Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

There are few who will turn down chicken or potatoes in any meal, and this recipe is a great example of combining simple ingredients for great flavor.

Roasted chicken and potatoes are a perfect addition to your menu when you are craving something comforting and delicious, but don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A sheet pan meal that takes just a little more than an hour from start to finish, this recipe is the perfect recipe for someone new in the kitchen.

Your friends will be envious when they find out how good this dish tastes and how little work went into making it happen. They won’t believe their eyes when they see how quickly this meal comes together or that there was no need for multiple pots and pans on the stovetop or baking sheet in the oven!

If you like dishes like this, then I know you will love this list of sheet pan chicken dinners. There are tons of easy recipes on the list that are sure to satisfy.

chicken legs on top of potatoes with sauce and browned on edges

What Should I Serve with Roast Chicken and Potatoes?

This is a simple dinner idea that can be made into comfort food or turned into something elegant by adding side dishes. You can serve a simple side salad as a way to add something quick or you can just add some cooked vegetables.

You can go a bit more advanced and use something like this roasted broccoli and cauliflower, garlic Parmesan roasted broccoli, or even a sweeter side like these candied carrots. Of course, any steamed or roasted vegetable will be delicious.

In our house, the kids always ask for this easy creamed corn, and I prefer something like a starter of this caprese salad instead. Whatever your family prefers, it is sure to be great alongside some of my mozzarella thyme pull-apart bread!

chicken legs on bed of lettuce on black slate plate

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken legs and thights
5 Russet potatoes
1 shallot
12 garlic cloves
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup fresh parsley

white platter holding roasted chicken legs and potatoes

Handy Kitchen Tools

Above are basic items you'll most likely have on hand already. For this recipe, a garlic press and a meat thermometer are also very handy to have.

square metal baking sheet of potatoes and chicken roasted in red sauce

How to Make Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

Begin with preparing your sheet pan by covering it with aluminum foil. This isn't necessary, but does make cleanup much easier to manage. Next, you'll want to prep your potatoes by peeling and cutting them into ½" chunks.

In a food processor, add the shallot, half of the garlic cloves, ½ cup of the olive oil, and the zest and juice of one of the lemons. Next, add in the tomato paste, honey, vinegar, and your spices.

hand pouring oil into blender with spices

Pulse this mixture or blend until it is smooth and no chunks remain.

Spread the potates over the baking sheet. You can add a bit of salt and pepper if you want, but I tend to skip it since the marinade will drip down onto them as it cooks.

hand spreading potatoes over baking sheet

Pat the chicken dry then use a knife to cut a few slits just about ¼" thick into each piece. Then place the chicken evenly over the top of the potatoes.

hand laying raw chicken legs onto sheet pan with potatoes

Pour the marinade over the top, concentrating mostly on coating the chicken.

hand pouring sauce over raw chicken legs on top of sliced potatoes on sheet pan

Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil creating a tight seal on all sides. This helps to keep the heat in to cook the food without letting it burn.

foil being put on top of chicken and potatoes on sheet pan

Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until it is nicely browned on top and the chicken has all reached a safe internal temperature.

While you let the chicken finish, you'll mince the reamining 6 garlic cloves and heat them in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Do this over medium to medium high heta, then add in the parsley and juice of the remaining lemon and simmer until it is wilted.

teal spoon in skillet with parsley and garlic

Once the chicken is done, pour this mixture over the top before serving.

spoon pouring garlic parsley over top of cooked chicken

This is great by itself, but can be served with any of your favorite vegetable side dishes!

baking sheet of roasted chicken and potatoes laying on striped napkin

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make This with Chicken Breasts Instead?

You can easily swap chicken breast in this recipe instead if you prefer. Use chicken breast if you want to control the fat and calories in this recipe or if you happen to get chicken breast on sale instead. Because chicken breasts have a different cook time than chicken thighs, you will need to make a few adjustments.

If you are cooking the chicken bone-in, follow the directions listed and add an additional 10 to 15 minutes if they have not reached 165°F internally. When using boneless skinless chicken breasts, you will cut the time back to 30 minutes, and check then add additional 5 minute increments as needed.

What Potatoes Should I Use?

While you can go with whatever potatoes you like, we recommend using Russet or Yukon gold potatoes. These potatoes have the right amount of water content so that the potatoes cook up perfectly when roasted.

How Do You Know The Chicken is Done Cooking?

It’s important that you check the internal temperature of your chicken. You can use a meat thermometer to check the center of the thickest part of the chicken breast – this should read 165°F/74°C. If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can check to see if the juices run clear when you pierce the meat.

chicken thighs on top of potatoes by red onion on white platter

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If you want to add something else new and tasty to your menu, we have tons of great ideas for you. Chicken is a great affordable protein, and you will find ideas below that are anything but boring. Make sure to bookmark these, print out the recipes, or pin them to your favorite Pinterest board to make soon!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 6

Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

This easy zesty roasted chicken and potatoes sheet pan meal is a great weeknight dinner with minimal prep and delicious flavor!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in chicken legs and thighs
5 Russet potatoes, sliced into ½" pieces
1 shallot, chopped
12 garlic cloves, (6 whole, 6 minced)
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lemon, juice and zest
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil then set it aside.
In a food processor or blender, combine the shallot, 6 of the garlic cloves, ½ cup olive oil, the zest of one lemon, juice of one lemon, tomato paste, honey, white vinegar, allspice, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cardamom, paprika, and salt.
Pulse this mixture until it is smooth.
Peel and slice the potatoes, then spread them over the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
Pat dry the chicken legs and thighs, then slice each of them 2 to 3 times, just ¼" into the meat. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes.
Pour the sauce over the meat making sure all pieces are coated well. It will drip onto the potatoes but does not have to coat them.
Cover the mixture with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum foil, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
While the chicken finishes cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring regularly so the garlic does not burn.
Add in the juice of one lemon and the parsley. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the parsley is wilted.
Remove the chicken from the oven, and pour the garlic-parsley mixture over the top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.