Amazingly delicious Greek baked chicken and potatoes

Last Updated on 09 Oct 19

Looking for a crowd pleasing baked chicken and potatoes dinner? 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, this one pan chicken dinner is perfect for a midweek meal, but impressive enough for guests. Don’t forget a Greek salad on the side!

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!

Transport yourself to sunny Greece… with an easy one pan chicken dinner!

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

This easy chicken and potatoes in the oven is 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.

But while this is an authentic recipe for Greek chicken (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 oven baked chicken.

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…

Why this easy Greek lemon chicken will become one of your go-to recipes

• It’s a one pan meal. And who doesn’t love those?
• 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. Even the pickiest eaters will love it.
• It’s easy – but it’s impressive! Serve it as an easy midweek meal for your family, or for guests with a Greek salad, crusty fresh bread and tzatziki sauce (recipe in this post). 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.
• It’s an easy and super delicious way to try out the Mediterranean diet! (Hello olive oil, oregano, and super healthy Greek salad ingredients!)

Ingredients for this baked Greek chicken recipe

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

• potatoes roughly sliced into chunky wedges
• 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!

Alright, I’m convinced. So how do you make Greek chicken and potatoes? (scroll to the bottom for full recipe)

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

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)

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.

Erm… that’s a lot of olive oil!

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.

What to serve with Greek chicken

I don’t know about you but I always like to know how to serve a meal I find online. The best way to serve this easy chicken and potatoes recipe is with:

• a traditional Greek salad (see this post: how to make a Greek salad for a perfect recipe and how-to video!)
• fresh crusty bread. We like to toast ours and drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt.
• tzatziki (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.

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.

Can I reheat the leftovers?

Surprisingly… yes! I usually just reheat 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.

Final thoughts…

• After you’ve made this Greek chicken recipe 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 lemony 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!

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 word about the meat…

Lately, I prefer to buy less meat, but of better quality. I often buy it at a farmer’s market, which has great quality local meat. But what if you don’t have a good farmer’s market, or you don’t have time to go?

Butcher Box (USA) [affiliate link] delivers free range organic chicken, 100% grass-fed beef, and heritage breed pork directly to your door for less than $6 per meal. They often offer seasonal deals for your first box. Or, Scrummy Lane readers can USE THE CODE AP10 to GET $10 OFF AND FREE BACON IN YOUR FIRST BOX! Oh, and shipping is free.

If you’re in the UK, you might like to check out field&flower [Not an affiliate link – I just think it looks good!]. You can get amazing quality meat and fish delivered fresh from farms that share the ‘quality over quantity’ ethos!

More scrumptious Greek main meals

• Greek oven baked fish (your new favourite way to cook fish!)
• Easy moussaka (the ultimate guide!)
• One pan Greek couscous with halloumi (a vegetarian option)
• Greek lamb with lemony garlic potatoes (highly recommended if you’re looking to impress!)
• Greek stuffed peppers and tomatoes
• Baked Greek chicken orzo (another tasty one pot chicken dinner)

Or if you’re just enjoying the whole Greek food vibe in this post, you might like to check out my Greek recipes archives!

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… OR TAKE A PHOTO AND TAG @scrummylane ON INSTAGRAM!

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