Mediterranean Baked Chicken Dinner

A flavorful one-pan Mediterranean chicken dinner made with bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, potatoes, red onion, and cherry tomatoes, all baked in a lemon garlic sauce. Ready in 65 minutes with just 10 minutes of prep.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 5

Servings: 4 portions

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 90

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

MARINADE AND SAUCE

2 lbs bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks about 1 kg
0.5 cup fresh lemon juice about 125 ml, freshly squeezed
6 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard optional
2 tbsp honey or 1 tbsp sugar or maple syrup
1 tbsp dried oregano
1.5 tsp paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper

BAKE

5 small potatoes about 3 inches wide, quartered
2 red onions quartered
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 250 ml
8 oz cherry tomatoes whole, about 250g
0.5 tsp salt for the bake
0.5 tsp black pepper for the bake
1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
fresh oregano for garnish, optional

Equipment

Large baking pan or sheet pan
mixing bowl
meat thermometer

Method

Combine lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, dried oregano, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Taste the sauce before adding the chicken. It should be bright, slightly sweet, and deeply garlicky.
Add the chicken to the bowl and toss well to coat. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Even 1 to 2 hours adds noticeable flavor depth. If short on time, proceed immediately.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Arrange quartered potatoes and red onion wedges in a large baking pan. Make sure the pan is well filled so the ingredients sit snugly. Place the marinated chicken on top, skin side up. Pour chicken broth over the vegetables, then drizzle remaining marinade from the bowl over everything.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven. Scatter cherry tomatoes over the pan, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Return to oven and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until chicken skin is deep golden and potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
Check that chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer before serving.
Remove from oven, garnish with fresh oregano if using, and serve directly from the pan with the pan sauce spooned over each plate.

Notes

Bone-in skin-on thighs and drumsticks give the juiciest results. For boneless skinless thighs, add to the pan 20 minutes into baking. Chicken breast is not recommended but if used, add only in the last 20 minutes. Potato size matters: use small potatoes about 3 inches wide quartered, or cut large potatoes into 1.3-inch cubes. Fill the pan snugly to preserve the sauce. Marinating is optional but adds flavor depth. Customize with zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin, or corn. Try rosemary or thyme in place of oregano.