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Greek Lemon Chicken

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on Oct 22, 2021, Updated Aug 31, 2022

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OPAAAA! My Roasted Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes are out 👏 of 👏 this 👏 world, and so easy to make . Little back story: When I was teeny tiny, my family migrated to Greece and lived on the Island of Crete for 5 years. My Dad was an athlete who competed in the Olympics for Water Polo. Well, his athleticism led us to Heraklion 🇬🇷, as he trained some of the boys on the Greek team. As the men trained, the moms would get together and teach my mom how to cook authentic traditional food. Ever since then, we have been making Greek staples which were passed down through them.

  • Why You’ll Love Greek Lemon Chicken
  • How to Prepare
  • Nonna’s Tip ⏲️
  • Variations and Substitutions for Greek Lemon Chicken
  • More Greek Recipes
  • Make Ahead Tips
  • Best Served With
  • Common Questions
  • Greek Lemon Chicken Recipe

Why You’ll Love Greek Lemon Chicken

This savory and satisfying one-pot dish is bursting with flavor. Chicken, potatoes, and unpeeled garlic are roasted with lemon juice 🍋, creating a meal that will have your taste buds dancing. As it bakes with water and is covered in foil, a natural pan sauce forms—dip a crusty piece of bread into it, and you’ll be in shambles 🤤.

How to Prepare

🌡️ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

🥔 Wash and quarter the potatoes (or peel if you prefer).

🍗 In a baking dish add the chicken, potatoes and unpeeled garlic.

🍋 To a small mixing bowl , whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and seasonings.

Raw chicken drumsticks and thighs arranged in a single layer inside a white rectangular baking dish on a white surface. - 3

🫱 Pour the dressing all over the chicken (toss in the squeezed lemon wedges as well) and massage it all together.

💧 Push the potatoes and chicken inwards from one of the corners of the dish with a spoon, and add the water.

⏲️ Cover the dish with foil and bake it covered for 45 minutes, then uncover it and bake for another 40 minutes (or until the internal temperature is at least 165F (74C) on a meat thermometer ).

🔥 Feel free to brown the top of the chicken by putting it on BROIL (top broiler only) for the last 5 minutes making sure to watch it carefully.

Raw chicken legs and halved yellow potatoes arranged in a baking dish, with a bowl of seasoned olive oil marinade placed on top, ready to be poured over the ingredients. - 4

Nonna’s Tip ⏲️

The cooking time for this dish will highly depend on your oven , so please keep an eye on it.

A white baking dish filled with roasted chicken drumsticks, potato wedges, and garlic cloves, garnished with herbs. The dish sits on a white surface with a lemon slice, chopped herbs, and a bowl of pepper nearby. - 5

Variations and Substitutions for Greek Lemon Chicken

  1. You can use fresh oregano instead of dried.
  2. If you don’t like the taste of oregano, you can use dried or fresh chopped parsley 🌿.
  3. For extra veggies , you can add some large chunks of cauliflower, carrots, or onions to the baking dish, along with the potatoes.
  4. You can use any cut of chicken you like, just watch the internal temperature to ensure it’s cooked through.

More Greek Recipes

A white plate with Greek Potatoes with Feta—roasted potato wedges topped with crumbled feta, chopped herbs, and lemon wedges. A fork rests beside the plate on a cream-colored napkin over a light surface. - 6 A white plate with Greek Potatoes with Feta—roasted potato wedges topped with crumbled feta, chopped herbs, and lemon wedges. A fork rests beside the plate on a cream-colored napkin over a light surface. - 7

Greek Potatoes with Feta

1 hr 15 mins

Chicken Souvlaki Skewers with herbs are served on a plate with pita bread, lemon wedges, a small bowl of creamy dip, and fresh herbs, all beautifully arranged in bright natural light. - 8 Chicken Souvlaki Skewers with herbs are served on a plate with pita bread, lemon wedges, a small bowl of creamy dip, and fresh herbs, all beautifully arranged in bright natural light. - 9

Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

25 mins

A bowl of yellow soup inspired by modern nonna recipes is garnished with parsley and lemon wedges, with a gold spoon resting inside. The bowl sits on a white surface beside a cream-colored cloth. - 10 A bowl of yellow soup inspired by modern nonna recipes is garnished with parsley and lemon wedges, with a gold spoon resting inside. The bowl sits on a white surface beside a cream-colored cloth. - 11

Greek Lemon Soup

1 hr 10 mins

A bowl of grilled chicken chunks, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and a dollop of cheese. Garnished with chopped herbs and drizzled with yogurt sauce. A wooden spoon rests on the rim. - 12 A bowl of grilled chicken chunks, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and a dollop of cheese. Garnished with chopped herbs and drizzled with yogurt sauce. A wooden spoon rests on the rim. - 13

