Easy Greek Chicken And Potatoes

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Greek chicken and potatoes is the best crowd pleasing Greek chicken recipe! Just throw chicken thighs and potatoes into a pan, pour over a lemon, olive oil and oregano marinade, and bake. Made with just 6 ingredients, it’s perfect for a midweek meal, but impressive enough for guests. Don’t forget a Greek salad on the side!

One pan roasted Greek chicken and potatoes with a Greek salad in the background

Why you’ll love it

Transport yourself to sunny Greece! One of the fastest ways to imagine yourself eating in Greece in a cute taverna with blue wooden chairs is to make this easy Greek chicken and potatoes.

It’s one of the simplest every day meals in Greece. If you’d grown up there, something like this would have appeared on the dinner table regularly (along with this similar Greek biftekia and potatoes!).

But while this is an authentic Greek recipe (which is what you can proudly tell your friends when they’re tucking into it!), It doesn’t have a fancy name. It’s just called roasted Greek chicken and potatoes!

In Greek it’s called ‘kotopoulo me patatas’ or Κοτόπουλο με Πατάτες in case you want to impress your friends!

You could say it’s the Greek aunt of this simple stove top chicken and rice.

This is one of the many reasons I love Greek food so much. It often doesn’t sound (or even look) anything special, but one bite and you’ll be blown away…

  • You only need about 10 minutes hands on time to make it.
  • It’s a 6-ingredient recipe made with everyday ingredients. Buy some chicken thighs and a lemon and you probably have everything else already.
  • It’s a crowd pleaser. Who wouldn’t enjoy juicy chicken thighs marinated in lemon and simple Greek flavours with yummy crispy potatoes? Even the pickiest eaters will love it.
  • It’s easy – but it’s impressive! Serve it as a super easy midweek meal for your family, or for guests with a Greek salad, crusty fresh bread and tzatziki sauce. It’ll look like a Greek feast!
  • You can prepare the potatoes and marinade ahead. All you have to do when you’re ready to eat is pop the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, nestle in the chicken, then pour over the marinade and bake.

Ingredients

This is all you need (I told you it was easy):

  • potatoes roughly sliced into chunky wedges: Leave the skins on, or peel them – your choice.
  • skinless boneless chicken thighs

For the Greek chicken marinade:

  • the juice and zest of a lemon
  • lots of olive oil (but it doesn’t taste oily)
  • dried oregano

And finally:

  • plenty of salt & pepper

Yep, just 6 ingredients!

Pro tip: Grind more salt over this dish than you would usually. Just trust me on this one!

How do you make Greek chicken and potatoes?

You only need to follow 5 simple steps to get this on your dinner table in about an hour (with only about 10 minutes hands-on time!)

A collage of 6 photos showing how to make roasted Greek chicken and potatoes

Step 1: Toss some potato wedges in olive oil, then roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. To give them a head start! (Photo 1)

Step 2: Make the easy Greek marinade. (Photo 2)

Step 3: Nestle chicken thighs in among the part cooked potatoes (Photo 3), then drizzle over the marinade. Mostly over the chicken, but it doesn’t matter if some goes over the potatoes too. (Photo 4)

Step 4: Drizzle the whole dish with the delicious Greek chicken marinade. (Photo 4)

Step 5: Tuck the used lemon halves into the pan as well, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes. (Photos 5 and 6)

Note about the marinade: As you make the marinade, you might be thinking it’s a lot of oil to use.

But again, trust me. As the chicken cooks, the juices run into the marinade and create the most delicious lemon oregano ‘sauce’ to mop up with your bread.

The oven does most of the work. And that’s where the magic happens. While the dish is baking, the juices from the chicken mix with the marinade to make the most incredible ‘sauce’. They also run into the potatoes and make them perfectly tasty, tender, and crispy.

What to serve with this meal

The best way to serve this amazing Greek lemon chicken dinner is with:

  • tsatziki sauce (or just Greek yogurt if you like – that’s what I usually serve!)

Don’t skip these amazing Greek side dishes. They turn a good meal into a fantastic meal – one you can just as equally enjoy as an easy midweek meal, or as a delicious Mediterranean feast to serve to guests.

On that note, if you’re having a Greek dinner party, check out this list of 15 easy Greek appetizers. You’re bound to find something you like there!

