A recipe from “ The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World” by Lisa Kyung Gross:
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This recipe for Greek Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Lemon and Oregano was crafted by instructor Despina Economou. When Despina was growing up in Greece, it was always considered a Sunday dish, partly because you saved meat for the weekends, and partly because everyone in town had to do their roasting in the ovens at the local bakery. By 10 o’clock in the morning on Sundays, the bakery would have 50 dishes lined up for roasting, says Despina — so many that the bakers would have to take Polaroid photos to keep track of which was whose.
Made in your own kitchen, these simply dressed bone-in chicken thighs are perfect for anytime — they’re so simple but so homey and satisfying. Despina always uses the best-quality wild oregano and extra-virgin olive oil — both always Greek. If you can do the same, it will really make this extra delicious.
Serves: 4-6
3 pounds (1.4 kg) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (6 to 9)
1 1/2 pounds (680 g) russet potatoes (about 2 large)
1/2 ounce (15 g) garlic (about 4 medium cloves)
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (from about 2 to 3 lemons)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Greek wild oregano)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Prepare the ingredients: Take the 3 pounds (1.4 kg) bone-in chicken thighs (6 to 9) out of the refrigerator and let them sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before you move on to the next step. spoon or your hands to spread out the chicken and potatoes, making sure the potatoes are scattered evenly throughout — some may even be slightly under or over the chicken thighs; that’s fine. (The goal is that the chicken and potatoes will be close together in the dish but not too piled up.) Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water to the baking dish, drizzling it in along the sides so it doesn’t wash the seasoning off the chicken. Tightly cover the dish with heavy-duty foil (or use two layers).
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and position one rack in the middle of the oven.
3. Peel the 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) russet potatoes (about 2 large) and remove any black spots with the tip of a paring knife. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into four wedges. If you have large potatoes (longer than 3 inches/7.6 cm), cut the wedges in half so you end up with 8 shorter pieces. Put the potato wedges in a very large mixing bowl.
4. Put the chicken thighs on top of the potatoes in the mixing bowl and set them aside.
5. Make the sauce: Use a garlic press to press the 1/2 ounce (15 g) garlic (about 4 medium cloves) into a small mixing bowl. (If you don’t have a garlic press, you can grate the garlic on the small holes of a box grater or a microplane.) It will come out to about 1 tablespoon of garlic.
6. Squeeze the 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (from about 2 to 3 lemons) and add it to the garlic. Add the 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Use a fork to whisk everything together.
7. Pour the sauce over the chicken and potatoes and mix everything together well with your hands.
8. Bake the chicken and potatoes: Put the seasoned chicken and potatoes in a 9- by 13-inch (23 cm-by-33 cm) baking dish. Use a spoon or your hands to spread out the chicken and potatoes, making sure the potatoes are scattered evenly throughout — some may even be slightly under or over the chicken thighs; that’s fine. (The goal is that the chicken and potatoes will be close together in the dish but not too piled up.) Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water to the baking dish, drizzling it in along the sides so it doesn’t wash the seasoning off the chicken.
9. Tightly cover the dish with heavy-duty foil (or use two layers).
10. Roast the chicken and potatoes on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil from the dish. (There may be a lot of liquid at this point; that’s fine.) Continue roasting for another 20 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and the potatoes are soft. If you’re using a thermometer, it should read at least 165°F (75°C) when inserted into a thigh near the bone.
11. Serve and eat the chicken and potatoes: Serve the dish hot, making sure each person gets at least one thigh and several potatoes.
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Excerpted from “The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World” by Lisa Kyung Gross, (copyright) 2024. Published by HarperCollins. Photographs (copyright) Kristin Teig.