Greek Chicken and Potatoes
This recipe only requires one-pan and ten minutes of real work, but the result is the kind of dinner that makes people think you tried way harder than you did.
Why This Greek Chicken and Potatoes Recipe Delivers
The chicken thighs in this recipe sit directly on top of the potatoes, so every drop of rendered fat and lemony garlic oil drips down and soaks into the wedges as they roast. Chicken stock in the pan creates a shallow braise that cooks the potatoes through and lets them absorb all that flavor before the liquid reduces and the edges crisp. The result is one of a kind potatoes that are somehow waxy and firm but creamy and tender. All this with fall-apart-tender chicken thighs with deeply browned skin. A 30-second pan sauce at the end ties the whole thing together. One pan, minimal effort, absurdly good.
Brian’s Pro Tips
Pre Salt The Chicken - Even 30 mins makes a real difference. The salt draws out moisture which then gets reabsorbed, seasoning the meat throughout and helping it stay juicy during the long roast. Overnight works too if you want to prep the night before.
Trim the Thighs - Chicken thighs straight from the package usually have a lot of flabby fat and skin hanging off. Some rendered fat is a feature here - it’s what makes the potatoes incredible, but too much makes the whole dish greasy. Clean them up so each thigh has a tidy cap of skin.
Use a Metal Baking Pan, Not Ceramic - Metal conducts heat faster and more aggressively, so you get better browning on the potatoes and faster moisture evaporation. Ceramic heats slowly and holds moisture which means softer, paler potatoes and a sloppy sauce.
Pull the Chicken at 185°F (85°C) - Thighs are dark meat loaded with connective tissue. At 165°F they’re safe to eat but bouncy and a little chewy. You need 180-185°F for all that collagen and intramuscular fat to get rendered which gives you tender juicy meat.
Utilize the Fond! - The fond on the bottom of the pan can be whipped up into kind of a chicken nectar just by adding a touch of dijon. Skipping it means leaving the best flavor stuck to the pan. Plus it moistens things up just a tiny bit and ties the potatoes and chicken together more.
Key Ingredients
Chicken Thighs
Thighs are the only option here. Chicken breast just doesn't survive this style of cooking—90 minutes in a lemony, high-heat environment dries it out and makes it tight and stringy. Thighs get better the longer they cook, rendering fat that feeds the potatoes while staying juicy and tender.
Russet Potatoes
Russets are high-starch and low-moisture, which means they get crisp, browned edges while staying fluffy inside. I wouldn’t sub for Yukon Golds. They hold their shape well but are higher moisture so they wont crisp and I think they are easier to overcook into mush.
Fresh Garlic
45 grams sounds like a lot, but it’s covering all the potatoes and all the chicken, and over 90 minutes the raw punch disappears completely. What you’re left with is a deep, sweet roasty garlic flavor. In a pinch you can sub in about 10g of garlic powder, but fresh is a different thing entirely. Don’t waste time peeling this much garlic. Buy pre-peeled garlic and freeze the extra if you aren’t going to use the rest soon.
RECIPE
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus optional 30-60 minute dry brine | Cook Time: 80-95 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
50 g (1/2 cup) Olive oil
45 g (5–6 cloves) Garlic, minced
5 g (3 tsp) Dried oregano
2 g (1 tsp) Dried thyme
5 g (1 3/4 tsp) Black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
25 g (2 Tbsp) Fresh lemon juice
For the Chicken & Potatoes:
900 g (2 lb) Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
10 g (1 Tbsp) Salt
750 g (about 2.5 large) Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large wedges
150 g (2/3 cup) Chicken stock
50 g (scant 1/4 cup) Chicken stock (for the pan sauce)
5 g (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
Pan spray or oil
Fresh parsley, chopped (for serving)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
1. Trim and Salt the Chicken. Take your 2 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 large thighs) and trim off any flaps of excess skin or dangling fat around the edges. You want each thigh to have a clean cap of skin on top with no flabby bits hanging over. Season both sides with 10g (1 T) of salt and place in the fridge, uncovered, for 30 to 60 mins.
Can I skip the salting rest? You can go right into cooking, but since the chicken roasts for almost 90 minutes with dry heat, it can get a tiny bit dried out. Salting ahead helps the meat stay juicy and makes it more seasoned throughout. Overnight is also fine if you want to speed up day-of cook time.