Someone eating Greek roast chicken and potatoes with a side of Greek salad

Make sure you have a bit of everything on your fork, including some feta from the salad and a bit of Greek yogurt or tzatziki. Then close your eyes and imagine yourself at a taverna at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens.

Helen’s top tips

  • After you’ve made this Greek chicken and lemon potatoes a couple of times, you could probably make it without the recipe. Have you added a little more or less of each ingredient? No problem!
  • You will find that the potatoes are half crispy and half soaked in the delicious lemon oregano ‘sauce’. This is exactly how they are supposed to be. Enjoy!
  • If you find your potatoes stick to the pan a bit (or a lot), no problem! In fact, all the better. Scrape up all those delicious crispy bits and the person who gets them will be one very happy diner!

Recipe FAQs

What kind of potatoes should I use for Greek chicken and potatoes?

Honestly? It really doesn’t matter. I’ve used every kind of potato imaginable, and they all work well. The best thing about this dish is that it’s super super easy. Which means you use whatever you already have or like!

What can I use instead of dried oregano?

Run out of oregano, or running short? No problem! You can use thyme, basil or marjoram instead. For more options, check out this list of 20 oregano substitutes.

What’s the best baking dish to use?

To be honest, I’ve used so many different kinds of dishes for this! The main thing is that you don’t want the chicken and potatoes to be too crowded. I find that the best size dish is a 9 x 11 inch baking dish or equivalent.

If you want to serve more people, simply double the ingredients and use either a huge baking dish or two dishes if you prefer.

Can I use bone in skin on chicken thighs instead?

Yes, actually you can! I usually use boneless chicken thighs but I find them easier to eat. But if you use bone in skin on thighs arguably your meal will be even more juicy and delicious!

The cooking time should be the same. Just check with a meat thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh that the temperature is at least 165F.

Can I prepare this meal ahead?

Absolutely! What I usually do is prepare the marinade and pop it in the fridge until I want to use it. Then I prepare the potatoes, put them in the baking dish and keep that covered in the fridge too.

Then all I have to do to finish off this amazing meal is pre-cook the potatoes, then tuck the chicken in with the potatoes, then pour the marinade over and roast!

This is what makes this such a great meal for entertaining!

How long does it keep in the fridge?

Another great thing about this meal is that it keeps really well once it’s cooked. It will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. When you want to eat the leftovers, just reheat as described below! All you’ll have to do is make a fresh Greek salad!

Can I reheat the leftovers?

Surprisingly… yes! I usually just reheat the Greek potatoes and chicken slowly (on 50% power) in the microwave. There are fewer crispy bits, but it’s more intensely flavoured by the marinade by the second day.

FORGET THE CHICKEN, JUST FEED ME POTATOES! If you just need a potato side dish that’s easy but a little bit different, try these amazing crispy Greek potatoes. They truly are the best! Serve with chicken, fish, steak, anything…

A plate of Greek roasted chicken & potatoes with a Greek salad from above
Look – a complete Greek feast all on one plate!

More amazing Greek meals

Or if you’re just enjoying the whole Greek food vibe in this post, you might like to check out this list of 10 best easy Greek chicken recipes or my Greek recipes archives!

Last but not least: Need a quick and easy dessert to serve after this meal? Here are 11 really easy dessert recipes (6 ingredients or less).

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One pan Greek baked chicken and potatoes with a Greek salad in the background
4.79 from 19 votes

Easy Greek Chicken And Potatoes

I call this 6-ingredient Greek Chicken And Potatoes dinner 'amazingly delicious' for good reason! It's the simplest but one of the most popular everyday Greek chicken recipes. Millions of Greeks can't be wrong! Just bake chicken and potato wedges with a really easy olive oil, lemon and oregano marinade. Don't even think about skipping the Greek salad and tzatziki (or yogurt!) sides!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 
 

  • pounds medium-sized potatoes, peeled & sliced into wedges
  • ¼ cup olive oil, plus a little extra
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, (8-10 thighs)
  • 1 lemon, zest & juice
  • 1 large teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt & black pepper

Instructions 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 390F/200C.
  • Put the raw potato wedges into a large baking dish or roasting pan (in one layer if you can). Drizzle with a little olive oil, toss with your hands and bake for about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven and nestle the chicken thighs in amongst them in the dish. Add the squeezed lemon halves as well.
  • Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice & zest & oregano and drizzle all over the chicken and potatoes. Grind over plenty of salt and black pepper, then put the dish back in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear when you poke the meat with a knife and the whole dish is golden.
  • Serve with a big traditional Greek salad, Greek yogurt and crusty bread.

