This Greek lemon chicken and potatoes recipe is an unbelievably easy dinner recipe for your next family meal or dinner party. Naturally allergy friendly and gluten free this dish is the perfect chicken thigh sheet pan recipe. Bright citrus and herb flavours help to make this chicken thigh sheet pan meal a must have for your family.
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Jump to:
- The Quick Lowdown:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Instructions/ Directions and Tips
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Low Food Waste Tips
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Top Tip
- How to Send This as Leftovers for Lunch
- FAQ
- What To Pair With
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
The Quick Lowdown:
Flavour: A fresh and zesty lemon and herb flavour. Greek lemon chicken and potatoes are bright and delicious.
Speed: The prep is incredibly fast. The longest time spent is to peel the potatoes. Dinner can be ready in under 1 hour if you are handy with a potato peeler.
Difficulty: Beginner. The hardest part of this chicken thigh sheet pan recipe is chopping the fresh herbs and letting the oven do all the cooking.
Return for effort: Unbelievably easy. Very little prep for this Greek lemon chicken recipe. Loads of flavour for a little bit of work.
Why We Like This Recipe
We love this Greek lemon chicken because it is the best way to cook roast chicken and roast potatoes if you only have one oven. When we are tired of those heavy and rich dinners and want something that tastes really fresh this is the recipe we make. It is quick and easy as the older kinds do all the potato peeling, pop it all on one traybake and dinner is ready with little work from us.
I personally love this recipe for when we have friends over. An easy to make one sheet pan dinner that tastes like you worked for hours on the meal. It also plates up so beautifully and wows guests. Naturally allergy friendly so we can make it without any substitutions and it hits all the food restrictions of our friends in one easy chicken thigh sheet pan recipe.
Ingredients
- Chicken Legs
- Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Fresh Dill
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Oregano
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
- Garlic Cloves
- Whole Lemons
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Chicken Legs
For this Greek lemon chicken and potatoes recipe you really need to use chicken that has its skin on and the bones in the cuts. This will change how the meat cooks, retains juiciness and how long it takes to cook. If you use meat that doesn't have skin - it will burn. Chicken without the bone will be really dry. Please do not use boneless and skinless chicken.
We get the whole chicken legs for this chicken tray bake with potatoes recipe. That is the thigh and drumstick with the back attached. They are good sized. Our kids are teens and easily eat one full leg each. For younger kids you could stretch one leg over more than one child or light eater.
Other Chicken Cuts
If full legs are not your thing they can be swapped out for a half chicken, full breast with wings, a spatchcocked whole chicken, or thighs. They all need to be bone in and skin on to cook properly. The different cuts will require different cooking times. They should reach 175 F internally when the temperature is taken with a fast reading meat thermometer.
Yukon Gold Potatoes
A waxy potato is what we use in this chicken thigh sheet pan recipe. They tend to cook a lot better on a tray bake like this one. We like the flavour of Yukon gold potatoes in this recipe, yellow potatoes, red potatoes will also work. We do not recommend gem or fingerling potatoes, unless they are only cut in half rather than wedges.
Time Saver Tip
You could leave the peels on if you were not into peeling the potatoes and they are thin. If you do, make sure to scrub the potatoes before cutting in wedges.
Olive Oil
We like olive oil for this but avocado oil or another high temperature neutral oil that is safe for your allergies will also work. The most important thing is to make sure it can handle the heat of the oven and is safe at that temperature.
Fresh Dill & Oregano
The use of fresh dill and oregano are what makes this dish shine. You could replace them with dried spices but it will be lacking some of the depth of flavour. It is the oils in the fresh herbs that give that extra kick of flavour. If you do opt for dried herbs - reduce the amount substantially to 2-3 tablespoons of each.
Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika
We use flaky sea salt as it is our favourite. You can use whichever salt is safe for you and your favourite. It can be table, sea salt, kosher, or himalayan, all will work. The only thing to keep in mind is to steer clear of coarse salt. The measurements will be off and your food will taste really salty.
