Classic Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes

This is the EASIEST recipe ever!! AND it was the most ordered and loved dish when I was catering!

This is the classic version I learned from 90 year old Yiayia Kikitsa--with ONLY 6 ingredients: chicken, potatoes, salt, oregano, lemon and EVGE EVOO--all thrown together directly in the baking pan & then into the oven--fast and no fuss!

There are many recipes out there and every single one I've seen over complicates this super easy dish. My advice is to make the simple version first--it's the one I've stuck to over the years after trying many variations--see some of them below the instructions.

The secret--use lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice and excellent EVGE EVOO! One medium lemon for every two thighs or every one split breast or leg quarter--and I usually put a splash more because we really do love lemon at our house, as my son says. "there can never be too much lemon!"

Traditionally, the chicken is cooked with white potatoes cut in wedges BUT delicious additions are any other potato, including sweet potatoes and carrots and/or other root vegetables.

You can use a whole chicken, but I prefer cut pieces--they cook faster and soak up more yummy lemon! My family always prefers thighs, but breasts also come out tender and juicy --or you can do a mixture!

AND because I like to cook without having much clean-up, I ALWAYS line my baking pans with parchment paper!!!

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
2. Juice the lemons
3. Line your baking pan with parchment paper
4. Put chicken pieces into the pan--cutting off any extra skin (I keep the extra in the freezer to make chicken broth) and removing any feathers that might be present 
5. Peel and cut potatoes into wedges and add to pan
6. Sprinkle salt and oregano on potatoes and BOTH sides of chicken
7. Pour lemon on chicken pieces and potatoes
8. Coat chicken and potatoes with EVGE EVOO
9. Put in hot oven and cook for 1 hour or until chicken and potatoes are golden brown!

ENJOY!!

Variations:

• Adding whole garlic cloves to the pan
• Mixing mustard and minced garlic with the lemon and evoo 
• Marinating the chicken pieces in lemon, salt, oregano--and garlic and mustard if desired
• Adding a bit of honey to the lemon and other ingredients.
• Adding lemon zest or powder to the sauce/marinade.
• Adding more herbs, such as rosemary or thyme (sometimes I do throw in a bit of thyme, actually!)

BUT, as I said above, I do none of these variations --all I do is throw everything together in the pan and roast! And many clients tell me they dream about my chicken (!!) and it was far and beyond the most ordered dish--even after telling everyone how simple it was!!