2. Make the Marinade. Grab a medium bowl. Combine olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, the zest of 1 lemon, and the juice of 1 lemon (approximately 20–30g). Stir everything together until combined.
First cut potatoes into quarters
Then cut the quarters into wedges
3. Cut Potatoes and Combine with Marinade. Peel 750g (about 2.5 large) russet potatoes and cut them into large wedges. Toss the potato wedges and the salted chicken thighs into the bowl with the marinade and coat everything well. Make sure to get all the marinade out of the bowl.
4. Arrange in the Pan and Add Stock. Spray or lightly oil a metal baking pan. Lay the potato wedges in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, then nestle the chicken thighs on top, skin side up. Pour 150g of chicken stock into the pan around the potatoes
5. Roast. Place the pan in the oven uncovered and bake for 75 to 90 minutes.
Why 350°F and not higher? 350°F for 90 minutes gives the potatoes time to cook through, absorb the lemony chicken juices, and then gradually caramelize without burning. The moderate heat also renders the chicken fat and cooks the meat evenly so it stays juicy. Higher heat would brown faster but risk undercooked centers or burnt edges before the flavors fully develop.
6. Check Temperature and Rest. Remove the pan when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 185–190°F. Let everything rest in the pan for at least 15-25 Minutes in a warm place.
Why rest? Resting lets the juices redistribute so the chicken stays moist instead of running out when you cut it. More importantly it gives the potatoes time to cool slightly so their pectin can set, creating the incredible waxy, firm-but-tender texture that I think is the signature aesthetic detail of this dish.
Scrape up fond with chicken stock before adding to pan to reduce
The pan sauce is reduced enough when it has thickened and the whisk/spatula leaves a trail like this
7. Make the Pan Sauce. Transfer the chicken and potatoes from the pan to a serving platter and keep warm in a very low oven.
Pour 50 g (1/4 c) + of chicken stock into the roasting pan and scrape up the browned stuff on the bottom and around the sides. Move to a small saucepan or saute pan and add in a small teaspoon or 5g dijon mustard. Whisk to combine and reduce for 2-3 minutes over high heat until the sauce is a touch thickened and a drawing a spatula through it leaves a trail.
Pour the sauce over the finished chicken and potatoes.
8. Serve. Top with chopped fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in a 350°F/175°C oven for 10–15 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but you'll lose the texture.
This dish doesn't freeze particularly well because the potatoes can go mealy. You can salt the chicken up to overnight ahead of time, and the marinade can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
My Go-To Gear
Below are the tools I actually use when making this recipe. Some of these are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them.
You need to pull the chicken at 185–190°F. Guessing isn't worth it when the difference between chewy and fall-apart is 20 degrees.
I use a basic 11’x7’ metal baking pan for this dish. As long as it’s metal, it’s metal it will give you the nice browning we’re looking for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
No. Chicken breast doesn't survive 90 minutes in a lemony, high-heat environment—it dries out and turns tight and stringy. Thighs have more connective tissue and fat, so they actually get better the longer they cook, rendering fat that bastes the potatoes along the way.
Can I use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russets?
You can, but the results will be different. Yukon Golds hold their shape well but they’re higher in moisture, so they won't crisp on the edges the way russets do plus and they’re easier to overcook. Russets are the move here—high-starch, low-moisture, crispy edges, fluffy inside.
Why is the chicken done at 185–190°F instead of 165°F?
165°F is the safe temperature, but thighs are dark meat with a lot of connective tissue. At 165°F they can still be chewy and a little unpleasant. You need 185–190°F to render all that collagen and get truly fall-apart tender meat.
Can I make this in a ceramic baking dish?
Metal is better here. It conducts heat faster and more aggressively, so you get better browning and crisping on the potatoes. It also evaporates moisture more efficiently. Ceramic heats slower and holds moisture, which means softer, less caramelized potatoes.
How far ahead can I marinate the chicken and potatoes?
I wouldn't go longer than 24 hours. The acid in the lemon juice can start to break down the chicken texture and make it mealy if it sits too long. An hour or two is the sweet spot if youre prepping ahead.