We like to put fresh ground black pepper in our meals. If you are looking at using a mix of peppers check with your allergist first with pink peppercorns as they are not pepper but are a berry from the cashew family and can be cross reactive for some.
The Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) website states:
"People with cashew allergy may be at higher risk for allergy to pink peppercorn (known as Brazilian Pepper, Rose Pepper, Christmasberry and others)."
For more information check out their site.
Paprika is dried and ground red peppers. It can come in different spice levels or sweetness depending on the origin of the peppers used in the dried spice. We use a mild version, it is the kind that is usually called paprika in most supermarkets. The kids are not great with spice but if you like a spicier meal you can choose a spicy hungarian paprika with a lot of kick.
Dedicated Lines
We are noticing more spices have a "may contain" warning on their label with common food allergens. These labels are voluntary and not regulated. If shared lines of facilities are something you need to be aware of contact the manufacturer of the spices and make inquiries.
Garlic Cloves
Whole garlic cloves, preferably large, are best for this chicken thigh sheet pan meal. They are less likely to burn, especially if you nestle them under the chicken so it protects them. When roasted the garlic gets really sweet rather than that spiciness that kids sometimes feel it has. Don't be alarmed with the amount of cloves used in this Greek lemon chicken and potatoes meal, they sweeten a lot and are not overwhelming to the dish.
Garlic Tips
We do not recommend swapping out fresh cloves for garlic salt, garlic powder, or dried flakes. If the garlic goes green do not be alarmed, that can happen when the garlic is extremely fresh and exposed to an acid, like lemon juice. It is safe to eat and a fun cooking chemistry fact.
Whole Lemons
The best part of this chicken tray bake with potatoes recipe is serving the halved lemons on the serving plate or if plating up, for each guest. They will char a bit and that brings out a lovely sweetness. Three of the lemons will be roasted. The fourth lemon is reserved for the zest being added to the herb mix juicing after cooking. Fresh lemons are best for this recipe and should not be substituted with preserved, dried, or juice from concentrate.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
Peel the Yukon gold potatoes and cut them in wedges from end to end. Place the potato wedges in a large bowl.
Potato Tip
Each potato will usually make 6-8 wedges. The wedges should be around 1 inch thick.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 475 F. Chop the dill for the Greek lemon chicken. Measure it into 2 portions of ¼ cup. Set one portion aside as garnish for after the chicken has finished cooking. In a medium bowl mix ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, all of the sea salt, ground pepper, mild paprika, zest of 1 lemon, and chopped fresh oregano.
Seasoning Tip
Half the herb mix will be used on the potatoes and half on the chicken. Save the one lemon that doesn't have zest on it for squeezing over the dish before serving.
Step 3
Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel. Coat the chicken with half the olive oil. Pat half the herb and spice mixture all over the skin of the chicken on both sides. Place the chicken on the middle of the baking sheet.
Browning Tip
Patting the chicken breasts dry will help them brown and the oil and herbs to stick to the skin of the chicken.
Step 4
Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the potatoes in the large bowl from step one and stir until all are coated. Sprinkle the second half of the herbs and spices over the potatoes and mix with a spoon to evenly dust with herbs and spices. Place the potatoes around the outside edge of the baking sheet around the chicken. Put the garlic cloves under the chicken.
Roasting Tip
Protecting the garlic cloves with the chicken legs is the best way to cook them properly. They will cook but not burn under the chicken.
Step 5
Halve the three lemons that have zest still on them. Place them cut side up between chicken legs.
Lemon Tip
You want to use the lemons with the zest as they will have the oils that will help flavour the dish.
Step 6
Pour ⅔ cup water in the base of the pan under the potatoes and chicken.
Water Tip
Slowly pour the water so none of the herbs are washed off the potatoes. Try to find a spot where you can pour it in-between potatoes. Moving around the pan so it all gets abit of liquid at the base.
Step 7
Place the chicken and potatoes on the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken legs have an internal temperature of 175 F.
Temperature Tip
Use a meat Thermometer to check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the legs. The juices should be clear. For more on how to use a meat thermometer properly check out this article by America's Test Kitchen.
