Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

One tin, chicken thighs and potatoes roasted in lemon, garlic and oregano.

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time70 mins
Total Time1 hr 25 mins
YieldServes 4
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Before You Start

The potatoes are the reason to make this. They braise in lemony chicken juices for the first half, then crisp up once the liquid cooks off. Use far more lemon than feels sensible, because roasting knocks the sharpness right out of it.

Instructions

0 of 6 done

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in a jug.

  2. Toss the potato wedges in a large roasting tin with two thirds of the dressing, then pour the stock around them.

  3. Rub the rest of the dressing into the chicken thighs and sit them skin side up on top of the potatoes, spaced apart so they brown rather than steam.

  4. Roast uncovered for 40 minutes. The liquid keeps the potatoes soft while the skin starts to colour.

  5. Turn the potatoes over in the pan juices, then roast another 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid has mostly gone and the edges are crisp and dark in places.

  6. Rest for 10 minutes, scatter with parsley, and spoon the pan juices back over everything before serving.

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💡 Baker's tips

  • Use a tin big enough that nothing overlaps. Crowded chicken poaches in its own steam and the skin never crisps.
  • If the potatoes are tender but pale at the end, blast them under the grill for 4 minutes rather than roasting longer, which dries the chicken.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Add a handful of olives and some crumbled feta over the top for the last 10 minutes.
  • Swap potatoes for chunks of sweet potato and butternut, and cut the first roast by 10 minutes.

📦 Storing & freezing

Refrigerate for 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven rather than the microwave, which turns the skin rubbery. It doesn't freeze especially well.

❓ Frequently asked

How many grams is a cup of lemon juice?

About 240 g per US cup, so the ½ cup here is roughly 120 g, which is 2 to 3 large lemons squeezed.

Can I use chicken breast?

You can, but add it only for the last 25 minutes. A full 70 minutes turns breast meat dry and stringy, while thighs stay juicy throughout.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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