This easy Greek chicken and potatoes recipe is a family favorite! The secret is in the lemon-garlic marinade.
Why This is My Go-To Greek Chicken Recipe
- It’s easy to make, and you can’t go wrong with chicken and potatoes.
- The lemon garlic marinade can be used right away or, if you have the time let the chicken bask in the flavors for a few hours or overnight.
- The leftovers are even better the next day.
Greek chicken makes an appearance on my dinner table pretty frequently. In many forms. From tender Souvlaki skewers to chicken gyros or a quick skillet chicken covered in a tasty yogurt chicken marinade. Ah, but if it’s a special, comforting meal we need, Greek chicken and potatoes it is!
This easy chicken recipe hits all the right flavor notes, thanks to a couple of Greek spices and a tasty lemon-garlic sauce that can also double as a marinade (although, luckily, you don’t have to marinate this chicken for hours, it can go right in the oven)!
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: For the best flavor, use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces. You can also break down a whole small chicken into pieces to use in this recipe.
- Potatoes: I prefer to use Yukon Gold for color and their tender, creamy texture. Make sure you cut them into thin wedges so they cook with the chicken.
- Onion: I prefer yellow onion, but white will work as well.
- Lemon-garlic marinade: This is where all the glorious flavor in this Greek chicken recipe comes from. The sauce is made of Greek extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, loads of garlic, rosemary or oregano, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Chicken broth: You can use homemade chicken stock or store-bought. If you use store-bought, opt for a low-sodium variety.
- Lemon slices: You can’t have enough lemons in a Greek chicken recipe! Lemon slices act as a pretty garnish, but as they bake over the chicken, they also impart great flavor.
- Fresh parsley: A little green and something bright to finish a dish is always a good idea. Afterall, we eat with our eyes first.
- Kalamata olives: I use pitted olives. They are an optional ingredient, but I love the briny flavor they add to this recipe.
How to Make Greek Chicken
- Get Ready: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
- Season the chicken: Season 3 pounds of chicken pieces with kosher salt on all sides and underneath the skin.
- Prepare the potatoes: Slice 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes and 1 yellow onion into thin wedges and arrange in a 9×13 baking dish. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Make the marinade: In a bowl or measuring cup, add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 8-12 minced garlic cloves, 1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. You can use dried oregano instead of rosemary if that’s what you have on hand.
- Put everything together: Arrange the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Pour the chicken broth into the dish, then pour the marinade evenly over the chicken and potatoes. Arrange lemon slices on top.
- Bake: Place the uncovered baking dish in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through; it should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Depending upon the size of your chicken pieces and potato wedges, you may need an extra 20 minutes. To get more color on the chicken, place the pan under the broiler briefly to allow the chicken skin to gain additional color. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. When finished, remove from the oven, add Kalamata olives and fresh parsley.
Make it a Greek Feast!
In my house, Greek chicken is served with a traditional Greek salad for something fresh. It’s one of the easiest salads to make, which is a win in my book, and everyone loves it. A side of Tzatziki sauce for something creamy and fresh baked pita bread is a must.
You can make it from scratch, but I won’t tell anyone if you pick it up from the store. No judgement here! If you’re gluten-free, and bread is off the table, then serve it with Spankorizo, my Greek spinach rice.
This easy Greek chicken recipe is a family favorite. The secret is in the lemon-garlic marinade. Whether you choose to marinate the chicken for a couple of hours (I usually don't) or cook it right away, the flavors will surprise you in the best way possible.
Ingredients
For Chicken and Potatoes
- 3 pounds chicken pieces, bone in and skin on (I used 2 smaller breasts and 3 legs)
- kosher salt
- 4 gold potatoes, about 2 lb, scrubbed clean, cut into thin wedges
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved then sliced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6 to 12 pitted kalamata olives, optional
- fresh parsley, to garnish
For the Lemon-Garlic Marinade
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 8-12 fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary or dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sides (optional)
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Season chicken: Pat chicken dry and season generously, including under the skin, with salt.
- Prepare the potatoes: Arrange the potato wedges and onions in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Season with salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
- Assemble the dish: Add the chicken pieces to the pan with the potatoes, tuck the lemon slices around the chicken pieces, and pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Make the marinade: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, rosemary, and nutmeg. Pour evenly over the chicken and potatoes.
