It’s humbling that way every September, without fail, knocks me on my rump. One week, you’re breezy and unscheduled, reading books on a beach and tearing lobster apart with your bare hands (indeed, we were in Maine) and the next you’re realizing a certain fetid backpack was never emptied on the last day of school in June, scrambling for after-school care, and despite the fact that I work every week of the year, somehow there’s a lot more to do. If dinner can’t be made in one pan in which everything cooks at once, I haven’t been making it. And yet I’ve made this chicken dish four times in the last month; it’s clearly time to shout about it across the internet.
I trace this back to a newsletter from Clare de Boer last April (and if you don’t subscribe, you should; it’s wonderful), in which she was on a mission to find a sheet pan chicken recipe that actually had crispy skin, and found it in a pan of chicken thighs with lemon and onion. I, too, am a crispy chicken skin skeptic; it’s not that I don’t believe it gets crisp, but I find it rarely stays that way once it has rested or when other ingredients join the party. But, curiosity got the better of me — curiosity, but not, uh, any kind of adherence to the recipe as written because see above: I need everything to be a meal-in-one-pan right now. I added potatoes (because potatoes with chicken and lemon are excellent) and chickpeas (I’m honestly less clear on why, but it felt right) to a baking dish (not sheet pan) and despite all of my changes, was still entirely delighted with the outcome.
The chicken thighs are utterly crisp on top and the lemon, onion, garlic, oregano, and olive oil underneath collect the chicken drippings and swirl it into a delicious sauce that perfumes the potato wedges and chickpeas as they roast. Rind-on lemon slices, something I often find to be an unwelcome interruption in dishes, are fantastic here, mellowed by the oil and general brothiness and sweetened by the onion. In one round, I tried to remove the chickpeas to simplify the dish and (I could not make this up) received an irritated text from a teenager: “Dad said you’re making the chicken without the chickpeas — why? I like them.” Unwilling to cross a 15 year-old demanding legumes, they’ve stayed.
Podcast! A new episode of my podcast with J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, The Recipe with Kenji and Deb is out and I’m a little biased but I think this is one of the most fun ones yet, on the mighty BLT sandwich. You can listen to it anywhere you get your podcasts and catch up on any episodes you’ve missed right here. New episodes drop every other Monday. I hope you enjoy listening as much as we’re enjoying the conversation.
Video
Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Chickpeas
- 2 lemons, halved
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium-large bone-in chicken thighs (about 2.25 pounds total)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus an additional drizzle
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3/4 pound yukon gold potatoes (about 3 medium), unpeeled, each cut into 8 wedges
- Big handful chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish
Heat oven: To 450°F (yes, really!)
Assemble dish: Halve and very thinly slice second half of first lemon, fishing out any lemon seeds. In a 9×13-inch baking dish (or lasagna pan), combine lemon slices, 3 tablespoons olive oil, onion, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and many grinds of black pepper. Add potato wedges and chickpeas and stir until everything is evenly mixed and coated. Remove chicken thighs from bowl and place them atop the potato-chickpea mixture, skin side-up. Pour any juices left in the bowl over the potatoes and chickpeas. Pat the chicken skin dry and drizzle it lightly with more olive oil.
Cook: Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 45 minutes, or until the chicken thighs are cooked through. The chicken skin should be crisp. Carefully transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Stir the potato-chickpea mixture just to remix it and distribute it evenly in the pan, and return the pan to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, to ensure the potatoes finish cooking and everything gets a little brown.
Return chicken thighs (and any juices that have collected on the plate) to the potato-chickpea pan. I don’t generally find that the thighs have cooled enough in 10 minutes that they need to rewarm, but if yours have, pop the whole thing back in the oven for a couple minutes. Cut remaining lemon into wedges.
To serve: Sprinkle with parsley, serve with additional lemon wedges for squeezing over the pan, and eat right away.
Previously
6 months ago: Turkey Meatloaf for Skeptics
1 year ago: Simple Eggplant Parmesan
2 years ago: Eggplant Involtini
3 years ago: Baked Farro with Summer Vegetables
4 years ago: Shaved Fennel and Crushed Olive Salad and Corn Coconut Soup
5 years ago: Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies
6 years ago: Foolproof Cacio e Pepe
7 years ago: Cheesecake Bars with All The Berries and Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime, and Cotija
8 years ago: Eggplant Parmesan Melts and Even More Perfect Blueberry Muffins
9 years ago: Angel Hair Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce, Crispy Peach Cobbler, and Corn Chowder Salad
10 years ago: Strawberries and Cream with Graham Crumbles and Corn Cheddar and Scallion Strata
11 years ago: Almond-Crisped Peaches, Key Lime Popsicles and Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
12 years ago: Mediterranean Baked Feta with Tomatoes, Leek, Chard, and Corn Flatbread and Vanilla Custards with Roasted Blueberries
13 years ago: Hazelnut Plum-Crumb Tart, Zucchini Fritters, and Naked Tomato Sauce
14 years ago: Eggplant Salad Toasts and Peach Shortbread
15 years ago: Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza and Peach Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
16 years ago: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs and Dimply Plum Cake
17 years ago: Double Chocolate Torte and Spicy Soba Noodles with Shiitakes
18 years ago: Moules Frites and 44-Clove Garlic Soup
I cannot believe I am the first comment. Looks delicious! Might make tonight– thanks!
Can confirm– made it last night and it was great. Used fresh dill instead of parsley, smaller potatoes because that’s what we had on hand. Added shallots to the mix and a generous touch of paprika. I didn’t need the full cook time with bone-in thighs (probably only half). Served with a salad, and even the toddler was a fan!
Made it two nights in a row it was so tasty!
Idk how this is so wildly delicious!!
My first smitten kitchen recipe – a friend made it for me a few months ago and tonight I recreated it with sweet potatoes and chicken thighs without skin (just what I had) … and oh my goodness it was luscious and amazing.
Immediately earned a spot in the rotation.
I made this Friday night, for 5. I added more potato and another piece of chicken. I also added more lemon juice as my lemons were small. OH doesn’t like dark chicken, I gave him a chicken fillet, his won’t have been as good as everyone else’s, but that’s what he likes. I also unintentionally cooked it longer than recipe states because my daughter arrived late. It was so delicious, I can’t wait to make it again.