Easy Greek Bowl

15 mins

A close-up of a white bowl filled with creamy Lemon Feta Orzo pasta, mixed with herbs and small pieces of cheese, with two wooden utensils resting in the dish. - 14 A close-up of a white bowl filled with creamy Lemon Feta Orzo pasta, mixed with herbs and small pieces of cheese, with two wooden utensils resting in the dish. - 15

Lemon Feta Orzo

15 mins

Make Ahead Tips

This Greek Lemon Chicken recipe is my kind of weeknight meal. It’s so satisfying and hearty, but the hands-on time is minimal and it can be made ahead, too. I like to have it all ready the night before: Arrange the chicken, potatoes, garlic, and 🍋 lemon wedges in the baking dish and mix together with the marinade . Then cover the dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and keep in the ❄️ refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. I like to pour the water in just before baking that way the potatoes don’t get mushy.

You could also 🧊 freeze the chicken and potatoes in the marinade so it’s ready to defrost overnight in the fridge and then can be 🔥 baked as directed for dinner.

Best Served With

  • Bread is a must with this recipe for sopping up all the delicious pan juices! Try my easy 🥖 N o Knead Peasant Bread .
  • A 🥗 Simple Green Salad served alongside this dish makes for a perfect meal.
  • Serve this with my delicious Easy Tzatziki Recipe for dipping.

Common Questions

This recipe is best made with waxy yellow potatoes, such as Yukons, but baby or fingerling potatoes will also work.

Leaving the peels on prevents the garlic from burning, therefore leaving you with sweet garlic that you can squeeze right out of the skin and spread on bread.

Yes, you can use boneless chicken, but it may cook faster. Check the internal temperature after 30–35 minutes when uncovered to avoid overcooking.

Absolutely! You can add carrots, onions, or bell peppers alongside the potatoes.

Yes, you can marinate the chicken and potatoes with the olive oil, seasoning, and lemon juice a few hours ahead or even overnight in the fridge.

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Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Cutting Board
  • ▢ Nakiri Knife
  • ▢ Redmond Real Salt
  • ▢ Garlic Press
  • ▢ Baking Dish
  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Mixing Bowls
  • ▢ Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

  • ▢ 4 chicken thighs
  • ▢ 5 chicken drumsticks
  • ▢ 5 yellow potatoes , quartered
  • ▢ 6 garlic cloves , unpeeled
  • ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
  • ▢ salt , to taste
  • ▢ pepper , to taste
  • ▢ 2 teaspoons dry oregano
  • ▢ 1 lemon , quartered and juiced
  • ▢ ¾ cup water , or broth

Instructions

  • ▢ Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). In a baking dish add the chicken, potatoes, and unpeeled garlic cloves.
  • ▢ To a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, seasonings, and lemon juice.
  • ▢ Then pour the marinade over the chicken (with the squeezed lemon wedges) and massage it all together.
  • ▢ Push the potatoes and chicken inwards from one of the corners of the dish with a spoon, add the water. You don’t want to wash off the marinade by pouring the water on top, so please add it to the side of the dish.
  • ▢ Cover it with foil and bake it covered for 45 minutes, uncover it and bake for another 40 or until the internal temperature is at least 165F.
  • ▢ Feel free to brown the top of the chicken by putting it on BROIL (top broiler only) for the last 5 minutes making sure to watch it carefully.

Nonna’s Notes

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Greek Lemon Chicken

Equipment

  • Cutting Board
  • Nakiri Knife
  • Redmond Real Salt
  • Garlic Press
  • Baking Dish
  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 5 chicken drumsticks
  • 5 yellow potatoes quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dry oregano
  • 1 lemon quartered and juiced
  • ¾ cup water or broth

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). In a baking dish add the chicken, potatoes, and unpeeled garlic cloves.
  • To a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, seasonings, and lemon juice.
  • Then pour the marinade over the chicken (with the squeezed lemon wedges) and massage it all together.
  • Push the potatoes and chicken inwards from one of the corners of the dish with a spoon, add the water. You don’t want to wash off the marinade by pouring the water on top, so please add it to the side of the dish.
  • Cover it with foil and bake it covered for 45 minutes, uncover it and bake for another 40 or until the internal temperature is at least 165F.
  • Feel free to brown the top of the chicken by putting it on BROIL (top broiler only) for the last 5 minutes making sure to watch it carefully.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Greek Lemon Chicken https://themodernnonna.com/greek-lemon-chicken/ October 22, 2021