There’s one simple, no-effort complete skillet meal I love beyond all others – Greek Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken. The chicken turns out beautifully, the flavors are amazing, and those potatoes steal the show!
Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken (There were only three of us, so I just cooked three breasts.)
These potatoes are roasted and crispy, creamy and soft in the center, and they are garlicky and lemony deliciousness. But wait, there’s more!
About Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken:
Toss in a few tomatoes and a small handful of your favorite olives, along with the lemon and garlic, and you’ve got an insanely easy (and delish) meal. I can testify: I’ve been making this since the late 70s, after a Greek friend of my Mom’s showed her how.
This is like the little black dress of dinners. Dress it up or down. Upgrade with sliced Yukon gold fingerling potatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, a good Kalamata or mix of olives, and pull out your best olive oil. When finished, add a touch of fresh parsley and pass lemon wedges, and all of a sudden it’s company worthy.
Making Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken:
The chicken, once cooked, will be surrounded by juicy tomatoes and a lovely lemony “sauce” (the lemons on the bottom of the skillet work magic), and those potatoes are sitting in all those juices just soaking up the flavor.
It can be served just as is, but for next-level goodness, as shown in the pics, remove the chicken and turn on the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the potatoes.
Cut the potatoes on the small side, don’t skimp on salt, and watch the liquid in the bottom of the skillet; you don’t want it to dry up. If you’d like a little more of that saucy liquid, when the dish is done, add a bit more water as per instructions in the recipe.
Lay lemon slices in the skillet, chicken over it, then toss the vegetables in.
The Tomatoes:
Traditionally, the dish would be made with chunks of large tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes melt into jammy deliciousness. Don’t use grape tomatoes – the skins are too thick.
If it’s in the dead of winter, and the tomatoes aren’t good, cut up a few whole canned tomatoes, or in a pinch, add about 1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes.
Variations:
- If making a larger amount, a good oven-safe casserole is your best bet; a 9 x 13″ Pyrex works well. Don’t use the broiler if you are unsure how much heat your casserole can take.
- This dish is sometimes made with the addition of carrots. Add them if you wish.
Serve With:
I can’t imagine serving with anything other than a big Greek salad, like this Horiatiki Greek Salad.
Horiatiki Greek Salad
Leftover Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken:
Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Remove the lemon before storing; it will overpower the dish.
- For best results, reheat servings, lightly covered, in the microwave. Add a little water if needed.
- Larger amounts may do better in the oven. Reheat in a preheated oven (350 degrees F.), covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. If it appears dry, drizzle with a little water, cover, and heat for a few more minutes until absorbed.
You may wish to rework chicken if leftovers are dry; place in a pan with a little water or broth and simmer gently until easily shredded. Flavor with salsa, barbecue sauce, or so on, and serve as desired.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
- Sunday Roast Chicken (lemon variation)
- Lemony Chicken with Potatoes and Green Beans
- Spinach Artichoke Dip Chicken
Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast or Thighs:
There are options when it comes to purchasing boneless, skinless chicken breasts (and thighs, too). Generally, buying in larger amounts means you’ll pay less per pound.
- Chicken drops to a low once a quarter. Know the pricing in your area, what’s a good deal, and a great one, and never pay full price. Stock the freezer at rock bottom. Divide family packs into amounts for meals.
- Take it one step further and reduce today’s huge breasts into actual serving sizes. Large ones can be cut in half, and smaller ones trimmed to size. Package trimmings for stir-fries, casseroles, chicken strips, and so on.
- Compare sale pricing at all the available stores, and fresh to frozen. Frozen is often priced in ounces; learn how to compare to fresh, priced by the pound. Unless it’s a great sale, frozen is often more per pound than fresh on sale.
Red Potatoes:
Often higher in price than russets, there are some tricks to know when to buy and how to store them.
- Think seasonally and watch sales. Lowest prices are from late summer through winter, and they are often on deep sale before St. Paddy’s Day.
- Larger bags are cheaper per pound unless there’s a great sale on another size. Potatoes in bags vary in sizes. Sort and use appropriately, cutting uniformly for recipes.
- A large red runs about eight ounces, a medium about five, and a smaller one a few ounces less. Avoiding “baby” potatoes will save money.
- Store in a dark, cool, dry area, well-ventilated, and away from onions. Remove from plastic. A paper grocery bag with the top folded over keeps them in the dark and reduces condensation.
Olives:
- If you can get to a market, selection, quality, and pricing will be best.
- At the grocery, check the last chance bins. Compare olives in the deli or salad bar with jarred. Aldi Specially Select is a good budget option, falling midrange in quality.
- For basic canned, check pharmacies (they have great sales, otherwise they’re high) and the dollar store.
- Dates have little meaning; after opening, olives keep in the fridge for months as long as they are covered with brine..
Hi Guys! If you love the bright Greek flavors, this one’s for you! I hope you enjoy this classic favorite! Happy Cooking!
Mollie
Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken
Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish Chicken
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon, finely zest 1 teaspoon of zest, squeeze one tablespoon of juice, then thinly slice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, maybe a bit more
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried, or more if you wish (see note)
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved or one large tomato, chopped, substitute three or four canned tomatoes, chopped, excess juice drained
- 10 kalamata olives, pitted if desired
- 4 large red potatoes, quartered then cut into about 1/2″ to 3/4″ inch chunks, or an equivalent amount of baby or fingerling potatoes, halved, depending on size
- 4 six-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Water if needed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of large 12-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine oil, zest & the tablespoon of juice, salt, pepper, garlic & oregano. Add the chicken, tomatoes, olives, and potatoes, and toss to coat, unless using canned tomatoes; sprinkle those on top before the skillet goes in the oven.
Arrange chicken in a single layer towards the center of the skillet on top of the lemon slices. If one end of the breasts is thicker, place with the thinner portion toward the center, thicker part toward the edge of the skillet.
Arrange vegetable mixture over and around chicken, potatoes toward the outside. Pour any remaining olive oil/lemon juice mixture over the chicken breasts, scraping out the herbs and garlic and smearing it over the chicken.
Bake at 450 for 50 to 55 minutes or until chicken is done to 165 degrees; timing may vary; check with your thermometer. If desired, remove chicken from skillet when done, and place the skillet about five inches below broiler. Broil on high for three to five minutes until the tops of the potatoes are browned.
Depending on how juicy the tomatoes and lemon are, this chicken will form its own sauce, but check after about 25 minutes of cooking time. If it seems to be dry and is starting to stick to the pan, add about 1/4 cup of water and nudge the potatoes around just a bit. Check again at about 45 minutes of cooking time. If the skillet is dry, add a bit more water, stir the vegetables, baste if desired.
It’s your choice toward the end if you’d like to add enough liquid in the form of water to have a gorgeous sauce in the bottom of the pan or just a little so the potatoes will be a bit crispier. Just be sure to add enough water if needed during the cooking process to prevent any burning.
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I’m sharing Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken at Fiesta Friday #262, co-hosted by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
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