Grecian Chicken & Potatoes

This is the kind of dish you’d find on a taverna table in the hills above Athens: bone-in chicken baked in a heavy hit of lemon juice, garlic, and dried oregano, served alongside potato slices that have soaked up butter and lemon broth until the edges crisp and the middles go silky.

The lemon does more than flavor here. Its acid tenderizes the chicken while it bakes, so meat that would otherwise tighten up in a dry oven stays juicy from the inside out.

Dried oregano rather than fresh is the right choice. The Greek technique relies on concentrated, almost resinous oregano notes that fresh leaves can’t deliver. Greek rigani, if you can find it, is the gold standard.

Potatoes bake separately so they get their own dedicated time with butter, lemon, and chicken bouillon. The water looks like a lot at first but cooks down into a glossy pan sauce by the time the potatoes are tender.

Kitchen Tips

• Arrange potato slices in overlapping rows so they baste each other as the broth reduces.
• Use Greek or Mediterranean oregano, not Mexican oregano; the flavor profile is completely different.
• Bone-in, skin-on chicken gives the best flavor; skinless cuts will dry out at this oven time.
• Pour any pan juices from the chicken over the potatoes at the end for an extra flavor layer.

Variations

• Add halved cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives to the potatoes in the last 20 minutes.
• Swap red potatoes for Yukon Golds for a creamier, more buttery texture.
• Crumble feta over the finished dish for a saltier, tangier finish.