5 star recipe *****
Yes! This is exactly what my family needs. If I use drumsticks instead of thighs would you reduce the chicken cooking time by 10 minutes?
If you use kosher chickens do you still need salt?
Hi Batya, I keep kosher and I generally either don’t salt the meat, or salt it lightly. It can be VERY salty if you use the suggested amount of salt from non-kosher recipes. For a chicken-and-vegetable dish, I usually use a light sprinkle of salt.
I compliment the 2 of you for keeping kosher. I’m too lazy and not religious. Keep up the good work. 👍
Surely this could be easily doubled, right? Bigger pan, of course. I’m imagining that doubled will mean fantastic leftovers!
What kind of baking dish are you using that is oven safe at 450? I think most of mine are only rated for 400-425.
This is my favorite 9×13-inch pan, using it here, and I’m sad to see it’s out of stock as it was always reasonably priced and mine have held up for 10+ years.
How long would you cook this with boneless chicken thighs.
They’re going to cook very fast, maybe 20 minutes tops. I’d add some broth after removing them, since they won’t have much in the way of drippings. Then finish the potatoes and vegetables for longer.
I made this EXACTLY as Deb instructed and it turned out perfect. It will become a regular in our house and I immediately shared the recipe with my foodie friends.
Wow! Thanks for this winner – I missed it until your rear-end roundup and then made it Jan. 1. Great beginning!
This looks amazing but just stop. Fifteen???? I can’t even.
My reaction exactly. 15?!?
100%. I am gobsmacked.
Agree – how can that little cinnimon swirl post have been 15 years ago!
And his sweet newborn baby picture!! LOVE IT!!Made this and I agree the chickpeas are so delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Looks amazing. Can I use bone-in chicken breasts instead?
Right?! In my head he’s still a wee nugget.
Planning to try this with either tofu or pork – poultry allergy here.
Please let us know how tofu variation turns out!
Any word on the tofu variation? This looks amazing!
I made this with tofu and it was really great! I added a little bit more oil since there would be no rendered chicken fat and it cooked throughout in 45 min. I used a bit less salt on the tofu itself, but did everything else the same. Cooking the tofu at 450 was nice because some of the cubes were a little crisped on the edges, which I like.
Wow, a whole hour at 450F for the potatoes! I can only imagine they would be burned… I usually bake my thighs at 400F for 45 minutes and they’re already super crisp on top and thoroughly cooked. Are you sure there’s not an error in the times or temperature?
Yeah you know she’s just an amateur who’s really new at this and she just throws crap out here without testing or double checking. That’s why she’s not famous and has no followers. FFS.
Veronique’s was a perfectly reasonable question that doesn’t call for such a reply. Of course Deb’s a professional, but that temperature and length of cooking time really does sound like a lot for the potatoes.
This was a big hit with my family. My oven was occupied so I made it on the grill in a cast iron. I the bottom was cooking quickly so I put the chicken directly on the grates for a few minutes to finish up. The grill actually worked well and gave some nice flavor. I used a half chicken (what I had) split into a thigh and breast, and some in my family are vegetarian, so I doubled the chickpeas, added some extra olive oil to compensate for the chicken fat, and served with some grilled halloumi.
Yikes, quite the response! Ovens are so different, I have 2 and need different temperatures when I bake the same foods, cookies, granola, almost everything. I’ve done a version of this dish for over 20 years and with 4 different ovens, temperatures and times will very likely vary for many people.
I find when I make dishes like this with meat layered on top of potatoes, it takes waaaay longer for the potatoes to crisp and brown to my liking, undoubtedly due to the juices the meat lets out through cooking + a more crowded pan than if I had cooked the potatoes separately. An hour makes complete sense to me here, but of course ovens do vary.
There is not an error. These won’t burn because they’re piled deep in a full baking dish collecting chicken drippings, not spread on a sheet pan.
I was actually more concerned about the chicken than the potatoes. Thighs generally cook in less than 30 minutes for me. Then I noticed that Deb’s four thighs weigh 2.25 lbs., which is roughly twice the weight of the last four-pack of thighs I purchased. With pieces that big 45 minutes at 450 doesn’t seem like so much of a stretch.
Hi, is there an equivalent for air frying? ( Oven, not counter top)
AI or spam, surely. Go away.
Looks good.
Rather than pouring the marinade over the chicken in the pan and then patting it off, essentially throwing it away while adding a step before the pan goes into the oven, and wasting paper towels . . . why not pour the marinade over everything else before placing the chicken on top?
Doing this would require moving the chicken out of the marinade bowl to a plate or something briefly, perhaps with tongs, but it would eliminate the patting-off step and might be worth it.
I like this idea!!
The instructions say to “Pour any juices left in the bowl over the potatoes and chickpeas.” They should not be poured over the chicken.
THANK YOU!
I was thinking the exact same thing and had to re-read the recipe over a few times to make sure I was reading that part correctly – as it seems to make far more sense to do just what you’ve suggested (as I had thought that perhaps I was missing something which would necessitate putting the chicken on, then the last of the sauce and THEN having to dry off the chicken).
You want to pour the marinade over everything but the chicken. But either way, you’re going to want to pat dry the chicken skin as it won’t be dry coming from the bowl.
Follow-up:
After roasting, I was going to finish cooking the dish another day.
I cut thin slices off half of one lemon and stored the other half in a glass jar in the fridge. For lemon juice for the marinade, I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice left over from what I had needed for something else and had previously refrigerated in a small jar. I did not cut up a second lemon for serving—felt that everything was sufficiently lemony already.
I lifted the chicken thighs out of the marinade, gently scraped the marinade off them back into the bowl with the back of a butter knife, and placed the pieces on the cutting board, which I hadn’t washed yet after cutting up the onions, potatoes, and lemon.
Then I poured the remaining marinade over the de-chickened ingredients in the baking dish and stirred it in—wanting to do this was the main reason for removing the chicken first. Also it felt like too much trouble to attempt to “aim” marinade being poured out of a bowl to avoid the chicken.
I patted the chicken thighs (which were already fairly dry) very lightly with a paper towel, placed them on top of the potatoes-lemon-chickpeas, and drizzled a little olive oil over them, as the recipe says to do.
