071Lemon chicken

Method

Sheet-pan roast chicken with lemon potatoes. Serve straight from the roasting tin with a crusty country loaf and feta.

You will need

• deep roasting tin (approx 35 x 25 cm)
• whisk
• cutting board
• chef's knife

1. Preheat a conventional oven to 200°C (400°F). 10 min · 200°C / 400°F Ready when: oven is fully heated
2. In a large deep roasting tray, toss the cut potato wedges with half the olive oil, half the lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, and half the oregano. 4 min Ready when: potatoes are thoroughly coated
3. Arrange the seasoned potatoes in a single layer across the base of the tray. 2 min Ready when: potatoes spread evenly
4. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, remaining garlic, mustard, remaining oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper; rub this mixture thoroughly over all chicken pieces. 3 min Ready when: chicken coated under and over the skin
5. Nestle the chicken pieces amongst the potato wedges, skin-side facing upward, and pour the water gently into the corner of the pan so as not to wash off the seasonings. 2 min Ready when: chicken skin dry and exposed to heat
6. Roast uncovered at 200°C (400°F) for 45 minutes without turning the chicken. 45 min · 200°C / 400°F Ready when: chicken skin is pale golden and potatoes begin to soften
7. Baste the potatoes carefully with pan juices (avoiding wetting the top skin of the chicken) and return to the oven until the chicken is crisp and deeply browned and the potatoes are tender inside. 20 min · 200°C / 400°F Ready when: crisp browned chicken skin and fork-tender potatoes with golden crusts
8. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes in the pan before serving so the roasting juices settle. 10 min Ready when: juices stop boiling and skin remains crisp

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Make ahead and storing

You can season the chicken and cut potatoes up to 4 hours in advance and keep them chilled in the pan before roasting.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days; re-crisp in a hot oven rather than microwaving.

Substitutions

• chicken thighs and drumsticks for whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or bone-in, skin-on thighs and legs). Dark bone-in meat remains extraordinarily juicy and tolerates the high heat well.
• omit completely for mild yellow mustard. Optional modern addition that helps emulsify the pan juices.

Common mistakes

• Pouring liquid directly over the chicken skin mid-way through cooking.. It washes away the seasoning and prevents the skin from rendering crisp.
• Cutting potatoes too thinly.. Thin slices disintegrate into mush during the long roasting time needed to cook bone-in chicken through.

Regional variants

• In Crete and the Peloponnese, a sprig of fresh rosemary is frequently tucked into the pan alongside oregano.

About the dish

Kotopoulo lemonato is the quintessential Greek family meal, ubiquitous across every prefecture and taverna. Jointed chicken and large wedges of potato roast together in a bath of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and wild oregano. As the pan cooks, the potatoes drink in the meat juices and citrus, becoming meltingly tender in the centre with charred edges, while the chicken skin renders crisp.

Found in all of Greece. Cooked for everyday, sunday lunch.

Cousins elsewhere

• Kotopoulo antinikto lemonato (Cypriot). Cypriot roast chicken with crushed coriander seeds and lemon pan potatoes.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

1165 kcal · protein 70.6 g · fat 76.2 g (saturated 18.3 g) · carbohydrate 48.2 g (sugars 2.8 g) · fibre 6.3 g · sodium 264 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. The classic pan-Hellenic Sunday oven tray standard (fournos), prepared in every Greek household..