Baked Chicken and Potatoes

Last week I came across an Instagram reel for baked chicken and potatoes and it looked really good. I made the recipe today and it was incredible! I made a few changes to the original recipe - my changes are reflected below. In the recipe print preview, I changed the ingredient amounts to be enough for 4 chicken thighs. I also used dried herbs because I unfortunately rarely have fresh herbs on hand. I used baby gold potatoes and cut them in half, the juice from half of a lemon and some white wine (I didn't measure either of them).

I prepped everything in the early afternoon and then refrigerated it in a bowl until after I picked my boys up from school - it makes for a very easy weeknight meal! I used my Le Creuset 7-qt. Signature Roasting Pan which fit everything well. The chicken thighs and potatoes took 45 minutes to bake and then I put them under the broiler on low for an additional 3 minutes - everything was perfectly cooked. The only thing I'll do differently next time is make more of them!

I served this with homemade drop biscuits because I know my boys love those. If I ever make the chicken by itself and leave out the potatoes, I would make jasmine rice as a side and serve the extra delicious juice on top of the rice. This chicken was incredible and I will definitely be making it over and over again!

Baked Chicken and Potatoes

Recipe adapted from Cucina by Elena

 

This one-pan recipe combines tender chicken, crispy potatoes, and fresh herbs in a savory olive oil sauce. Easy, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion!

 

4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on

16-ounce or 24-ounce bag petite gold potatoes, cut in half

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon white wine

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon coarse black pepper

 

 

Preheat your oven to 425°. Lightly oil a large baking pan or baking sheet to prevent sticking. You can also use a large oven safe baking dish.

 

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, onion, parsley, thyme, oregano, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, white wine, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and mix well. Add the chicken thighs and toss everything together until the chicken and potatoes are evenly coated with the seasoning and olive oil. If you’re making this ahead of time, at this point you can refrigerate it for a few hours.

 

Spread the chicken thighs and potatoes evenly across the prepared baking pan. Ensure the chicken is skin-side up for crispiness.

 

Place the pan in the oven and roast for 45-60 minutes. Check that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°, and the potatoes are golden and fork-tender. For extra crispy skin, broil for the last 2-3 minutes.

 

Remove the pan from the oven and let the dish rest for a few minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh thyme if desired.

 

Enjoy this flavorful, easy-to-make dish for any occasion!

 

NoteS:

Use a paper towel to pat the chicken dry before seasoning for crispier skin.

Cut the potatoes into uniform pieces to cook evenly.

Spread everything out in a single layer to allow proper roasting and crisping.

For golden, crispy skin, broil the dish for 2-3 minutes at the end of roasting.

Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° for perfect doneness.

Let the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking to lock in juices and enhance flavor.

Kid Friendly Italian Chicken Fingers

I love any dinner that I can prepare ahead of time, especially one that I can just stick in the oven close to dinnertime. Today I prepped Giada's Kid Friendly Italian Chicken Fingers while my boys were napping. This recipe is very similar to Ree Drummond's Chicken Nuggets recipe which I often make (I always make them as chicken tenders though), except for a few things - Giada's recipe has parmesan mixed in with the breadcrumbs and her recipe is baked whereas Ree's is fried. In both recipes, you cover the chicken in a flour mixture first (I find it easiest to do this in a ziploc bag), then dip it in egg, then in a breadcrumb mixture. My husband loves Ree's recipe when I make it so I was curious to see how he liked this one. I thought it was delicious. He thought it was a bit dry (I baked them for 15 minutes so next time I will try a little less time) and liked Ree's recipe better. I will still try this one again and see if I can win him over on it, but you really can't go wrong with either recipe!

Kid Friendly Italian Chicken Fingers

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentis

1½ pounds chicken tenders

1 Tablespoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup of all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil, to drizzle

¾ cup of store-bought or prepared marinara, to serve

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°.

Season the chicken tenders evenly with a teaspoon of salt.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour with the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. In a second medium bowl, whisk together the eggs. In a third medium bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Dredge the chicken in the flour and then into the egg mixture. Allow any excess egg mixture to drip off and coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the breaded chicken in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 13 to 15 minutes.

Warm a bowl of marinara in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Arrange the chicken on a platter and serve warm marinara on the side.

Yield: 4-6 servings.