The result was tasty and greatly enjoyed.
I have potatoes that need to be used and it’s almost cool enough to turn on the oven in our neck of the woods… your timing as always is impeccable
Since I have been with you even way before your son was photographed next to an eggplant I can’t believe he is 15. Just a note to say hello and that I am a big fan.
Wow this looks amazing and I cannot wait to try it!!!! I too share your disdain for flabby chicken skin. Have you ever tried Bon Appetit’s Pepperoncini Chicken? The chicken thighs are given the duck-breast-treatment: started skin-side down in a cold cast iron pan and slowly rendered for the first 15 minutes before flipping them over and finishing in the oven with the other ingredients nestled around them. It comes out perfect every time!
I have skinless chicken thighs. Should I reduce the cooking time or the temp? This looks SO GOOD.
Boneless skinless chicken will likely bake in less than half the time and you won’t end up with the drippings to flavor and moisten the other stuff. You might want to splash in a little broth.
Happy belated birthday Jacob!
That wee lad photographed with a can of shortening? LOL. I can’t believe Jacob is 15. Happy Birthday to your beautiful boy. This recipe is exactly what I want to cook right now. On the schedule for this weekend.
Could this be made with skinless, boneless chicken thighs, and if so, would the cooking time need to be adjusted?
They’re going to bake in half or less of the time and be unlikely to provide any drippings. You might want to add a little broth midway?
Maybe I’m just being greedy in my search for easy easy easy, but if I wanted to prepare a tray of this to freeze, would you recommend doing that before or after baking, understanding the crispy skin will be sacrificed?
How early in the day (or the day before?) can the marinade be made? The idea of doing even this at the end of the day is too much for me. Also: if you want to skip the potatoes for this reason, or for others, would you just substitute in more chickpeas? I would guess other (white?) beans would also work?
You could marinate the chicken for several hours, if you want to prep in the morning. I don’t generally mind it at 24 hours, but some people do. I’d use more chickpeas and just keep an eye on it as they might not need as much final roasting time.
Can this be made ahead?
What would you suggest for cooking time if I did this with breasts? I assume you’d recommend bone-in breasts? Thanks!
Breasts will probably cook faster (and have less drippings) so just give the potatoes etc. more time to cook solo.
Hi!! Do you think swapping sweet potatoes would work? I have everything else on hand for tonight besides the Yukons. I’m not sure if they would be too sweet or add too much moisture? What do you think? Thanks!!
It might be more moist and definitely more sweet but it might work! I’d keep an eye on the potatoes; sweet potatoes might burn faster.
My youngest doesn’t like potatoes, but likes sweet potatoes. I made this with a mix of russet and sweet, and we all preferred the sweet.
I think I might swap out the chicken thighs with some chicken piccata sometime. We’ll see.
Do you think this could work in an air fryer? What if you start with potatoes and add the chicken 10 minutes later. Then the chicken would not get cold
Made it tonight! So easy and so delicious! My kids even went back for seconds! Definite win!
I was planning to make a different chicken-potato dish tonight, but I pivoted when I saw this posted last night. It was delicious. Everyone ate/loved it, including my 3yo and 7yo (this never, ever happens). We are a family of crispy chicken skin fanatics, and this delivered!
I wish I’d budgeted more time to make it (my fault for not reading ahead). Ideally I’d have given it 1.5 hours—15-20 to preheat/prep, 45 to cook chicken, and then another 20 mins to really let the potatoes cook through and then get brown
Absolutely delicious! Made as written, except that I didn’t have as much lemon as needed – forgot our lemon tree is still not *quite* there in production yet. Ooops! More lemon and having lemon wedges will improve it next time.
Also, a happy accident of having slightly larger potatoes than were specified led to an extra ten minutes of baking to ensure the potatoes were cooked through after the thighs were removed, leading to even more deliciously browned taters and chickpeas.
My wife proclaimed it one of the best things I’ve ever made and restaurant quality! Which is thanks to you, not me. Fan-freaking-tastic.
Made this last night and it was great! The prep took me closer to 20 minutes and we found that we didn’t even need the second lemon. The browned/lemony chickpeas were the surprise star of the show.
Everyone loved it, especially the toddler! I’ll definitely make this straightforward, one pan meal again. We doubled it (and cooked in a turkey pan). We skipped the chickpeas, instead adding green beans during the final cooking step, which worked perfectly.
How do you think this would be with preserved lemon?
Delicious. Maybe minced in with the onion and garlic?
i had only a can of great northern beans on hand plus I have zucchini coming out my ears in my garden. hmmm, I thought. I used the great northerns and then put zuke chunks in the dish that last 10-15 minutes. Just wonderful!!!!!! Dinner AND one zuke down! Thank you! :-)
The taste of the dish is absolute fantastic, simple in the best way.
However, the edges all around got black and pretty burned on the pan (I used a Falcon Enamel), and a lot of the potatoes and chickpeas were mushy. I found it delicious, as noted, but am wondering if this is the intent of the dish?
Would it be better in something nonstick?
Cannot believe your baby is 15?!?!!? Which means I’ve been following you for…..like….over 17 years?????? I find it hard to believe, that’s actually insane. I found you in high school when you were just starting the blog, and have been a fan ever since. This recipe looks great, but, in general….just wanted to say thanks! Your irreverent writing and no-nonsense approach to inventive and imaginative cooking just fills me with joy. Excited to have been here so long, excited to keep reading for as long as you’re cooking and writing about it.
What a delightful meal! Made as directed with a few additions. In order to get a bit more Mediterranean spin, I used Aleppo pepper instead of black pepper, added some sumac to the dish as well as some chopped preserved lemon (at the advice of another commenter). Finished with some quartered marinated artichokes in place of the capers/chopped green olives Deb mentioned. Served with roasted broccoli because the oven was already going. 5 star review!!
Okay, this was fantastic. We have a 7 week old and a toddler and the next door neighbors have a 6 week old and a toddler. It was easy to prep two 9x13s fully, pop in fridge, and roast for dinner. I finished with arugula lightly dressed in a lemon vinaigrette and it was perfect!