Step 8
When the chicken is cooked, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Squeeze the lemon that was zested earlier over the cooked chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle the rest of the fresh dill over the chicken and potatoes.Move the chicken to a serving dish. Scrape the potatoes and garlic off the bottom of the pan if they are sticking and mix gently with the juices in the pan to coat. Squish the garlic and mix with the potatoes. Move the potatoes to a dish for serving. Sprinkle salt to taste on the potatoes, if needed.
Garlic Tip
Our kids aren't a fan of the roasted garlic so we put it on one side of the serving dish and the adults eat them as they wish.
Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Southwest Limes and Cilantro - For more of a Southwestern taste switch the dill out for cilantro and the lemon for limes. Add a bit of cumin or chili seasoning to the rub, too.
- Whole or Half Chicken - Substitute 4-6 half chickens or 1-2 spatchcocked whole chicken for the chicken thighs. Make sure to keep on the skin and cook them for a bit longer. The internal temperature of the thighs should be 175 F.
- Spicy - Add red chilli pepper flakes to the chicken thigh sheet pan rub and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Onions - Try shallots cut in half to the potatoes for a bit more flavour.
- Indian Inspired - Use mild curry powder (mustard free blend) with parsley, cilantro, or fenugreek and lemons for an Indian flavoured chicken.
- Asian Inspired - Try Chinese 5 spice mix in the mix with tangerines and cilantro for a bit of an Asian influence.
- Thai Inspired - Add lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves to chicken that is rubbed with a red chili based Thai 7 spice with fresh limes.
If you are looking for a whole chicken recipe check out our Rosemary Lemon Roast Chicken.
Low Food Waste Tips
Use the zest from the lemon you are squeezing over the chicken and potatoes after they have finished cooking to avoid waste. The zest on the cooked lemons will impart loads of flavour in the Chicken tray bake with potatoes by releasing the oils in the skin to the cooking juices in the cooking sheet.
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Equipment
- Cooking Sheet - It should be large with deep sides to catch all the juices the chicken will be releasing during baking the Greek lemon chicken and potatoes.
- Medium Bowl - To mix the spice and herb rub.
- Vegetable Peeler - A good one to remove the peels from the waxy potatoes.
- Large Bowl - To mix the herbs and oils on the potato wedges.
- Knife and Cutting Board - For cutting the potatoes in wedges and mincing the herbs.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons - To measure the oil, spices, and herbs for the Greek lemon chicken.
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer - This is one of the most important pieces of equipment in our kitchen. We use it to double check that the meat is fully cooked to a safe temperature for the Chicken tray bake with potatoes.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
We have not tried to freeze the cooked chicken legs. If you have please let us know in the comments and we can add your thoughts.
Fridge
The chicken thighs will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. They should be stored in an airtight container. To store Greek lemon chicken and potatoes after cooking, make sure it is cooled properly before putting it in a sealed container.
Reheating
For best food safety practices only reheat the chicken thigh sheet pan dinner once after it has been fully cooked. The fully cooked chicken can be used chilled on salads and doesn't have to be reheated. If it is, reheat it to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Oven
Place the Chicken tray bake with potatoes on an oven safe cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for 20-30 mins. If it starts to brown too much, cover it with aluminium foil to keep from burning the chicken skin.
Stove Top
In a large pan over medium high heat cook one or two Greek lemon chicken legs with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 10 minutes, adding water if it all boils off. When the inside is fully heated through, remove the lid on the pan.
Let the rest of the water cook off. Increase the heat to high and cook skin side down for 1-2 minutes or until the skin has crisped up. It will go from crispy to burnt quickly so keep an eye on it and check it often.
Top Tip
Putting the potatoes around the chicken with a bit of water in the pan will help the potatoes to cook. The added water will assist in keeping them from sticking to the pan in this Chicken tray bake with potatoes. As the potatoes cook they will soak up the chicken juices and the lemon flavouring.
How to Send This as Leftovers for Lunch
When we send Greek lemon chicken and potatoes to school we remove the chicken from the bones for the kids. It is an extra safety step we take. We then send it cold as a part of a chicken sandwich, a cobb salad, or a curried chicken salad. One of our kids likes to eat it plain and cold with a fork so that is how they take it.
