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Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Name: Greek Lemon Chicken & Potatoes
Yield: 4–6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 6 chicken Marylands, skin-on and bone-in; ¼ cup Greek yoghurt; 2 tablespoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons (40 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, gluten-free; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 900 g–1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ½ cup water

12 hours ago

3 min read

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes (Κοτόπουλο λεμονάτο με πατάτες στον φούρνο) is a classic Greek oven-baked dish, naturally gluten-free and made with tender chicken, golden potatoes, lemon, garlic, and oregano. Everything roasts together in one dish, creating juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken, soft, flavourful potatoes, and delicious lemony pan juices. Greek home cooking at its best!

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes. Roasted chicken legs and potato wedges in a parchment-lined baking tray, sprinkled with herbs on a green table. — Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

About this Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

If there's one dish that belongs on every Greek family table, it's lemon chicken and potatoes, or kotopoulo lemonato me patates (κοτόπουλο λεμονάτο με πατάτες). It's the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table, with chicken and potatoes roasted together until tender and full of flavour.

In my version, the chicken is coated in a simple marinade of Greek yoghurt, lemon, garlic, Dijon mustard and oregano. The yoghurt helps keep the chicken juicy while the potatoes soak up all those beautiful lemony roasting juices. The secret is roasting everything covered first, allowing the chicken and potatoes to become wonderfully tender, before uncovering the dish for that final golden finish. It's uncomplicated, generous Greek home cooking, just as it should be.

Watch How to Make Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

https://youtu.be/KO5r32rXaeI

Helpful Tips

Choose bone-in chicken. Chicken Marylands work beautifully, but you can also use drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs (chicken cutlets). The bones add extra flavour to the pan juices and help keep the chicken tender and juicy. Cooking times may vary depending on the cuts used.
Don't skip the yoghurt marinade. It helps tenderise the chicken and keeps it moist while roasting.
Cover with damp baking paper. This helps trap moisture during cooking so the chicken becomes tender and the potatoes cook through without drying out.
Allow time for browning. Once the chicken and potatoes are tender, uncover the dish and return it to the oven for the final 15 minutes to develop a golden finish.
Keep those pan juices. The lemon, garlic, oregano and chicken juices create a beautiful sauce. Spoon it generously over everything when serving.

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes. Roasted chicken leg with potato wedges and arugula on a plate, a fork lifting a bite, on a rustic wooden table. — Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes served with Rocket Salad

What to Serve with Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Rocket Salad (Roka Salata)

Spanakopita Salad

Pesto Rice with Roasted Vegetables

Greek Cucumber and Feta Salad

Green Bean Salad with Olives and Feta

Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes roasted in a tray — Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

Greek Lemon Chicken & Potatoes

Serves: 4–6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Recipe Category: Main Dishes, Chicken

Recipe Cuisine: Greek

INGREDIENTS

Chicken

6 chicken Marylands, skin-on and bone-in

¼ cup Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons (40 ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (40 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, gluten-free

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Potatoes

900 g–1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken Marylands in a large bowl. Add the Greek yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.

Using your hands, massage the marinade all over the chicken until each piece is well coated. Set aside while you prepare the potatoes.

2. Prepare the Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced / 220°C conventional. Line a large roasting dish with baking paper.

Add the potato wedges to the dish. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with oregano, and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pour in the water and toss everything together with your hands until the potatoes are evenly coated.

3. Add the Chicken

Arrange the marinated chicken Marylands amongst the potatoes, skin-side up.

Spoon any remaining marinade from the bowl over the chicken.

4. Cover and Roast

Scrunch a large sheet of baking paper under running water, then squeeze out the excess water. Open it out and place it directly over the chicken and potatoes, tucking it around the edges so the dish is well covered. Roast for 1½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are completely tender.

5. Uncover and Brown

Remove and discard the baking paper. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes, or until the chicken skin is beautifully golden.

6. Serve

Serve immediately, spooning plenty of the lemony roasting juices over the chicken and potatoes. Serve with Greek rocket salad, a Greek salad, or crusty bread for soaking up the pan juices.