How would I find out if my baking dish can handle 450 degrees? (Other than the obvious of putting it in the oven and seeing if it explodes?)
Most from major cookware brands should be able to. You also might be able to google the brand and model and see what temp it’s ovensafe to.
Do drumsticks work as a replacement? Trader Joe’s doesn’t have organic chicken thighs with bones…
I think they’ll be nice here, just won’t need as much roasting time, so the potatoes will need longer once the meat has been taken off.
Just made this and while the chicken and potatoes were delicious, the chickpeas & onions were very, very bitter… so disappointed! What did I do wrong? Are British lemons more sour than US ones? I think I might make it again but skip the lemon slices in the dish.
I had the same experience. Delicious, but an occasional wincing bitter note. Next time I will use wedges so I can remove them.
The first time I made this, it was delightful, and we all loved it, my toddler and five-year-old included. The second time, tonight, it was quite bitter, even for the grownups! Clearly a difference in the lemons, but not to my eye at the grocery store. How does one prevent this?!
I’ve read that the pith of younger lemons tend to be more bitter than that of older lemons, altho I have no idea how to distinguish age at the grocery store.
Then there’ s this advice: https://www.thedailymeal.com/1569214/ina-garten-tip-prevent-bitter-lemon/
This was yummy – agreed with others the chickpeas are surprisingly irresistible in this! I personally wouldn’t do this again for a weeknight dinner. Prep took at least 30 minutes and finishing the potatoes was more like 20-25 minutes. We have an in-oven thermometer hanging in the oven, so I know it was at least 425 the whole time.
OMG! Made this tonight…a hit…I actually made enough figuring it’d be great reheated for leftovers…
Made this tonight and it was absolutely fantastic. Really nice mix of flavors! My kiddo hates chickpeas but really liked these. Agree with other comments that this is a 20-30 min prep time but it was very easy. We served with a basic green salad which was just right. I will make this again soon!
If I wanted to 1.5 or double this, would an 11×17 pan work? Would it need more cooking time? My only complaint is no leftovers!
Glad it was a hit. I do think you could 1.5x it in an 11×17. Shouldn’t need more cooking time.
This was absolutely delicious! Only change was to substitute white beans for chickpeas because I had a pot of Rancho Gordo Marcella beans waiting in the fridge. (Thank you Deb for turning me on to them as well!)
Husband said he’d eat this anytime, high praise indeed!
Another winner! My husband is always happy when he hears I’m making one of your recipes. This was so yummy, and the chickpeas are an awesome addition!
This was really delicious. The chicken was perfect and the juicy mix at the bottom was a nice accompaniment. I cooked it exactly as written and it turned out like the photos.
Just a heads up—at 45 minutes the skin was beautifully crisp but the chicken was way under done (130 degree Fahrenheit).
Bt in the recipe, it says “Heat oven: To 450°F (yes, really!)”. :-)
Delicious. No notes.
+1. A perfect dish. Going in the rotation for sure.
Good effort to effect ratio! I made a few changes, adding ground coriander, minced rosemary and a dash of cumin, and I forgot the garlic and subbed white beans for chickpeas. Oh, and a lime instead of a lemon…
I also mixed up the dressing/marinade in a jam jar, chucked the veg in the pan, topped with skin-down chicken, and poured it over. Then I flipped the chicken and seasoned the skin side. No drying required.
Made this tonight. Thumbs up all around, including the tween and the teen. This will be going into our regular rotation!
This looks delightful! I also have a 15-year-old who I can’t believe is 15. But I also want to say – MORE MEALS like THIS! – Shove some stuff in a pan and come back later meals, because anything with technique is just too much right now with 3 kids and a job and all that. Didn’t have lemons last night, or this would have been dinner. Thanks for the many many years of good meals that since we seem to be running parallel lives are always just right for what I need in my life at the moment
Last two sentences of assembly instructions are in reverse order. Sounds delicious and will be trying this soon. Thanks.
I just re-read it and I don’t see where this error is.
To make this with bone in breasts, how much would you reduce the cooking time?
It will depend on their size but mine usually cook in 30 to 35 minutes.
I made this last night for dinner. Flavor profile was good but the skin did not crisp up nicely for me. Did people run it under the broiler? Any tips?
This is an exceptional recipe! Easy to make and the flavors meld beautifully!
What about the onion?
I made double the recipe. It was so good…45 minutes was perfect with crispy skin. It was just as good leftover. My son has requested it for a holiday dinner next week.
Found the onion and the garlic. Disregard my comment.
I made this tonight – temperature and timing were perfect. Chicken skin incredibly crispy. Lemony delicious. My only change – navy beans instead of chickpeas. Will make again!
Yes! I just made this and it was fantastic. Thank you!! Served with roasted cherry tomatoes on the side.
Delicious! We added red pepper flakes and sliced carrots to the mix of veggies to be roasted and served with arugula as recommended. Going into rotation, thank you!
This recipe is just delicious! The ingredients are simple but the combination of them is wonderful – everything is juicy and flavourful. Thank you for sharing😊
I absolutely love this recipe and I will be making it many more times. I’ve never added chickpeas to a dish like this and I was hesitant to do so but I loved it. They shrink and toast a bit and soak up some of the oil and marinade they’re just really delicious and nutty tasting.
I stream lined this recipe by using less prep bowls. one sheet PAN lined with 2 pieces of parchment paper and a ramekin was all I needed for major prep.
After I lined the sheet PAN with parchment paper I cut the garlic, onion and potatoes. I drained and rinsed my chickpeas and then added all of the vegetables and chickpeas directly onto the sheet PAN.
Next I got a ramekin, Added the juice of one whole lemon, 3-4 tablespoons of Olive oil, 1 tsp. Real salt, 1 tsp oregano and cracked black pepper. I stirred the marinade gently and then added half to the vegetables and chickpeas and gave them a good toss. I placed the chicken thighs on top Skinside down first, Drizzled some of the marinade on the bottom side and then turned them over and drizzled the rest of the marinade on the skin side and skinside was facing up. I finished with a drizzle of Olive oil over the top of the chicken. This recipe came out so beautifully and the timing on this was perfect. 45 minutes and the chicken was nice and crispy and brown, And I let the potatoes cook for another 10 minutes this was perfect timing. The dish was much better than I expected it to be and I will make be making this again…
I forgot to add, After I juice the whole lemon I just cut up half of the already juiced lemon and added the rind to the mixture of chickpeas and vegetables. This that way I only used one lemon for the whole recipe and it was plenty of flavor. Also using more than 1 tsp of salt for the entire dish would be too salty for my taste. My husband too oftentimes salts the food I cook thought this was perfect just as is!
