If comfort food were an entry in the dictionary, this would be the photo accompanying it. I must give Ina Garten credit for this since this is a variation on a recipe from her cookbook, Modern Comfort Food. She calls for marinating the chicken in buttermilk but since I didn’t have any, I made an olive oil and lemon-based marinade that I turned into a lovely sauce to serve alongside.
It’s a well established fact that I love potatoes. But there is nothing worse than under-cooked potatoes. Often when I see dishes like this I am skeptical that the potatoes will be properly cooked. Thankfully that is not the case with this recipe.
The key to ensuring that the potatoes turn out well is slicing them in uniform quarter-inch slices. Don’t be afraid to measure. I keep a pink ruler in my kitchen drawer for just that reason. I knew that I was in good company when I saw my brother, Geoff T, measuring the thickness of the potatoes he was making for Christmas dinner.
I recommend marinating the chicken for a few hours or overnight. Be sure to save the marinade once you’ve removed the chicken pieces. Once heated (to kill any harmful bacteria) it makes a great sauce for the chicken and potatoes.
You cook the chicken and potatoes in stages. The chicken roasts for 30 minutes on its own. Then you toss the sliced potatoes in the chicken juices and fresh rosemary, and arrange them in the pan. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and roast for another 30 minutes. For the last 15 minutes it’s just the potatoes at a higher heat to ensure they are cooked and browned.
Serve it straight from the skillet with some sauce on the side for a great Sunday dinner. Not only is this dish very easy to make, it’s delicious, too.
Note: The picture shows four chicken thights but I recommend making it as written with six.
| Skillet-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes | Print |
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- ½ teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1-1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (about 4 medium sized potatoes)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley or chives
- Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, white wine, Dijon mustard, garlic and 2 teaspoons rosemary in a large blow. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add chicken thighs and stir to coat. Place chicken in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and as much as overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in an 12-inch cast-iron skillet, put in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes. Then tilt the pan so the oil covers the bottom.
- Lift the thighs out of the marinade, letting any excess drip off and place them in the skillet, skin side up, in one layer. Place the skillet in the oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan and set aside.
- Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Toss the sliced potatoes to coat with the pan juices then spread the potatoes out in an overlapping circle, starting on the outside of the pan. (I wear disposable rubber gloves to do do this as the pan juices are a bit hot.) It's okay if some of the potatoes are underneath the chicken. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 2 teaspoons of rosemary, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet, placing it on the potatoes, skin side up.
- Roast 30 minutes longer, until the chicken registers at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer just the chicken to a clean plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Return the skillet to the oven, raise the temperature to 425°F, and roast the potatoes for 15 minutes more, until they’re tender and starting to brown.
- Heat marinade in pan over medium heat. Let cook for at least 10 minutes or it registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer (to kill any harmful bacteria). If you need to thin the sauce, add additional white wine. Transfer to a small pitcher or dish for serving. A little sauce on the chicken and potatoes is fine – you do not need a lot.
- Return the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with parsley or chives and Kosher salt. Serve hot from the skillet with sauce on the side.
Source: Adapted from Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food (2020)
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