Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Greek Lemon Chicken And Potatoes

Yassou friends! Welcome back to Taste of the Greek Isles. I'm Elena and today I'm sharing my family's treasured recipe for Greek lemon chicken and potatoes. Truly the best one-pan dinner you'll ever make. This dish is the heart of Greek home cooking. My Thea, that's aunt in Greek, made this every Sunday and the smell of lemon and oregano would fill her entire house in Athens when we would visit. The best part? It's incredibly simple but bursting with Mediterranean flavors. Did you know that in Greece we use lemons in cooking more than almost any other country in the world? The Greek island of Crete alone has over 1 million lemon trees. Today I'll show you all my family secrets for making chicken and potatoes that are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and infused with that distinctive Greek lemon flavor. Let's gather our ingredients for this magnificent one-pan wonder. We need three pounds of bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, about six to eight pieces. In Greece we always use bone-in chicken because it adds so much more flavor. Two pounds of Yukon gold potatoes cut into chunks about this big. Yukon golds are perfect because they get crispy outside but stay creamy inside. One-fourth cup of extra virgin olive oil. Always use the best quality you can find. Did you know the average Greek person consumes 26 liters of olive oil per year? That's more than 12 times what Americans consume. One to three cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, about two to three lemons. Never use bottled juice for this recipe. Eight cloves of garlic minced. Yes, eight. Greeks are not shy with garlic. Two tablespoons dried oregano. Greek oregano is more pungent than Italian but either works. One tablespoon dried thyme. First preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 205 Celsius. This high initial temperature helps seal in the juices. In a large bowl we'll create our marinade, whisk together the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, paprika and our secret ingredient cinnamon. This combination of herbs and spices has been used in Greek cooking for thousands of years. In fact archaeologists found oregano in cooking vessels from ancient Greece dating back to 3000 BCE. Now pat your chicken thighs dry with paper towels. This is crucial for getting that crispy skin we all love. In Greece we say the secret is in the details and this simple step makes all the difference. Place your potato chunks in a large roasting pan or casserole dish. Add the chicken thighs to our marinade making sure each piece is thoroughly coated. Take your time with this step. We want every bit of chicken to be infused with these flavors. Now place the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes, skin side up. This position allows the skin to get beautifully crispy while the fat renders down into the potatoes below. It's a win-win. Pour all the remaining marinade over the potatoes and toss them to coat. Nothing goes to waste in a Greek kitchen. Pour the chicken broth around not over the chicken and potatoes. This creates steam without making the chicken soggy. Then nestle these lemon quarters throughout the pan. As they roast they'll caramelize and release their oils creating an incredible aroma and flavor. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. This initial covered baking creates steam that helps cook the potatoes. Bake covered at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. This gives the potatoes a head start in cooking. While our dish begins to bake, let me tell you something interesting. This style of lemon roasted meat is called Saito in Greek and it dates back to ancient times when communal ovens were used in villages. Families would prepare their Sunday roasts at home then take them to the village baker who would cook them in his oven after the bread was finished baking. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or 190 Celsius. Now we'll continue baking uncovered for about 50-60 minutes. About halfway through the uncovered baking time, burst the chicken and potatoes with the pan juices. Look at this amazing sauce developing in the pan. The combination of chicken fat, lemon, and herbs creates what Greeks call zumi, literally juice, but it means so much more. It's liquid gold. The chicken is done when the skin is golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 Celsius when tested with a meat thermometer. Always check the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Look at this beautiful dish. The chicken skin is crispy and golden. The potatoes are tender with caramelized edges and the whole kitchen smells like a Greek taverna. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it even more tender and flavorful. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness. In Greece, we also like to add some crumbled feta cheese on top. The salty cheese is perfect with the lemony sauce. This recipe serves four to six people, depending on appetite. In Greece, we'd serve this with a simple horiyatiki salad. That's what you might know as Greek salad and some crusty bread to soak up all that amazing sauce. The chicken is so juicy. The potatoes are infused with lemon and herbs and that sauce, it's absolutely divine. This is comfort food at its finest. Did you know that when the famous Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis married Jackie Kennedy, they served a version of this dish at their wedding reception? It's considered elegant enough for special occasions, but simple enough for a weeknight dinner. If you want to experience more authentic Greek recipes from the islands, subscribe to Taste of the Greek Isles and click the notification bell. Next week, I'll show you how to make my family's secret baklava recipe. Until then, as we say in Greece, because when you cook with love, you feed the soul.