FAQ
You can. The trick is to make sure the potatoes do not burn while the chicken cooks through. The key to this is to use potato wedges and a bit of liquid in the pan. Make sure to oil the potatoes well so they do not stick to the pan.
Green beans go well with greek lemon chicken as does steamed broccoli, roasted tomatoes, or cucumber based salads. Potatoes are also often paired with Greek lemon chicken. The startchines of the potatoes can balance the acidic lemon taste.
Lemon juice is an acid that helps to tenderise the chicken and keep it nice and juicy. It is paired with the legs or thighs because they have a higher fat content and can be really rich tasting. To break up the richness of the higher fat meat lemons add a brightness to cut it.
The issue with marinating the chicken in lemon juice or with lemons for too long is it will actually start to break down the meat and it will go mushy. Only use a lemon based marinade for up to 12 hours with chicken for best results.
What To Pair With
We serve our Greek lemon chicken and potatoes with a fresh and flavourful salad. Often a greek salad (minus the feta) or microgreens with a bit of oil and vinegar as a dressing are on the table with this chicken thigh sheet pan meal. Any light and vegetable based salad goes well for a dinner.
The potatoes are in the same pan and cooked together with the chicken so just a vegetable is all you need. A simple steamed green bean, broccoli, or cauliflower goes well with the zesty and tangy main course.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Sheet large with deep sides
- Medium Bowl
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Legs with back attached bone-in and with skin on
- 5 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled
- ½ Cup Dill fresh and chopped (divided in 2 equally)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil or Avocado Oil divided in half
- ¼ Cup Oregano fresh chopped
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Paprika mild
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest use one of the fresh lemons (about 1 lemon)
- 10 Cloves Garlic whole and trimmed
- 4 Whole Lemons
- ⅔ Cup Water
Instructions
- Peel the Yukon gold potatoes and cut them in wedges from end to end. The wedges should be around 1 inch thick. Place the potato wedges in a large bowl.5 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 475 F.
- Chop the dill. Measure it into 2 portions of ¼ cup. Set one portion aside as garnish for after the chicken has finished cooking.½ Cup Dill
- In a medium bowl mix ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, all of the sea salt, black pepper, mild paprika, zest of 1 lemon, and chopped fresh oregano.½ Cup Dill, ¼ Cup Oregano, 2 teaspoons Sea Salt, ½ teaspoon Ground Pepper, ½ teaspoon Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel. Coat the chicken with half the olive oil. Pat half the herb and spice mixture all over the skin of the chicken on both sides. Place the chicken on the middle of the baking sheet.8 Chicken Legs, 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Put the garlic cloves under the chicken.10 Cloves Garlic
- Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the potatoes in the large bowl from step one and stir until all are coated. Sprinkle the second half of the herbs and spices over the potatoes and mix with a spoon to evenly dust with herbs and spices. Place the potatoes around the outside edge of the baking sheet around the chicken.
- Halve the three lemons that have zest still on them. Place them cut side up between chicken legs.4 Whole Lemons
- Pour ⅔ cup water in the base of the pan under the potatoes and chicken.⅔ Cup Water
- Place the chicken and potatoes on the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken legs have an internal temperature of 175 F.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Squeeze the lemon that was zested earlier over the cooked chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle the rest of the fresh dill over the chicken and potatoes.Move the chicken to a serving dish.
- Scrape the potatoes and garlic off the bottom of the pan if they are sticking and mix gently with the juices in the pan to coat. Squish the garlic and mix with the potatoes. Move the potatoes to a dish for serving. Sprinkle salt to taste on the potatoes, if needed.
- Serve with a salad or steamed vegetables.
Video
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
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Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 175 °F (79.5 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
Emily says
Soooooo Good. I didn't think there could be a dinner this easy that tastes so good!
Katherine Evans says
Right?! Simple flavours and an easy method makes this an amazing dinner.
Cheers,
Katherine
Katherine Evans says
I am really happy your family likes it as much as ours.
Thank you,
Katherine