with tzatziki, Greek salad and lemon, on the weekend, when I’m prepared to make a bit more of an event for dinner. On a weeknight, plain Greek yoghurt and whatever salad or vegetables I have in the fridge is more than enough.

plated chicken Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes — Leftover chicken is brilliant shredded into warm pita bread with tzatziki, cucumber and a little salad the next day. One of my favourite things about roasting a whole chicken is getting another meal out of it!

It’s one of those dinners that feels a little restaurant-y without requiring restaurant-y effort. Chicken and potatoes cook in the same tray, the clean-up is minimal, everyone in my family eats it, and the leftover chicken is brilliant shredded into pita the next day. When a dinner manages all of that, I tend to hold on to it. 😂

One practical thing before you start: use a smaller chicken if you can, and give your oven a proper 20–30 minutes to preheat. Those two things make a bigger difference than you’d think. After that, there really isn’t much to it … I hope you enjoy this one – Greek vibes but without the Greek island (unfortunately!).

potatoes in tray ready to bake — Don’t worry if the potatoes overlap slightly in the tray. We’re not aiming for traditional crispy roast potatoes here – they’ll become soft and creamy as they cook in the chicken juices and stock.

spatchcocked chicken placed on top of potatoes — Spatchcocking (butterflying) the chicken helps it cook faster and more evenly, with more skin exposed to the heat. If you’ve never done it before, a sturdy pair of kitchen scissors makes the job much easier.

marinade ingredients added to jug ready to be mixed — The Greek yoghurt is the secret to this marinade. It helps tenderise the chicken and encourages beautiful caramelisation as it roasts. You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead if you want to get organised.

chicken marinated some of the marinade will leak onto potatoes — Be generous when coating the chicken, making sure to get the marinade underneath too. Don’t worry if some drips onto the potatoes – it all adds to the flavour of the pan juices as everything roasts.

what the chicken and potatoes look like once they are finished — Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving so the juices have time to settle. If you’d like a little extra colour on the potatoes, pop them under a hot grill (broiler) for 2–3 minutes while the chicken rests, keeping a close eye on them.

Finished chicken and potatoes in tray tighter crop — I love serving this with tzatziki, Greek salad and plenty of lemon wedges. For a simpler weeknight dinner, a dollop of plain Greek yoghurt and some salad leaves work just as well.

Do I need to spatchcock the chicken?

You don’t have to, but I really recommend it for this recipe. Spatchcocking (butterflying) helps the chicken cook faster and more evenly, and exposes more surface area to the marinade so you get better colour and caramelisation. If you’ve never done it before, it looks much more intimidating than it is – a sharp pair of kitchen scissors makes the job much easier.

What size chicken should I use?

A smaller chicken works best here – around 1.2–1.8 kg (2¾–4 lb). Larger chickens will take longer to cook and can make the timing with the potatoes less predictable.

Are the potatoes supposed to be crispy?

No – and that’s important! These aren’t classic crispy roast potatoes (but if you want those, you can find a fantastic recipe for them here). The potatoes in this recipe cook underneath the chicken in the stock, marinade and pan juices, so they become soft, creamy and really flavourful.

finished chicken and potatoes recipe in tray — The yoghurt marinade helps keep the chicken tender and juicy while the garlic, lemon, oregano and paprika create a beautifully caramelised outside. Give your oven a proper 20–30 minutes to preheat for the best results.

Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?

Yes. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh cutlets or drumsticks would suit the flavours really well. The cooking time will be shorter than for a whole spatchcocked chicken, so keep an eye on them (see note 1 for exact timings).

What can I serve with Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes?

Because the potatoes are already doing a lot of the heavy lifting, I usually add something fresh, cool or creamy on the side. My absolute favourite combo is tzatziki, Greek salad and lemon wedges, but there are loads of ways to make this work depending on what you have.

Greek Salad – Tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives and feta are exactly what’s needed alongside the warm chicken and potatoes.
Mediterranean Village Salad – A great option if you want something a little more substantial or you’re serving this for guests.
Tzatziki – My first choice. The cool, creamy yoghurt against the hot chicken and potatoes is so good.
Plain Greek yoghurt – The easiest weeknight shortcut if you don’t feel like making tzatziki.
Cucumber and dill salad – Fresh, crunchy and particularly good if you want to keep everything light.
Simple green salad – Mixed leaves, cucumber and a lemony dressing are more than enough for an easy weeknight dinner.
Tomato and cucumber salad – Especially good in warmer weather, with a little red onion and fresh herbs.
Steamed or sauteed greens – Broccolini (tenderstem broccoli), green beans, asparagus, peas or spinach all work really well.
Warm pita or flatbreads – Great for scooping up the chicken, potatoes and yoghurt, or turning leftovers into wraps the next day.
Hummus or garlic yoghurt dip – Another easy creamy element if you want something different from tzatziki.
Feta and olives – Put chunks of feta and olives in bowls on the table and let everyone help themselves.
Lemon wedges – Don’t skip these. A squeeze over the chicken just before eating lifts the whole plate.
Rice – You don’t need it because there are already potatoes, but if you’re feeding a crowd or want to stretch the meal further, steamed rice or Greek Lemon Dill Rice works beautifully.

Can I cook two chickens at once?

Yes, but expect the cooking time to increase. If you’re using two trays, place one on the upper shelf and one on the lower shelf, then swap them halfway through cooking so they roast more evenly. Depending on the size of the chickens and your oven, allow roughly 15–20 minutes extra.

If you enjoyed Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, I think you’ll love:

Butterflied Portuguese Chicken Recipe – The chicken is coated in a delicious homemade marinade of garlic, lemon, paprika and herbs, then roasted until beautifully golden and juicy. Serve it with crispy oven fries and garlic sauce (toum) for an easy, flavour-packed fakeaway the whole family will love.

Roasted Chicken with Gravy Recipe – A classic chicken roast, made with the most delicious gravy. Just 10 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest of the work.

Easy One-pan Roast Chicken and Vegetables Recipe – The ultimate cosy, nourishing family meal, made with simple ingredients. Prep is quick and easy, then the oven does the hard work in cooking the beautifully seasoned chicken until tender and juicy.

Garlic Herb Butter Roast Turkey with Gravy (No Basting!) Recipe – The ultimate juicy roast turkey that’s truly foolproof – no basting, no complicated steps. It’s roasted low and slow over vegetables to create built-in pan drippings for a rich homemade gravy. Perfect for festive occasions.

Baked Dijon Chicken Recipe – Tender chicken thigh cutlets are baked in a creamy dijon mustard sauce in this one-pan wonder. Quick to prepare, versatile and packed with comforting flavours.