I had a package of drumsticks and a lemon, and we just dug our potatoes, so I went for it. Dinner was going into the oven later than I’d hoped, though, and as I was piling the taters and chickpeas into my 9×13″ Pyrex, I made the last-minute decision to spread everything out on a sheet pan instead. It was done in 30 minutes.
I didn’t end up with a nice brothy sauce, but for anyone who is also strapped for baking time and has smaller chicken pieces, the sheet pan works. Everyone ate dinner happily.
This was great. We cut apart a whole chicken and used the thighs, drums and wings, which came to the same weight the recipe called for in thighs. I peeled my potatoes since they were a little sprouty. And since I had only Southern California’s tiniest (and seediest) lemons in the fridge, I used two. Otherwise, I followed this recipe to a T, and it was perfect. The onions got wonderfully jammy, the chickpeas nice and crisp, the potatoes pillowy and the chicken skin impressively crunchy. We served each portion over a bed of arugula that wilted and soaked everything up nicely—highly recommend that. I need to make more dinners that involve so little chopping for so satisfying a plate. And I will never tire of your penchant for dumping a can of chickpeas into dishes I would not think to add them to!
Whoohee! So good. So easy. I see a lot of this in our future too. To think I tried it mostly because of a surplus of chickpeas.. Works equally well with the remains of a rotisserie chicken hidden inside so it doesn’t dry out. Improved by the dredges of an old batch of preserved lemons. Seriously delicious
Another big winner from Deb!! The whole family loved it. It’s easy and delicious. I absolutely loved the onions especially. I added extra potato wedges and kalamata olives – YUM!
I made this and threw in some Brussels sprouts that I picked up from the farmer’s market – it was incredible! So simple, so comforting, and absolutely delicious.
Making this now. Why am I so incredibly busy?! I thought things would mellow down once summer ended! I happen to have all of these ingredients, including chicken that I threw in the freezer last month.
I made this tonight exactly as written. The chicken was crispy, juicy, and perfect. I had to give the potatoes a little extra time to brown, but they were delicious. The only problem came with the thinly sliced half lemon, which made the onions and chickpeas have an occasional unpleasant bitter note. Perhaps next time, I will add lemon wedges which can then be removed. And there will be a next time! Thank you, Deb.
This was a rare Smitten Kitchen miss for me. The chicken was fine, but the potato and chickpea mix derives its flavor primarily from lemon, rind and all, which left it bitter and otherwise bland. The leftovers were particularly bitter.
I had the same experience—veggies were unpleasantly bitter, especially the leftovers after a day or two in the fridge. Maybe it was something about my lemon in particular?
I love the concept and all the ingredients…I may try this again, subbing juice and zest for whole slices of lemon.
This sounds perfect for a chilly night in Maine!
Do you have the nutritional information for this by chance?
I made this tonight, and it was delicious. I put foil in the pan and sprayed it with cooking spray. My husband loved it. Definitely in the rotation.
5 year vegan…
I sincerely appreciate your recipes. I make lunch for my grandparents weekly, and I can count on your recipes to work out ever time.
Thank you.
This looks amazing and I plan to try it this weekend with friends. Any ideas on adding preserved lemons (my new obsession because..yum!)? I not sure, but feel like with the chickpeas and herbs it would work.
I’m sure it would be delicious to mince some up, maybe with additional parsley and garlic,in to a finishing sauce or vinaigrette.
Thanks for the response! I’ve followed you for many years and I just fan-girled over the fact that you responded :)
Incredible. Didn’t have lemon juice so subbed in some fancy red wine vinegar but it worked perfectly. I think this might be my new go-to for cooking chicken thighs. And the chickpeas are incredible.
Sliced up the chicken and made it the protein on Justine Snack’s Kale Sweet Potato Warm Salad Bowl. It’s like a double hug. Thank you for this recipe!!!
My husband and I thought this was delicious and I was pleased that the prep was straightforward and fairly quick. I made the recipe exactly as written and we loved it. I’ll add a couple more thighs next time, but otherwise I’ll keep it the same. Thanks for another winner, Deb!
Oops – I almost made the recipe as written, but I did turn the oven down to 425 about halfway through to prevent “over-carmelization” and next time will likely keep it at 425 the entire time.
I made this for a client last week and it was ADORED.
LOVED this recipe. I used more chicken pieces than the recipe called for (whole chicken cut into pieces), which resulted in a lot of liquid in the pan. If doing the same, recommend checking 1/2 way through bake time and taking out some of the liquid. This will ensure that all potato wedges get crispier. I did however bake the leftover potatoes 2 days later on their own in a 400 degree over for 20 minutes and they were amazing! Will definitely make this again.
Could I use sweet potatoes as well?
How about doubling this recipe, should I increase cooking time?
How much regular salt should you use when you don’t have the kosher one, please?
This was really delicious and the onions tasted so good! Full of lemon flavor. Looking for a good chicken bake? Look no further.
Oh WOW!! This was so unexpectedly delicious especially for the amount of work required. I only had one potato so added cauliflower to it, and used shallot instead of onion. I put the chicken on the veggies skin side down, poured dressing on the underside, rubbed, then turned over and dried/oiled skin. Didn’t dirty an extra bowl and didn’t seem to have a problem. I would never avoid the lemony chickpeas, they were the best part of the dish. I was afraid of the lemon but prepared it exactly as described and while it was a bit crunchy in spots, it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for this dish!! I’ll go looking for more easy, quick, one pan meals on here now!
I made this, and it was delicious! I had six smaller chicken-thighs, and I didn’t think to adjust the timing, so the thighs came out overcooked at 45 minutes even with my mistaken 425-degree (instead of 450) oven. We have an electric convection bake, so things tend to cook faster. Anyways, next time, I’ll put it in for less time and check in with our meat thermometer earlier. I really liked how the veggies turned out after cooking them separately for longer to get some crisp, and not to mention, as advertised, the skin was crisp and remained crisp. This was a hit with everyone — will make again!
