This chicken and potato bake is the dinner I make when I want something that tastes like it took effort but really didn’t. Chicken thighs get a quick sear, then go into the oven with potatoes, sweet cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and crumbled Greek feta. Everything cooks together in one pan: the potatoes soak up the chicken juices and lemon, the tomatoes collapse into a jammy sauce, and the feta goes soft and golden at the edges.
It’s an easy, budget-friendly meal with few ingredients, and it feeds the whole table with nothing more than a salad and some bread for the pan juices.
If you love easy one-pan chicken dinners, try my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Greek Chicken Chops or Greek Dutch Oven Roast Chicken.
Why you’ll love this chicken and potato bake
Here is what you need
- Chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless — my preference; they stay juicy through the long bake. (see FAQ on breasts)
- Potatoes. Yukon Gold or russet, cut into quarters.
- Garlic cloves. I tend to leave the garlic cloves unpeeled, with their thin skin on. I learned this trick from the beloved Nigella Lawson. This way, the garlic flesh becomes an awesome paste full of sweet-savory flavor. I squeeze the paste out and enjoy it with the chicken and potatoes. If that is not your thing, by all means, add the garlic cloves, peeled and chopped, any way you like. It’s all good!
- Cherry tomatoes. Or grape tomatoes, or halved Campari tomatoes.
- Greek feta. Crumbled from a block in brine. Mt Vikos and Dodoni are easy to find in the US.
- Lemon.
- Seasonings. Extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For another one-pan Greek classic, try baked bifteki with lemon potatoes
Step by step
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Season the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Sear. Heat half the olive oil in a wide 12-inch (30 cm) Dutch oven or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
- Season the potatoes. Add the quartered potatoes to the same bowl. Toss with salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the juice of one lemon.
- Build the pan. Tuck the potatoes between the chicken. Scatter the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves and crumbled feta on top, and pour over the oil and lemon left in the bowl.
- Bake covered with the lid on (or foil) for 30 minutes.
- Bake uncovered for another 30–45 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C) in the thickest part of a thigh on an instant-read thermometer.
- Crisp the potatoes if needed. If the potatoes want more color, move the chicken to a platter, tent it with foil, and return the pan to the oven until the potato edges are crispy.
Tip for crispier potatoes: push the potatoes to the edges of the pan where the heat is strongest, and keep them cut-side down.
The pan: I use a 30 cm (12-inch) Staub cast-iron Dutch oven with a lid, which is wide enough to hold the chicken and potatoes in a single layer. Any wide, oven-safe pan with a lid works: a 12-inch Dutch oven, braiser or oven-safe skillet (cover it with foil if it has no lid). No pan that size? Sear the chicken in batches in a skillet, then bake everything in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish covered tightly with foil.
How this differs from my Greek lemon chicken and potatoes
If you know my Greek lemon chicken and potatoes, this is its weeknight cousin. That one is all about lemon and oregano soaking into the potatoes. This one adds cherry tomatoes and feta, so the pan juices turn sweet, tangy and a little creamy, closer to a bake than a classic Greek roast.
What to serve with it
It’s a complete meal on its own. I like a crisp green salad like maroulosalata, homemade pita bread cut up to dip in the pan juices, and a bowl of tzatziki on the side. A Greek village salad works beautifully in summer.
Storage and leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking and eat within 3–4 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until the chicken is hot all the way through (165°F/75 °C), which also brings the potatoes back to life better than the microwave.
FAQ
Cooked it? Rate it!
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.
Chicken and Potato Bake with Tomatoes and Feta
Equipment
- 12-inch (30 cm) Dutch oven or oven-safe pan with lid
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6–8 thighs), (900 g)
- 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 lb (900 g), quartered
- 5–6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, (150 g)
- ½ cup about 3 oz / 85 g Greek feta in brine, crumbled
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, (90 ml)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Season the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes.
- Sear. Heat half the olive oil in a wide 12-inch (30 cm) Dutch oven or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.
- Season the potatoes. Add the quartered potatoes to the same bowl. Toss with salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the juice of one lemon.
- Build the pan. Tuck the potatoes between the chicken. Scatter the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves and crumbled feta on top, and pour over the oil and lemon left in the bowl.
- Bake covered with the lid on (or foil) for 30 minutes.
- Bake uncovered for another 30–45 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the chicken reaches 165°F (75°C) in the thickest part of a thigh on an instant-read thermometer.
- Crisp the potatoes if needed. If the potatoes want more color, move the chicken to a platter, tent it with foil, and return the pan to the oven until the potato edges are crispy.
Notes
Nutrition
Winner winner, perfect Greek Chicken dinner! How can you go wrong with an easy one pan meal? My family loved all the flavours and easy clean up.
That is awesome, Bernice. Thank you so much!
They say beauty is in simplicity. Well, this recipe is a great proof. Simple and extremely delicious – exactly what I need at this (hot) time of the year! 🙂
It is easy and fuss-free! Thank you so much, Elaine!
I am going to change the menu for tonight! This Greek Chicken And Potatoes is making my tummy growl. It looks really delicious.
Hope you like it. Thank you so much, Dennis!
This Greek chicken was sooo easy to make and only one pot needed! You really can’t beat meals like this one.
It’s true it is so easy! Thank you, Tristin!
I’ve really been loving all kinds of Greek flavors lately and this recipe is no exception! I could eat the potatoes every day!
Me too, I love potatoes! Thank you, Liz!
This is definitely a winner recipe to prepare for my family. I love it, it looks delicious, and I am so excited to make this for them.
I love it when you can cook everything in one pan! I never had Sugar Bombs tomatoes. I can’t wait to grab them in the supermarket if I can find them.
Everything I love is in this Easy Greek Chicken and Potatoes recipe! It’s healthy, delicious, and easy to make. I imagine my family and I will have this recipe on repeat all year long!
I love how simple the ingredients list is. I have most of everything I need and can’t wait to make this for my family. Such a simple, delicious meal!
I love how simple the ingredients look because I was honestly super excited to make this for me and my family! I can’t wait to gather the ingredients for this and make it soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Love a good one pan dinner and my family absolutely devoured this! Definitely going into the rotation.
Thanks so much, Brianna!
So good! I wasn’t sure if my skillet was ovenproof, so I browned the chicken
(in two of the garlic cloves) on the stove and removed it to a plate. Then browned the potatoes in the oil, added back the chicken and rest of ingredients and simmered on the stove. So juicy and tasty!
Hi Margi! So good to read! This is one of our favorite dinners, it always comes out so good!
Thank you so much, x Jenny
My husband can’t stand chicken thighs 💁♀️. Gonna try this with breast. Switched to a processed free, low FODMAP diet, and this one will be great!
I am sure it will be delicious! x Jenny