Greek Lemon Chicken is a one pot meal that mixes chicken thighs with a lemony Greek inspired marinade and baked with red potatoes, onion and garlic. This dish is slightly sweet, zesty and the perfect weeknight easy meal!
If you have been hanging out here for any period of time you know my love for Mediterranean food, in particular Greek food.
I just adore the flavors and ingredients used in Greek cooking. When Mike and I went to Greece a couple of years ago I was in food heaven. One dish we ate that I enjoyed was a Greek Chicken and Potatoes dish.
Of course they topped the dish with creamy feta cheese which I have been doing ever since, including in today’s Greek Lemon Chicken.
Today’s recipe is made in one-pot dish full of greek flavors which is always a plus in my book. My favorite part is the greek chicken marinade which you can use for any protein! Dinner time in my house can get hectic during the week with after-school sports so having a dish with minimal clean-up is key. There is something so satisfying about a sweet lemony marinade infused into potatoes and chicken.
I always love brining mediterranean flavor into my recipes and this one is the perfect chance to do that. I love pairing this easy greek lemon chicken recipe with a Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts and crusty bread to soak up that lemon juice.
If you like this Greek Lemon Chicken you also might these other Greek recipes. Try this Greek Village Salads, Stuffed Grape Leaves {Dolmos} and this Greek Chicken with Tzatziki Orzo Salad.
Recipe Ingredients in this Greek Chicken and Potatoes Dish
Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions.
- Chicken: I used bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe but you can easily do bone-less or even change it up and do skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders.
- Potatoes: Red potatoes was my choice for this one pot recipe. You can use any potato that you like! Make sure to cut your potatoes small enough so they cook quickly with the chicken.
- Onion and Garlic: When I make a dish with chicken and potatoes I like to also add in onion and garlic. I used red onion but sweet onion works great too. If you like garlic you can use more garlic than I used to really get that garlic flavor.
- Marinade: The best part of this dish is the lemon marinade with the greek seasoning. When I make chicken one of my favorite ingredients to pair with it is fresh lemon juice. I love the sweet flavor it adds and the acidity helps to tenderize the meat. After the Greek Lemon Chicken is done cooking I like to add lemon zest and a side of tzatziki sauce.
- Broth: There is some chicken broth or chicken stock added into the dish. You can also use my homemade chicken broth.
- Feta Cheese: Once your dish is done feta cheese is a great addition. The creamy, salty cheese is a nice garnish. I also like to add chopped Italian parsley.
How Do You Make This Greek Chicken Recipe?
1. Create the Marinade: In a large mixing bowl combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade mixture and mix with tongs until all of the chicken is coated. You can refrigerate for up to 2 hours or just let it sit in the marinade while you prep the other ingredients.
2. Sear Chicken: In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and discard the marinade.
Cook until brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat until all the chicken has been browned. Set aside on a plate.
3. Add Onions and Potatoes: Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and add the onion and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chicken back in to the pot along with the lemon slices and broth and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and Simmer: Cover and reduce the heat to low or medium-low and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reachers 165 degrees F.
To get a crispy skin on the chicken you might want to broil the chicken in the oven for 2-4 minutes. Serve with chopped Italian parsley and crumbled feta cheese over rice or cauliflower rice.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Modifications
- Protein: I love using chicken in this dish but you could also use seafood. Any white fish or salmon would be a nice pairing with the flavors in this recipe. Of course the cook time will be different for fish. You will want to cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Vegetables: I didn’t add any vegetables to this dish except for onion. I think vegetables are a great addition especially root vegetables like carrots. Some other ideas are zucchini, spinach and bell peppers.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are always a good idea in my opinion. This dish uses fresh parsley but you could also use basil, dill and oregano to create a delicious recipe.
Recipe FAQ
The key to getting the potatoes to cook through when baking this dish in the oven is to ensure they are diced small enough. I have found if my potatoes are too large they don’t get soft enough. You could also par-boil your potatoes first.
If you want extra crispy skin on your chicken thighs I suggest quickly broiling the dish in the oven for 2-4 minutes at the end of cooking. This will help the chicken get that nice crisp skin.
I add a good amount of chicken broth and lemon juice to help the potatoes cook and to infuse the flavor into the chicken. If you want to have less broth in the finished dish you can cut it in half.
Another option for this dish is to make it a sheet pan meal. You just won’t want to add the broth and will just squeeze lemon juice over the dish before baking. I would make sure your potatoes are very small so they cook appropriately.
More Chicken Recipes
Greek Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 pounds chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- 1/2 of a red onion, sliced
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into small chunks {about 1 inch of less}
- 1 lemon, cut into slices
- 1/2 cup of chicken broth
- Fresh chopped Italian parsley, garnish
- Crumbled feta cheese, garnish
For the marinade
- 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade mixture and mix with tongs until all of the chicken is coated. You can refrigerate for up to 2 hours or just let it sit in the marinade while you prep the other ingredients.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and discard the marinade.
- Cook until brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat until all the chicken has been browned. Set aside on a plate.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and add the onion and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chicken back in to the pot along with the lemon slices and broth and bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low or medium-low and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken reachers 165 degrees F.
- To get a crispy skin on the chicken you might want to broil the chicken in the oven for 2-4 minutes. Serve with chopped Italian parsley and crumbled feta cheese.
Notes
- If you want a crispy outer skin on the chicken you can quickly broil them in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
- I add a good amount of chicken broth and lemon juice to help the potatoes cook and to infuse the flavor into the chicken. If you want to have less broth in the finished dish you can cut it in half.
How long should you cook the chicken if they are boneless thighs and what temp? Thanks!
I would still do 400 degrees F and I would start at 20 minutes and take the temp and then cook a bit more if needed until the internal temp is 165 degrees.
If I am going to bake on a sheet pan, do I need to brown the chicken first? Thank you!
I like to brown the chicken first for extra flavor but you honestly don’t have to. Just make sure you cook until the chicken is 165 degrees F.
Has anyone used with breasts ?
I have done that before and it works good. Just make sure you cook the chicken breasts to a temp of 165 degrees F and you should be good!
Check the instructions for Step 2. You’ve instructed us to add the chicken and then tell us to discard the chicken. 😀
Sorry! It should say discard the marinade. Thanks
Can you cook the chicken with the marinade after it has marinated for a couple of hours?
I would discard the marinade since the raw chicken was in the marinade. You could make some separate to add when cooking.
@Julia, can you serve this over rice pilaf instead of using potatoes?
Yes! That would be a great option.
How long do you marinate the chicken?
You can marinate for an hour in the fridge before you add it to the pan to bake. Otherwise you don’t need to marinate it you can just mix it with the marinade and add it straight into the pan. If you do marinate it for an hour it will just add more flavor.
Wouldn’t it just be easier to combine and bake in the oven?
You can do that too! I like the crispiness of the skin that it gets from the skillet but either way works great.
@Julia, so if yiu cook in I’ve. Is it best to do at 400 fir 25 min or lower temp for longer time?
If you cook at 400 degrees F you would probably need to cook them for 35-40 minutes. I would maybe check the temp of the chicken at 30 minutes and see how it is doing and then go from there.
Does it freeze well????
I have not tried to freeze it. I think the chicken would freeze well but I don’t know how well the potatoes would freeze.