Oh my goodness this was delicious. After hearing about your 15 yo’s demand for the chickpeas, my 11 yo wanted to try it. I made it as written but did not serve lemon wedges at the end and I agree it’s lemony enough without them. I chopped that parsley but forgot to put it on, but I’m not sure I missed it either.
No bitterness in the chickpeas or potatoes. The potatoes were creamy on the inside, chewy crisp on the outside. The chickpeas were so good. I’ve honestly never had them like this and they were sublime. I served alongside roasted cauliflower that I will likely try in the pan with everything else next time.
I said, “I think I’m making this again,” and my husband replied, “Oh yes you are!” Regular rotation, here we come! Thank you so much!
Made this exactly as written and it was fabulous. I do have what might be a stupid question, however. If I wanted to double or triple the recipe for a group could I make it in an aluminum pan?
Yes, you could scale this up.
I read the recipe too quickly and sliced up the entire second lemon and added it to the pan. We didn’t eat all the slices in the end, but they were great, and the whole thing was flipping delish! I used organic lemons, which I try to do whenever I’m going to be eating the peel.
45 minutes @ 450 was perfect.
The crispy skin was SO GOOD that I ate it off three of the chicken thighs before I served the meal. Sorry, not sorry.
I just made this for dinner, and it was so good!! Even the 13 month old gobbled it up! I used mini Yukon gold potatoes, because that’s what I had, but it worked out the same. We found that there was enough lemon in the potatoes and marinade, and it didn’t need any extra. Also, the meal came together very quickly and clean up was so easy. Highly recommend!
Made this tonight. It was delicious. Thank you!
I made this last night and it was easy and delicious!
My local supermarket didn’t have fresh lemons, so I used bottled lemon juice. It still turned out excellent. (Also I have a convection oven so lowered the temp by 25 degrees.)
I served it on top of lightly dressed arugula per your suggestion. Thank you for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner! I’ll be making it again.
This was a perfect and easy dish to throw together! I also cut the lemons into thin wedges instead of thin slices, which I preferred because it made it easier to avoid the bitter pith. I agree with your son – you can’t leave out the chickpeas! I did a combo of 2 boneless breasts (for the bf) and 2 bone-in/skin-on thighs (for me) and it was no problem. The breasts were 10oz each and kinda thick so they ended up taking the same amount of time as the thighs. I can’t wait to make this again.
Such a nice post.
My husband took one bite, turned to me, and said, “You’re going to make this again, right?” The kids loved it, too!
This was superb! Made a mistake at the grocery and got turkey thighs instead of chicken thighs, but it still turned out delicious. I also forgot the chickpeas, so subbed white beans with great success. Next time we make this, we’ll use 2x the beans because they were such a highlight.
So good! My toddler ate lots of chickpeas, normally not her thing, and the grownups found the whole thing to be delicious despite how loosely I followed the recipe (see: mom of 2yo). No food got tossed on the floor, which is highest culinary praise right now. But this was easy to put together and is totally going in the rotation. Thank you!
I just made this and it was delicious! Only changes were using, boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I cooked potatoes and onions 35 minutes, and then added the chicken with about 2 TB chicken broth and cooked 20 minutes. I cooked everything at 425 degrees. Oh, and I used cannellini beans since that’s what I had. Will definitely make this again.
So delicious! This will be part of our rotation.
Sooooo delicious! I didn’t have chick peas but will include them next time. And trust me, there will be a next time. Thank you for this recipe. I feel understood at a very profound level.
Bitter infused, beautiful presentation. Bad lemon? Should I have been more choosy about the supermarket variety? Too much lemon juice? Out of date Penzi’s Spices oregano did it in? Would luv to try again since all the individual ingredients are so appealing.
I made this tonight. I had 3 lbs of chicken instead of 2.25 and some leftover roasted squash I wanted to cut up and use in it, so just used a really big onion and added an extra garlic clove and a little extra of all the seasonings and oil. Otherwise, followed recipe as written. It was fantastic! I tasted as soon as it came out of the oven and was disappointed as all I could taste was onion. But 15 minutes rest brought all the lemon and schmaltzy savoryness out and lord, this is good. Fast and easy too, plus just one pan to clean. And I’m with your teen—don’t leave out the garbanzos!
Did I read this recipe wrong? I keep chewing on scorched lemon rinds – no good. My only SK disappointment.
I did this recipe yesterday as written, it was a success! The meat came out super tasty and the potatoes were not at all soggy. The only thing I would change next time would be to cut the lemon slices a bit thicker, so that they would still provide the flavour but would be easier to fish out. I didn’t like eating the lemon, but my husband enjoyed it and ate his whole plate.
Made exactly as directed and it was a big hit in our house. Super crispy skin! The leftovers were eaten the next day for lunch (which is a rare occurrence in our house.)
How would you rewarm this for second night? Oven or microwave?
You can use either. I lean towards the oven for thicker items like bone-in chicken, just because it seems to heat more evenly and the vegetables will be less soggy.
I bought a half of a bone in turkey breast (so one whole breast) and upped the potatoes and lemon amounts to accommodate. I roasted it at 450, yes, really, and it was FANTASTIC. The extra cooking time meant the veggies and beans were crispy and done. The shin of the turkey was glorious and we LOVED it. Thank you Deb for another innovative, yet rustic meal!!!
I made this last night and it was really delicious and quite easy to prepare. I made the recipe exactly as written with one change. I’m not a big fan of crispy chicken skin (or any chicken skin) so I skinned the chicken and placed it on the bottom of the pan. Then I put the potatoes, chickpeas, and onions on the top. The result was delicious crispy potatoes, and chickpeas and very moist chicken. Another benefit was that everything was cooked at the same time! My husband loved it, and I will be making it again.
This was sooo good! I added french green beans after I removed the chicken and baked for another 20 minutes. A perfect one dish meal. A huge hit with everyone!
This was AMAZING! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and it turned out just perfect. Crispy-skinned chicken, roasty (not burned) potatoes. My whole family loved it, and I’ll make it again for sure. Thank you!