- Bake: Place the uncovered dish in the heated oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165° and the potatoes are tender. Depending upon the size of your potato wedges and chicken pieces, you may need a little more time. If the potatoes are not fully cooked through, raise the oven temperature to 425°F and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. To get more color on the chicken, place the pan under the broiler briefly, allowing the chicken skins to gain additional color. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from heat and add kalamata olives, if you like. Garnish with a little bit of fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
- Optional Step: If you’d like to get even more crisp and color on the chicken pieces, sear the chicken pieces in a bit of extra virgin olive oil before adding them to the potato pan (do this step before step #4). To do this, simply heat about 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken skin-side down to brown (about 5 t0 7 minutes,) then flip over and sear briefly, another 3 minutes or so. Transfer from skillet to the prepared pan with the potatoes. This step is not necessary if you plan to broil the chicken briefly at the end.
- To marinate the chicken in advance: if you have the time and want to use the lemon-garlic sauce as a marinade for the Greek chicken, you can. Simply add the lemon-garlic sauce it to the chicken a couple hours in advance, cover and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, add the marinated chicken to the potatoes and onions and follow the recipe from there.
- Visit Our Online Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and spices used in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 194.4kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3.4gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 1.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6.6gCholesterol: 1.2mgSodium: 154.9mgPotassium: 573.1mgFiber: 3.8gSugar: 2.6gVitamin A: 26.7IUVitamin C: 38.7mgCalcium: 40.2mgIron: 1.4mg
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Great recipe! Best Greek Chicken recipe ever, Suzy.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any nutmeg. Next time.
I LOVE your recipes!! When I am looking for something to make your website is the first and usually the only place I choose to go! Every recipe is amazing!! The Lebanese rice to the chicken shawarma, to the fish and brussel sprouts!
Oh thank you so much! Your kind comment made my day. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
I love your blog, Suzy! Have also told friends and family to look you up. It is very easy to navigate, and I have spent hours reading your yummy recipes.
Thank you so much! I am so happy to hear it.
My husband and I had it for dinner yesterday. The best chicken dish I’ve ever had. Loved it!
So glad to hear it, Violet. Thanks for sharing!
My family loved it! Delicious!
So happy to hear it!
HELLO MISS SUZY: FIRST THINGS FIRST: I AM GREEK—I MARRIED A GREEK GIRL: I MET MY WIFE AT CHURCH FUNCTION.AFTER ONE WEEK I KNOW THIS WAS THE GIRL THAT I WANTED TO SHARE MY LIFE WITH.-THE SECOND WEEK I JUST TOLD HER WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LIFE WE COULD SHARE.—THE THIRD WEEK I ASKED HER FATHER IF I COULD IF HE DID”T MIND I WANTED TO MARRY “AGNES”.—10 MONTHS LATER WE MARRIED.AFTER 59 YEARS OF A WONDERFUL LIFE,AGNES DEVELOPED “COPD”. I MISS HER—-HER COOKING AND JUST HAVE SOME ONE TO HOLD AND LOVE. AGNES PASTED AWAY SEPT.2 2018.————-I JUST YOUR SUPER RECEIPES.—————THANK YOU,SINCE I LIVE A LONE, ( NO FAMILY CLOSE) WHEN I COOK I HAVE DINNER FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS .SUZY, THANK YOU FOR SHARING.————THANK YOU,JOHN KARANIKAS.IF YOU WANT TO SHARE MY COMMENTS WITH ANY ONE, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD JESTER ON YOUR BEHALF.
Thank you so much for sharing, John! What a special connection you had. I’m so glad the recipes here have been helpful to you.
the flavors deserve 10 stars!!! but the excess liquid issue, which others have mentioned, IS a problem! next time i am NOT doing the chicken broth–what’s the reasoning anyway? i did 4 bone-in, skin-on thighs and 2 split breasts; i quartered tiny “bliss” potatoes; added cherry tomatoes; capers; and did red onion vs yellow. i also used lemon zest with the juice. temp was 400° F for 1 hour and STILL potatoes AND chicken were not done–and all were sitting in a sea of juice. additional 30 min and the food was cooked, but it was a nightmare maneuvering the pan with that boiling liquid! i had to spoon a lot of it out & down the drain–not happy.
i WILL make again, but skip the broth altogether… the garlic & lemon created the best flavors! i HIGHLY recommend adding capers… i crumbled feta over the vegetable mixture while still warm. AMAZING!
