Garlic Lemon Chicken and Potatoes. Another simple weeknight dinner is in the mix! This chicken dinner is so versatile, easy to make for a crowd & is great as leftovers. It kind of gives off simple roast chicken energy while being a little simpler. I love the flavors as is; so garlicky and lemony. But there are multiple variations you can do to change it up. Add dill at the end for a hint of summer freshness. Serve with a salad, steamed veggies or over arugula. You can also cook the potatoes & chicken with some rosemary for a more wintery roast chicken feel. Add crumbled feta and oregano for a Greek or Mediterranean dish. Simple, delicious and easy.
Another One Pan Meal
With the constant cooking that I do for work, I am always doing dishes. But that doesn’t mean I am used to it or enjoy it. So any time I come up with a fresh one pan meal, I am delighted for all of our sakes.
The chicken thighs will be crispy, tender and extra juicy. As it cooks with the garlic and lemon, the potatoes soak up the chicken juices & sauce and become soft and caramelized. The saucy, lemony broth at the bottom of the skillet is drinkable and must be drizzled all over the finished dish and any veggie you add.
Home Cook’s Tips for Making the best Crispy Lemon Chicken
Crispy Chicken Skin: You want the skin to be crisp, golden and even without the seasonings burning. The recipe calls for seasoning the meaty side of the chicken, searing the skin and THEN adding more dry seasoning on top. This is to prevent burning the seasonings and to create an even, golden skin. I also suggest having avocado oil on hand and using that for crisping the chicken in the beginning. A high smoke point oil is always best for a really good sear.
Caramelized Potatoes: My favorite part is getting a good caramelization on those potatoes. Remove the chicken after searing (it won’t be cooked!). Throw the potato pieces into the rendered chicken fat. Let them sit in the hot pan for a few minutes before we assemble everything together. The flesh of the potato gets golden brown and adds an extra level of flavor before we add the sauce and bake it all together.
Recipe Variations: Make this meal your own. Do you like a little heat? Use chili powder or a little cayenne along with the paprika or in replace of. Want to add more veggies? Add some steamed broccoli, peas or a salad on the side. Any potato will work! Make sure they are 1 inch pieces and follow all of the same instructions. Different flavor palette? Use less garlic (or more if you are like my fiancé). Change up the herbs by adding dill or oregano at the end or rosemary during the cooking process. Crumble feta over the top at the end for serving if you want to add cheese or a little more protein!
From the Kitchen
More One Pan Chicken Thigh Recipes:
One Pan Lemon Chicken and Orzo
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Garlic Lemon Chicken and Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Large Oven Safe Skillet or use a skillet & transfer to baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt + more for seasoning chicken
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbs avocado oil or other high smoke point oil
- salt & fresh cracked pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 lbs chicken pieces bone-in, skin on*
- 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes halved or quartered if large
- fresh parsley for serving*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°
- Make Garlic Lemon Sauce: Smash the garlic cloves and add them to a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt over the garlic. Wait 2-3 minutes. Smash the garlic to a paste the best you can with a fork. You can also grate the garlic on zester or micro blade or use mortar & pestle. Once smashed & an intense garlicky paste, add lemon juice & olive oil. Quickly stir together and set aside (it will separate).
- Season Chicken: In a small dish mix garlic powder & paprika. Set aside. In a large, oven safe skillet like a cast iron, heat up the avocado oil on medium high until just smoking. While waiting for cast iron to heat, season chicken with salt & black pepper on the skin side. Flip the chicken on your cutting board or plate (skin side down) and season meat with HALF of the garlic powder/paprika mixture along with a bit more salt & pepper. Set aside the other half.
- Sear Chicken & Potatoes: When oil is hot, place the chicken pieces in skin side down and sear 5 minutes or until skin is very golden and crispy. Remove chicken and place seasoned side down on cutting board or plate. Add cut potatoes to hot oil/chicken fat carefully. Toss slightly and let the potatoes sit 5-7 minutes themselves until most of the side in the oil is golden, brown and beautiful. While potatoes are par-cooking, season the crispy skin side of the chicken with the other half of garlic powder & paprika mixture.
- Bake Chicken & Potatoes: Place the chicken pieces (seasoned, skin side up) on top of the potatoes. Finally, grab your garlic lemon sauce. Give it a quick whisk with a fork or whisk and pour over the chicken and potatoes. You can get some on the skin! Bake the chicken and potatoes 20 minutes OR until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
- Serve hot & sprinkle with fresh parsley or any other light, green herb you may have lying around. Drizzle with extra sauce at the bottom of the pan. Serve as-is, over a bed of arugula, with a salad, or your favorite green veggie.
Home Cook’s Notes
- Olive Oil: I like to use my good extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Any neutral oil or even butter will work. But to ensure the best flavor and make sure there is no burning, I prefer extra virgin olive oil.
- Chicken Pieces: I like to do a mix of 4 chicken thighs & 4 drumsticks
- Yukon Potatoes: You can also use russet potato or any of your favorite potatoes. you want about 1 inch pieces. I like to half the yukon golds, and if there are any larger potatoes I quarter them.
- Herbs: Any light, green herb will work here and create variation in the dish as you make it again. I love parsley for its simplicity & I always have it on hand, but dill, basil or even oregano would be delicious.
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