Cooked this dish tonight and it turned out absolutely perfect! Crispy chicken skin and potatoes? YES PLEASE.
Only hiccup is that the onions tasted a little bitter? I double checked that I wasn’t accidentally eating the lemon rind by accident. Would squeezing more fresh lemon juice get rid of that flavor? This is definitely a “me” problem and not a “Deb” problem. Still 100% eating all the leftovers :)
Just made this tonight. Took suggestions in comments to cut lemon into wedges vs. slices and also shortened the cooking time for chicken (therefore roasting the veggies without for nearly 20 minutes). Added brussels sprouts, so I upped the lemons and olive oil. I don’t think I’d add them next time–they turned out bitter. But the chickpeas, yes please! Also swapped out the potatoes for sweet potatoes. Fabulous. It really is a one-pan meal. Flavorful, with chicken that’s crispy-skinned yet tender. And the onions soak up the juices and are amazing to eat with the chickpeas (my younger onion-hating self would be HORRIFIED). Also, came together much quicker than I expected!
Made this as written except with fresh oregano and it was just perfect. A real keeper. Thanks for another winner, Deb!
I added feta! It was great!!
Easy, good. Will add to our rotation. Many thanks!
For those who have found that the lemon makes the veggies unpleasantly bitter, I wonder if the problem is that their lemon had thick pith. I watched the little video that Deb provided, and her lemons had minimal pith, whereas I have gotten lemons with almost a quarter inch of pith. I am tempted to try this with Meyer lemons, or if using ordinary lemons, to take a slice to gauge the pith, and if it is pithy, to use a vegetable peeler to peel strips of the lemon, then to cut off the pith before slicing and adding the lemon.
Thank you for the excellent suggestions!
Thank you for that suggestion Janet! I will definitely check the pith next time and remove it if it’s too thick.
Made exactly as the recipe. Turned out nicely, looked good and tasted good (not awesome, just plain old good). Easy to prep ahead of time. Needed to remind myself that cook time is an hour total!
The flavors were great, but my chicken came out severely overcooked using the time and temperature used here. Only later did I realize that my thighs must be significantly smaller than Debs, because my 600 gram (1.3 lb) package had 6. They didn’t seem unusually small to me. I guess everything really is bigger in the states … :)
Oh my goodness, this was delicious. And pretty easy for a weekend night.
I used chicken breasts and small, quartered potatoes, and everything finished up at about the same time. I finished it with some chopped green olives.
Someone already said it was restaurant quality, and I agree. It was a perfect combination of tastes and textures; I loved getting some of the lemon rind in my forkful.
Thanks, Deb!
So delicious. I wanted more so I squeezed in extra potatoes and chicken thighs. Maybe not as crisp but so delicious. Thank you for this!
Delicious! Easy week night meal.
I had to replace the Yukon potatoes with russet and it well without any adjustments.
The potatoes and chickpeas really soaked up a lemony, herby, chickeny flavor. Next time I’d double the chickpeas – they were everyone’s favorite bite.
I made this the other night. Absolutely Fabulous.
Couple of adjustments: I didn’t have kosher salt, so Deb means it when she says use less – I had 1.75lbs of chicken and used just 1 tsp and it was great. I added more garlic too because why not?
But this is going into weeknight rotation. It’s easy – comes together super fast and is super tasty. Another winner from the Smitten Kitchen.
This was amazingly different and tasty! The ingredients didn’t sound groundbreaking but the end result is fantastic. Takes too long for a weeknight meal for me but will surely make this again on weekends. It’s been pinned :-).
This was absolutely delicious. Two thumbs up from everyone. Do NOT skip the chickpeas. They are an amazing addition. We also added some olives at the end.
I made this! Doubled the garlic and doubled the lemon that goes in (a whole one sliced up instead of just half), and it was delicious. Thanks Deb!
There’s an old recipe from Everyday food for a spatchcocked chicken with chickpeas (and onion and lemon) that’s been on heavy rotation at my house for years– generously season the bird with herbs and butter, and sprinkle zaatar and some olive oil over the chickpeas. Then you cut it up at the table and douse with parsley or arugula or whatever robust green you’ve got, dressed in those chicken fat oniony lemony juices. A summer-fall salad: make it easier–skip the potatoes and double the chickpeas. The chickeny crispy chickpeas are amazing.
Cannot sing the praises of the chickpeas enough! My husband who is vegetable averse gobbled them all up. I wanted to eat them out of the pan with a spoon! The check was not dry at all and the skin was perfect. Cannot say enough about our new week night staple. This dish is super easy to prep ahead of time and just dump in a roasting pan when ready to eat.
Looks great. Gonna add a big pinch of chilli flakes though.
Hi smitten kitchen i wanted to say that You’re skilled at maintaining texture everything is cooked to perfection. You bring a lot of passion to the kitchen, which really shows in your dishes.
Currently making this and I only used 1 lemon. As you say first half is juiced then second half is halved and sliced thinly. Have I missed something? Looking forward to eating!
OOOPS just seeing that 2nd lemon is for plating wedges. Sorry :-)
Another person for whom the dish came out waaay too bitter, unfortunately. Even fresh out of the oven. Not sure what’s causing the extremely bitter lemon taste for some of us. The chicken crisped up nicely and was tasty, the potatoes cooked perfectly and it was such an easy, convenient dish that I’m wondering what I can make it with aside from lemon, or if just juicing the second lemon half would have been a better way to go for me.
Tried this a second time but chopped off most of the pith from the lemon slices and it came out perfectly. Suspect thick piths are the problem for those who had a bitter taste. (Was also super careful to make sure I got all the seeds, but don’t think that was the problem since I found no escaped seeds in the last dish.)
I made this tonight for Shabbat dinner. I made thighs and breasts. It got RAVE reviews. It was delicious. New go to recipe for me. Deb never disappoints!!!
Made this for a weeknight meal and was loved – delicious! Thank you, one can never have too many chicken recipes.
I’m visiting Austin to help with the new grand daughter. I made this as one of the meals for them. It’s absolutely delicious. My DIL was napping with the baby and when she awoke she smelled the delicious aromas. I used smaller potatoes since that’s what I had on hand. I also used boneless chicken thighs since we preferred that over bone-in. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly as written.
