This Greek lemon chicken recipe is an easy one-pan dish full of delicious, tangy Greek flavors. Tender, lemony chicken thighs are baked over seasoned potatoes for a tasty weeknight dinner your entire family will love!
Why you’ll love this baked chicken recipe:
This is one of my favorite no-fuss chicken dinner recipes!
Juicy bone-in chicken thighs and Yukon gold potatoes are flawlessly seasoned with an herby lemon sauce that I seriously can’t get enough of! Drizzle it over the roasted chicken, and use the potatoes to soak up every last drop.
- Flavor – Greek lemon chicken features BIG flavors, thanks to fresh lemon juice, whole garlic cloves, grainy mustard, and plenty of dried Greek herbs.
- Easy – Prepare this recipe in just 10 minutes using ingredients you likely already have on hand!
- Versatile – Add some chopped veggies, and swap in bone-in chicken breast if you’d like!
The chicken and potatoes are cooked in the same dish, leaving you plenty of time to prepare another side dish recipe. Or, you can skip the extra sides, because this is a filling and satisfying meal all on its own!
Key Ingredient Notes:
- Yukon gold potatoes – These potatoes are perfect for roasting because they have a naturally creamy texture and thin skin that doesn’t need peeling. Ensure the potatoes cook evenly by chopping them into equal-sized pieces.
- Lemons – Squeeze the juice from your lemons, and don’t throw away the cut pieces. You’ll toss the juiced wedges into the potatoes for maximum lemon flavor.
- Olive oil – This adds moisture to the potatoes and helps them become golden brown and crisp while they roast.
- Smashed garlic cloves – Fresh garlic cloves add an intense, savory flavor to the Greek lemon chicken and potatoes. To smash garlic cloves, place unpeeled cloves on a cutting board, and use the flat side of your chopping knife to press down onto the clove with the heel of your hand. When the clove flattens, the peel will pop off. Then, discard the peel, and keep the smashed clove.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – I recommend using bone-in cuts of chicken for this recipe because the bone holds tons of extra flavor. Most bone-in chicken is usually sold with the skin on, which provides even more flavor and a crunchy texture once roasted.
- Grainy mustard – Choose a mustard labeled as whole-grain or coarse-grain. Grainy mustard has a yellowish-brown color and a slightly spicy flavor than plain mustard.
- Kosher salt – A few teaspoons enhance the flavor of the lemon, garlic, and dried herbs.
- Seasonings – Oregano, garlic powder, and thyme add authentic Greek flavor to the chicken and potatoes. Fresh oregano is optional for garnish.
How to make this Greek lemon chicken recipe:
Before you get started, preheat your oven to 375°F, and move an oven rack to the top third of the oven.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large casserole dish.
- Toss the potatoes with the juice of 2 lemons and the squeezed lemon wedges, the smashed garlic cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and olive oil.
- Add the chicken thighs, mustard, remaining salt, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and remaining lemon juice to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss the chicken thighs with the mustard and seasonings until the thighs are fully coated. Don’t be afraid to use your hands!
- Transfer the chicken thighs to the casserole dish with the potatoes. Then, place them on top of the potatoes, arranged in an even layer with the skin side facing up.
- Bake the lemon Greek chicken for 1 hour or until the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F and the potatoes are tender.
- When finished, remove the dish from the oven, and use a spoon to drizzle some of the lemon sauce from the bottom of the pan over the chicken.
- Garnish with fresh oregano and enjoy!
avoid burning
If the chicken skin starts to brown too quickly, loosely place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the chicken thighs. The foil will prevent the skin from burning. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking to allow the skin to crisp up!
Tips for Success:
- Swap bone-in chicken thighs with other cuts of chicken. You can use this Greek-inspired seasoning blend on boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chicken breast, and even a whole roast chicken! Cooking times will vary, but the recipe steps will pretty much remain the same.
- Substitute the potatoes with red potatoes or other veggies. If you add veggies, opt for hearty root vegetables with similar cooking times to potatoes. I like carrots, onions, and parsnips!
- Allow the chicken thighs to come to room temperature before roasting. This ensures the chicken will cook evenly and is especially important if you’re swapping the thighs for a whole chicken.
- Season the chicken under the skin. After tossing the chicken thighs with the mustard mixture, gently lift the skin and rub some of the seasoning blend on the meat underneath. This will really infuse the chicken thighs with lemony Greek flavor!
- Rest the chicken for at least 5 minutes after it has finished cooking. This allows the juices plenty of time to redistribute and helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You have a couple of options here! Chop some ingredients in advance to cut down on prep time. Or, go ahead and prepare the entire dish so all you need to do is pop it in the oven at dinnertime.
- Chop the potatoes into 1 ½ – 2-inch pieces. To keep raw, chopped potatoes fresh, it’s best to completely submerge them in water. Store the submerged potatoes covered in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours.
- Assemble the entire Greek lemon chicken recipe up to 24 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
- Do not prepare the dish longer than 24 hours in advance, because the lemon juice breaks down proteins in the meat, which results in a mushy texture!
Storing Tips:
- Store leftover Greek lemon chicken covered tightly in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
- A few minutes under the broiler will crisp the chicken skin back up. Turn your broiler on during the last 3-5 minutes of reheating.
FAQs:
Greek chicken is made using ingredients and flavors traditionally found in Greek cuisine, such as lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Mediterranean chicken incorporates flavors from the entire Mediterranean region, including Greece, Italy, and Spain, resulting in a more diverse range of flavors.
This Greek lemon chicken recipe is best frozen after it has been fully prepared and baked. Allow the dish to cool, and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Cover it tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the chicken to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating it in the oven.
While Greek lemon chicken can be served as a meal all on its own, you could add some vegetable sides to really round out the meal. I suggest shaved Brussels sprouts with pomegranate vinaigrette, air fryer honey glazed carrots, or creamy beet salad. Of course, a simple garden salad or steamed vegetables are also perfect!
More Chicken Recipes:
Greek Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 medium Yukon gold potatoes cut into 1 ½ – 2-inch pieces, Note 1
- 3 lemons juiced and divided
- ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 12 cloves garlic smashed
- 6 skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs Note 2
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh or dried
- 4 sprigs fresh oregano for garnish
Equipment
- large baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Move the oven rack to the top third of the oven.
- Cut the potatoes in quarters, then in thirds and transfer them to a large casserole dish.5 medium Yukon gold potatoes
- Add 2 lemons juiced along with the lemons, smashed garlic cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and olive oil, toss to combine.3 lemons, ½ cup olive oil, 12 cloves garlic, 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- In a separate large bowl, combine the chicken thighs with mustard, remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and juice of 1 lemon. Toss to combine.6 skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- Add the chicken on top of the potatoes.1 teaspoon thyme
- Bake for 1 hour, check the temperature of the chicken, if it reads 165F using a meat thermometer and the potatoes are tender, it’s ready. If not, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. TIP: If the chicken starts to brown too fast, loosely place a sheet of foil and remove the last 10 minutes to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and top with fresh oregano, making sure to drizzle the lemon sauce from the bottom of the casserole dish. Enjoy.4 sprigs fresh oregano
Tips & Notes
Storing Tips:
– Store leftover Greek lemon chicken covered tightly in the fridge for 3-4 days.
– This recipe freezes well! Once cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
– Thaw frozen chicken and potatoes in the fridge overnight. Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. A few minutes under the broiler will crisp the chicken skin back up. Turn your broiler on during the last 3-5 minutes of reheating.
Nutrition
