Baked garlic Parmesan chicken and potatoes is a one-pan dinner of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs roasted over halved baby potatoes in a garlic, Dijon, lemon and herb marinade. The skin turns deep golden and crisp, the potatoes soak up the pan juices, and everything is showered with finely grated Parmesan the moment it leaves the oven. A cool yogurt and Parmesan sauce goes on the side. It is a Sunday-style dinner that works on a weeknight.
How to make garlic parmesan chicken and potatoes: Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil in a large roasting tray, set chicken thighs skin-side up among them and coat the chicken with a garlic, mustard, lemon and herb marinade. Roast for 40 minutes, add chicken stock to the tray and roast 20 to 25 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 165°F. Finish with Parmesan and parsley.
Why You’ll Love It
- One tray. The chicken and the potatoes roast together.
- Crisp skin. A hot oven and a few simple rules keep it from going soft.
- Potatoes full of flavor. They finish cooking in chicken stock and pan juices.
- A fresh sauce. Greek yogurt, Parmesan, garlic and lemon, stirred together while the chicken roasts.
- Mostly hands-off. About 15 minutes of work, then the oven does the rest.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thighs. Bone-in and skin-on, 6 to 8 pieces, approximately 3 to 3 1/2 pounds in total. Pat them dry before they go in the tray.
Baby potatoes. One and three-quarter pounds, halved. Quarter any larger ones so the pieces match.
The marinade. Olive oil, freshly minced garlic, Dijon mustard, the juice of 1/2 lemon, honey, sweet paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, sea salt flakes and black pepper.
Chicken stock. A 1/4 cup, added partway through.
Parmesan cheese. Finely grated. A 1/4 cup goes into the sauce and 1/2 cup is sprinkled over the hot tray at the end.
Greek yogurt. One and a half cups, the base of the serving sauce.
Flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges. For finishing and serving.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
For the chicken and potatoes
- 1 3/4 pounds baby potatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
For the serving sauce
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons water, as needed
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For finishing
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Lemon wedges, for serving
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Choose a large roasting tray that holds the chicken and potatoes in a single layer without overcrowding.
2. Mix the marinade. Whisk the 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, juice of 1/2 lemon, honey, paprika, oregano, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together.
3. Arrange the potatoes and chicken. Toss the potatoes in the tray with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt to taste. Pat the chicken thighs dry, place them skin-side up among the potatoes, and coat the chicken with the marinade. Keep the chicken and potatoes in a single layer.
4. Start roasting. Roast uncovered on the oven’s middle rack for 40 minutes.
5. Make the serving sauce. While the chicken roasts, mix the yogurt, 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until creamy and spoonable. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until serving.
6. Add the stock and finish roasting. Pour the stock into the base of the tray, avoiding the chicken skin. Gently move the potatoes to prevent sticking and put them back in a single layer. Roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender with golden edges and the chicken is golden and measures at least 165°F on a food thermometer.
7. Finish and rest. Sprinkle the hot chicken and potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the parsley. Rest the chicken on the tray for 5 minutes, then serve with lemon wedges and the yogurt sauce.
How Do You Keep the Skin Crisp While the Potatoes Cook?
Chicken skin crisps in dry heat and softens in steam. Potatoes, meanwhile, like a little liquid to finish cooking. The trick is to give each one what it needs in the same tray.
| Rule | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Give it room | Use a tray big enough for a single layer | Crowded food steams |
| Dry the chicken | Pat the thighs dry before the marinade | Less surface moisture on the skin |
| Skin up | Set the thighs skin-side up among the potatoes | The skin faces the oven’s heat |
| No cover | Roast uncovered on the middle rack | Moisture escapes |
| Stock at the bottom | Pour it into the base of the tray, never over the chicken | The potatoes get the liquid and the skin stays dry |
If the chicken is done and you want more color on the potatoes, take the chicken off the tray and put the potatoes under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes.
Tips for Success
When should I add the stock?
After the first 40 minutes of roasting. Pour it around the potatoes, onto the bottom of the tray.
How do I confirm the chicken is cooked?
Use a food thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone. It should read at least 165°F. Golden skin by itself is not proof.
Why move the potatoes when the stock goes in?
To loosen any that have stuck to the tray. Then spread them back into a single layer so they keep browning.
How thick should the yogurt sauce be?
Creamy and spoonable. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until it gets there.
When does the Parmesan go on?
As soon as the tray comes out, while everything is hot, so the cheese softens onto the chicken and potatoes.
How Long Does It Take?
About 85 minutes: 15 minutes of prep, about 65 minutes of roasting and a 5-minute rest. You make the sauce while the chicken is in the oven.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Reheat until the chicken reaches 165°F. Keep the yogurt sauce in its own container.
What to Serve With It
A green side is all this needs. Try roasted garlic-Parmesan zucchini, squash and tomatoes or garlic herb roasted potatoes, carrots and zucchini. For more chicken and potato dinners, make chicken and potatoes with Dijon cream sauce or the chicken bacon ranch casserole with potatoes. And for more Parmesan chicken, there are Longhorn Parmesan crusted chicken and Italian Parmesan chicken skewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the chicken skin crisp while the potatoes cook through?
Roast in a single layer, uncovered, with the chicken skin-side up, and keep the stock off the skin.
When should I add the stock so it does not pour over the chicken skin?
After 40 minutes. Pour it between the potatoes, onto the bottom of the tray.
How do I confirm the chicken is cooked safely?
Check it with a food thermometer. Chicken is done at 165°F.
Do I have to make the yogurt sauce?
No, but it takes only a few minutes, and its cool, tangy flavor is good against the rich chicken.
Final Notes
I pour the stock from a small jug with a spout, which makes it easy to aim between the potatoes. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil for the marinade
- 1 tablespoon garlic freshly minced, for the marinade
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon juiced, for the marinade
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes for the marinade
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked, for the marinade
- 1 3/4 pounds baby potatoes halved; quarter larger potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for the potatoes
- sea salt flakes to taste, for the potatoes
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 6-8 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on, approximately 3 to 3 1/2 pounds total
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt for the serving sauce
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, for the serving sauce
- 1 small clove garlic finely grated, for the serving sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice for the serving sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for the serving sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons water as needed, for the serving sauce
- sea salt flakes to taste, for the serving sauce
- black pepper freshly cracked, to taste, for the serving sauce
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, for finishing
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley finely chopped, for finishing
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Choose a large roasting tray that holds the chicken and potatoes in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Whisk the 1/4 cup olive oil, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, juice of 1/2 lemon, honey, paprika, oregano, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together.
- Toss the potatoes in the tray with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt to taste. Pat the chicken thighs dry, place them skin-side up among the potatoes, and coat the chicken with the marinade. Keep the chicken and potatoes in a single layer.
- Roast uncovered on the oven's middle rack for 40 minutes.
- While the chicken roasts, mix the yogurt, 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until creamy and spoonable. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until serving.
- Pour the stock into the base of the tray, avoiding the chicken skin. Gently move the potatoes to prevent sticking and put them back in a single layer. Roast for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender with golden edges and the chicken is golden and measures at least 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Sprinkle the hot chicken and potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the parsley. Rest the chicken on the tray for 5 minutes, then serve with lemon wedges and the yogurt sauce.
