These roasted Mediterranean chicken thighs make it look like you tried way harder than you did. Crispy golden skin on top, baby potatoes underneath soaking up all the juices, and honestly the oven does most of the work.
The marinade takes about five minutes to stir together and it's mostly things you already have. Olive oil, tomato paste, lemon, smoked paprika, a little chili. The tomato paste is the part people want to skip, but it's what gives the chicken that deep color and keeps it from drying out under the foil.
I tested the timing on this one more than I'd like to admit. Covered at 375°F first so the potatoes actually cook through and the chicken stays juicy, then uncovered at 425°F to crisp the skin. Go straight to high heat and you get crispy skin sitting on top of half raw potatoes.
Honestly, this is the perfect impromptu date night meal. It's super simple, but the flavors impress. Ogi has even told me himself that it always feels special when he comes home to this dish fresh out the oven.
If you like a chicken and potato situation with even less effort, my Slow Cooker Chicken and Potatoes does it all in the crockpot, and these Slow Cooker BBQ Drumsticks are the same crispy skin idea on a different cut. There's also my full Meal Prep Chicken Recipes roundup if you're looking for more ideas for the rest of the week.
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on. The bone keeps the meat juicy through a long bake and the skin is the whole reason for the second stage. Swap: bone-in drumsticks, no timing change. Boneless skinless thighs work if you cut the covered bake to about 30 minutes, but you won't get crispy skin. Breasts dry out over this long, so skip them.
- Tomato paste. Two tablespoons. It clings to the chicken instead of sliding off the way a thin marinade does, and it's where the deep color comes from.
- Lemon. Juice of half a lemon, about one and a half tablespoons. Fresh only, the bottled stuff tastes flat next to the smoked paprika. Swap: a tablespoon of red wine vinegar.
- Baby potatoes. No peeling, the skins go tender and hold the halves together. Swap: Yukon Gold or red potatoes cut into chunks about the size of a halved baby potato.
- Smoked paprika. Not the same as sweet paprika, and you will taste the difference. This is the star of the marinade.
See recipe card for remaining ingredients & quantities.
Instructions & Video
Add baby potatoes.
Add marinated chicken overtop & bake for 50 minutes covered!
Uncover & flip so that the skin side is facing up! Bake uncovered!
Serve & enjoy!
Roasted Mediterranean Chicken Thighs & Baby Potatoes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, mix olive oil, tomato paste, parsley, lemon juice, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Add chicken thighs, coating them well. Set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the potatoes.
- Prepare Potatoes: In a baking dish, toss the halved baby potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them evenly across the dish.
- Assemble and Bake: Place the marinated chicken thighs over the potatoes, skin side down. Cover the dish with foil.
- First Bake: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 50 minutes.
- Final Bake: Remove from the oven, uncover, and flip the chicken so the skin side is up. Increase the temperature to 425°F (220°C) and bake, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy this savory, Mediterranean-inspired dish!
Nutrition
Notes
Storage
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and honestly the potatoes taste even better on day two once they've sat in the juices.
- To reheat, put everything in a baking dish, cover with foil and warm at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, which brings the skin back much closer to how it started than the microwave will.
- I don't recommend freezing this one, the potatoes turn grainy and watery when they thaw, so cook the amount you'll actually eat within a few days.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Frequently Asked Questions for Mediterranean Chicken Thighs & Baby Potatoes
Do I have to cover chicken thighs with foil when baking?
For this recipe, yes, for the first 50 minutes. The foil steams the potatoes underneath so they cook through, then coming off for the last 30 minutes at 425°F is what crisps the skin. Bake it uncovered the whole time and you get crispy chicken over hard potatoes.
Why are my potatoes still hard?
Size, almost always. Anything bigger than a golf ball needs quartering instead of halving, and they need one layer, not a pile. If you're already partway through, uncover, give them 10 to 15 more minutes at 425°F and spoon the pan juices over them.
What temperature should chicken thighs be cooked to?
165°F is the safe minimum, but thighs are better at 175°F to 185°F. The extra time breaks down the connective tissue, which is why thighs stay juicy at a temperature that would ruin a chicken breast. Check the thickest part, away from the bone.
Related
Looking for other savory recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my fav desserts to serve with this Mediterranean chicken:
Maja Banjac says
Hi Maja ,
This is Tijana's mom.
Just wanted to say that I really liked this recipe so much that I'm making it again within a week. First time around I made it while I was in Serbia at my aunt's house and did it by your Instagram video alone before I got the actual recipe. Didn't have the smoked paprika and tomato paste there but everyone still liked it.
Making the proper version again tonight.
Will be trying out some of your other ones as well. xox
Shelby says
This recipe has quickly become a staple meal in our house. It’s so flavorful and makes for great leftovers. I love to squeeze extra lemon juice over the meat and potatoes when it’s all done. It also pairs nicely with asparagus.
Brittany says
We loved this recipe! So yummy. What sauce are you dipping this chicken into? It looks so good.
AT says
Thanks for the recipe. I made this and it's really good.
Maria says
Made this the other night and it was sooooo good! Both hubby and my picky eater cleaned their plates and asked for it to be part of the weekly rotation
brokensailor says
This was great! The potatoes needed some additional time in the oven to finish.
Maja Ilic says
Aw thank you!! Did you use baby potatoes?