Video

Notes

To feed a crowd: Baked Greek chicken and potatoes can very easily be doubled or tripled for a larger number of people – just use a HUGE dish (or you could use 2 smaller ones of course).
Potatoes: Don’t worry if the potatoes are a bit (or a lot!) stuck to the baking dish after you’ve pre-baked them. Just loosen them and toss before adding in the chicken. This will just make the potatoes all the more crispy and delicious when you serve the final dish!
Best side dishes: Serve with a traditional Greek salad of tomatoes, cucumber, onions, green peppers, black olives and a big slab of feta cheese. Sprinkle the salad with oregano and plenty of olive oil just before serving. Don’t forget the tsatziki sauce!
Reheating the leftovers: We often reheat the leftovers the next day and eat them with a fresh Greek salad. I usually just reheat on 50% heat for a few minutes in the microwave until the chicken is piping hot. The potatoes are often a bit less crispy, but just as if not more delicious!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 215mg, Sodium: 222mg, Potassium: 1412mg, Fiber: 5g, Vitamin A: 55IU, Vitamin C: 37mg, Calcium: 91mg, Iron: 8.6mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Note: This post has been updated from its original version to include new photos, step-by-step cooking instructions, an FAQ, similar recipes, and a how-to video. I hope you like it!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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92 Comments

  1. I just completely love the simplicity of this meal! And it sounds so so good!

    And I cannot wait for that greek salad recipe … one of my absolute favs!!

    1. Aw, thanks, Ashley! Do try the chicken dinner – we had it again tonight and it can’t fail to please. Greek salad recipe just posted!

  2. This dinner is amazing! Love all of those greek flavors- I cook with them often. Wish I was on the coast of the Mediterranean! Great giveaway too 🙂

    1. Hi, Sherri! Thanks so much for taking the time to pass by and comment. So glad you like this dinner – I just love the flavours and simplicity of Greek food. I wish I was over in the Mediterranean, too … although perhaps not today as it’s snowing there, I hear! 🙂

  3. So perfect for a weeknight meal! I love the combination of flavors… especially when enhanced by crispy potatoes!!

  4. Un repas méditerranéen? J’ai dit oui!! Surtout avec la grisaille de l’hiver !

  5. so glad to see a giveaway that isnt restricted to the US! I am new to food blogging and am enjoying seeing such wonderful blogs as yours.

    1. Hello! Thanks so much for passing by. I so agree re. the non-US giveaway … it’s a rare thing indeed! Thanks so much for the compliment on the blog (blush) and … of course, a big welcome to food blogging! All the best!

  6. It’s a pity that I didn’t try out this one when I was traveling in Greece! And totally agree that it goes great wit Greek salad. I love the refreshing seasonings in this recipe. Can’t wait to try out soon!

    1. Hello, Maggie! Never mind that you didn’t try this in Greece – it’s so easy to make at home and I promise you it tastes just like it would in Greece as it’s so so simple. 🙂

  7. Helen, I am LITERALLY drooling all over my screen right now!!!!!! This looks so so SOOOOOO good!!!!!! I’m just imagining how amazing this chicken will taste with its lemony – oregano flavor. And the juices from the chicken crisping up the potatoes????? THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT! <3 I so need to make this (with the Greek Salad, of course!)

    1. Hi, Samina! So happy you’re as enthusiastic about this dish as I am. It’s truly one of my favourite easy meals. 😉

  8. LOVING all these flavors… I’m a big fan of Greek food and lemon-oregano is the bomb dot com!! Happy New Year Helen!

  9. I love the sound of this Mediterranean meal, Helen, and with that salad on the side? Heaven! I’ve really been craving Greek food lately. 🙂 Awesome giveaway, too!

    1. This really is a heavenly meal, Marcie … although I say it myself. So simple and yet truly delicious. Glad you like the giveaway, too!