Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 715kcal
This Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes recipe is made with a whole chicken coated in a Greek yoghurt, garlic, lemon and oregano marinade, then roasted over potatoes that soak up all the pan juices as they cook. It’s a family-friendly one-tray dinner with minimal hands-on time, plenty of flavour and easy leftovers for wraps or lunches the next day.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 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)
Chicken
- 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
To serve
- Tzatziki or Greek yoghurt
- Greek salad
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced). This is important (see note 2).
- Prepare the potatoes – Add the potatoes to a large roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. It's fine if some of the potatoes overlap slightly. We're aiming for soft, creamy potatoes that soak up the chicken juices, with golden, caramelised edges, rather than a classic crispy roast potato.
- Add the chicken – Place the chicken directly on top of the potatoes, skin-side up.
- Prepare the marinade – Combine the yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in a jug. Mix well using a spoon to combine.
- Coat the chicken – Pour the marinade directly over the chicken. Use your hands to rub it all over, making sure the skin is evenly and generously coated. Rub a little underneath the chicken too. It's fine if some of the marinade drizzles onto the potatoes – it will add flavour to the pan juices as everything cooks.
- Start roasting – Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) and cook for a further 15 minutes.
- Add the stock – Pour the chicken stock or water into the base of the pan, avoiding the chicken. Gently scrape up any sticky bits from the base of the pan and toss the potatoes through the pan juices, leaving the chicken skin-side up.
- Continue roasting – Cook for a further 35–40 minutes, basting the potatoes once or twice with the pan juices, until the chicken is deeply golden and cooked through and the potatoes are tender with golden, caramelised tops.
- Rest – Transfer the chicken to a board and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Optional potato caramelisation – For extra colour and caramelisation, grill (broil) the potatoes on high for 2–3 minutes, watching closely, until the tops are browned in spots (see note 3). Toss through the pan juices before serving.
- Serve – Serve the chicken and potatoes with tzatziki, Greek salad and lemon wedges.
Notes
Note 1 – Using chicken pieces You can use 1.2–1.5 kg (2¾–4 lb) bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken. Thigh cutlets, drumsticks or a mixture work well. Arrange them skin-side up over the potatoes, then pour over the marinade and rub to coat as directed. Follow the same initial roasting temperatures and times, then add the chicken stock or water and continue roasting for another 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. If the potatoes aren’t quite soft yet in this cooking time, set the chicken aside to rest and cook the potatoes for 5–10 minutes longer, or until soft and cooked through with caramelised edges.
Note 2 – Oven preheating Give your oven a proper 20–30 minutes to preheat before the chicken goes in. Starting with a fully heated oven helps the chicken colour properly from the beginning and keeps the cooking time more reliable.
Note 3 – Potatoes These are not intended to be classic crispy roast potatoes. They cook underneath the chicken in the stock and pan juices, so they become soft, creamy and deeply flavoured. If you’d like a little more colour and caramelisation on the outside, finish them under the grill (broiler) for 2–3 minutes as directed in the method.
Prepare the potatoes – Peel and cut the potatoes up to 1 day ahead. Store submerged in cold water in the fridge, then drain and dry well before using.
Reheating – Reheat, covered, in a 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) oven for 15–20 minutes, or until hot throughout. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to the tray if needed to keep the potatoes from drying out. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Freezing – The cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the meat from the bone, place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze with a little of the pan juice if you have it. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Leftover idea – Shred the chicken and use it in pita or wraps with tzatziki or Greek yoghurt, salad and a squeeze of lemon.
Make Ahead
Marinate the chicken – Prepare the marinade and coat the chicken up to 24 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then remove from the fridge while the oven preheats.Prepare the potatoes – Peel and cut the potatoes up to 1 day ahead. Store submerged in cold water in the fridge, then drain and dry well before using.
Leftovers
Chicken and potatoes – Store together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.Reheating – Reheat, covered, in a 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) oven for 15–20 minutes, or until hot throughout. Add a splash of chicken stock or water to the tray if needed to keep the potatoes from drying out. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Freezing – The cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the meat from the bone, place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze with a little of the pan juice if you have it. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Leftover idea – Shred the chicken and use it in pita or wraps with tzatziki or Greek yoghurt, salad and a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe source
A Simple Home Edit original recipeNutrition Facts
Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Serving Size
553 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
715
% Daily Value*
Fat
33
g
51
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
20
g
Cholesterol
338
mg
113
%
Sodium
2432
mg
106
%
Potassium
1789
mg
51
%
Carbohydrates
34
g
11
%
Fiber
9
g
38
%
Sugar
10
g
11
%
Protein
65
g
130
%
Calcium
123
mg
12
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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