Thank you for sharing! It’s great to hear you enjoyed the recipe. And I guess easy is relative to different cooks.
Looking at the picture of your finished dish, Suzy; it looks like a large paella pan, while American sheet pans are not as big…we have half-sheet pans and whole sheet pans (in fact, they are pretty much cookie sheets) but are quite shallow. I would opt for a regular baking pan, when I make it, just as you did in your video
Hi there, this is actually just a large round sheet pan. I don’t own a paella pan 🙂
Just use whatever pan you would use for doing 4-6 cornish hens with a lid if you DONT have one simple solution: Williams Sonoma or Sur La Tablaaaaa and get one. Or for heavens sake get a Paella pan because you WILL use it again and again.
Lol! Sounds like a winner recipe for you 🙂
I have been making ALL of your recipes fo about 3 weeks and every single one is so tasty and fresh! Thank you. We are loving eating the Mediterranean way.
Hi Suzy, I want to start by thanking you for this superb recipe. The flavors are very authentic. I cooked this dish tonight for the first time. Thanks to your very detailed instructions, it came out perfect. Since I had some extra Chicken broth left, I used it instead of water and made a pot of Basmati rice. I used three leg and thigh portions (left leg and thigh attached on each portion). I plated the dish with the rice on the side of the chicken leg/thigh and then topped the rice with the potatoes and onions. I then took some of thet yummy juice from the pan and ladeled it over the entire dish as if it were gravy. I did not have kalamata olives, but had Ken’s Greek Dressing (has feta cheese and kalamata olives in it. I made a simple salad with the ingredients at hand (lettuce, tomato, feta cheese) The dressing adds the rest and tastes like authentic Greek salad. My husband and son loved it and they are fussy eaters. My husband lived in Greece for two years and said the flavors of your recipe are spot-on! I just printed your recipe and will be making this the next time I invite my in-laws over. If the directions are followed the dish comes out perfectly. I cooked this recipe on convection roast at 325 since convection cooking requires a 25 degree lower temp. Thanks much, this is going in my recipe cabinet.
Nicole, Thank you so much for the thoughtful review. I’m so glad this dish worked out so well for you. And I’m excited to hear that you and your husband found the flavors authentic. That’s always the goal!
Hi Suzy,
Would like to make this dish using bone in chicken thighs. Would you have an approximate weight of chicken used? I’m thinking I would use more than 4-5 pieces as in the recipe?
Thanks!
Made this tonight with boneless chicken thighs, so didn’t have to bake it as long. It was so yummy. Even my kids loved it!!
Awesome, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for this recipe, I wanted something different to do with a chicken than my usual roasting. I will definitely add this to my repertoire, it was so delicious! Very nice flavor without too much salt. Yum. Glad there are leftovers! I made the oven a little hotter because I was in a hurry and it worked well at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. I just quartered a whole chicken, too (again, in a hurry 🙂 ).
Wonderful, Ker! I’m glad this chicken recipe worked for you!
Second time making this dish now. Great recipe , very authentic. However, I wonder about par boiling the potatoes first. First time potatoes didn’t soften enough in time stated on recipe. I also used 3 cups of stock not 2.
Thanks for sharing, Kai. I don’t typically par-boil the potatoes, but each oven is different. For some, maybe adding a little more liquid and letting the potatoes cook a while longer in the oven would be helpful. And if par-boiling worked for you, why not! I’m glad you gave it another try!
Never mind, I found the link for this recipe.
Thanks
Sage
Where is the video for this recipe. You mentioned it in another comment but I can find no active link.
Thanks
Sage
4 chicken pieces = eight servings? Something’s off.
Sylvia, the recipe indicates that it serves 4 to 8…it’s a range, and it will depend on whether you use large pieces (chicken breasts can be cut into 1/2). So it’s really a range depending on how you portion things.