Made for the second Sunday in a row today! This is definitely going to be a recipe in my regular rotation from now on. I truly appreciate a quick, easy, one-pan recipe that turns out great every time. Thanks, Deb!
I added artichokes, olives, and capers and would highly recommend adding all three! Delicious!
Am I missing it? Where do the onions go? I can’t see a mention of it. I might be blind… help
This was so easy to put together and so tasty! I used russet potatoes (left over from Thanksgiving) and only 1 tsp of salt for my chicken. I might increase that to the 1 tsp per lb and decrease the amount that starts with the veggies in the tray, since those were really well seasoned! There will definitely be a next time. Thanks for a keeper!
So delicious! Every SK recipe just turns out perfect! I didn’t have Yukon potatoes on hand, but russets turned out great!
Delicious and easy!
We made this tonight and it was delicious. However, there was a ton of liquid. Was this due to the onion, lemon or chicken fat? We drained a bunch of it off before rebrowning the potatoes. Any idea why there was so much liquid? The potatoes could never brown in that environment.
Delicious and the kids loved it. Was hesitant about the chickpeas but they really were a great addition. Thanks!
Did any one have success with sweet potatoes? Bigger wedges since they tend to cook faster? Also wondering if anyone tried a mix of skin on chicken pieces. Thank you!
l absolutely love this dish. Trusting this website, I made the dish the first time when we had company. No leftovers! The taste is amazing and I appreciate that I don’t have to brown the chicken before adding to the dish. The chicken turns out perfect using this recipe and the potatoes and chickpeas are a welcome addition.
Oh my word–sooooo unbelievably delicious. My chicken thighs were a little larger, they took an extra 10 minutes. Everything turned out perfectly, the combination of the lemon, salt, onion, garlic, chicken… chef’s kiss. Thank you, this one is restaurant quality!
I adore your recipes and have bought all of your books! That said, I despise chicken thighs and skin. I was wondering if you can make this with skinless breasts?
Thanks for all of your amazing recipes !!
This can be made with chicken breast but bone-in, skin-on will be better — you want the juices it releases and boneless/skinless will cook very fast and dry out.
Thanks Deb!
So appreciate your fabulous newsletter and books!
Do the chickpeas crisp up in the oven?
Some on top do but it’s not the main texture.
Wonderful flavor, but on the dry side. If I make it again, I’d add broth or wine or something. Any suggestions?
It is interesting you mention Clare de Boer, who owns the Stissing House right here in Pine Plains and I am the Innkeeper at the Inn at Pine Plains, small world!
I look forward to trying this recipe!
Best, Patti
Yes, absolutely delicious. I doubled, and baked on a sheet pan. Totally worthwhile – I couldn’t stop eating the chickpeas and potatoes!
Love how the lemon and herbs elevate the flavor of the chick peas, potatoes and onion. Honestly, I didn’t even need the chicken!
I love this so much; I’ve made it a ton since it was first published. It’s super adaptable; if you were curious (probably not), it’s great with canned white beans instead of chickpeas, but also without chicken: using home-cooked white beans and some of their broth to make up for the lack of marinade and chicken drippings, or with white vinegar instead of lemon juice.
The original format is still my favorite, but it’s really nice to have something I can cobble together out of my personal pantry staples even when I haven’t remembered to get chicken. I can’t wait to make this for years to come!
This was so easy and delicious. I used a lime instead of a lemon and butter beans instead of chickpeas. I doubled the beans. Terrific!
Absolutely amazing dish! My husband and I both agreed it was one of the best meals ever. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Chicken was very flavorful and crispy. As suggested, I did add capers — 1 tablespoon drained — when I took the chicken off the top and cooking it for the last 15 minutes seemed to work well. Served with French green beans with toasted almonds. Trying to figure out how soon I can make this again!
Umm, this was easy and so good. Like got me out of a major what’s for dinner rut that the flu had launched me into last month. Thank you!!
And I accidentally modified the recipe by being careless, but I liked it. I’m a more is more kinda cook. Accidentally doubled the lemon in all aspects. Heaped the oregano. Felt it needed more salt so went with my guess there. Dusted with garlic and onion powders. And then a splash of lemon juice on the finished product as suggested. I might try doubling the chicken next round and increasing the lemon ness by zesting some into the potatoes and more lemon juice on the chicken pre cook.
So good. Used quartered baby potatoes otherwise followed exactly. Served over arugula and topped with fresh feta. Will be in the regular rotation.
I love this recipe and have made it before. Just rereading because I am making it tomorrow night. Is it juice of half lemon and 1/2 tsp of oregano total for marinade or per pound of chicken? When I made it I just used juice of half lemon and 1/2 tsp oregano total. Help
Made this last night for book club, doubled the recipe just fine. I had way more chick peas and potatoes left over than chicken but I’ll eat that on its own with a salad.
Also this dish came together in 15 minutes. I love that!
I LOVE this dish. Simply perfect, but I eat meat very, very rarely. I want to make this without the chicken. I know the juices from the meat are key to the flavor. Is there a veg alternative I could use instead or do I just increase my olive oil?
Answered my own question – this was fabulous without chicken. I added crumbled feta at the end and gave it a few minutes under the broiler. It was so good, I’m making it again.
I figure drippings are mostly broth and fat so you could use some of each, either chicken broth or veg, butter or olive oil. Maybe increase the chickpeas?
Made this tonight and it was delicious!! I was wishing there were more garbanzo beans and might try making a dish like this without the chicken. The way the lemons married with the onions, potatoes and garlic was so yummy!! Super easy and mostly hands off. Thanks for another winner Deb!!
Making this for the 3rd (4th?) time tonight, it’s so good and so simple!! It turns out perfect on a grill in a cast iron. It’s fantastic with brussel sprouts added, or broccoli tossed in is pretty good too. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!!
I think this is your best recipe and never get tired of this one!
Perfect for a snowy April dinner. Only had one lemon, and that was plenty. Used a small onion, but heavy on the garlic. I don’t have good luck cooking thighs, but these were spot on – crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Adding to the rotation!
In case anyone is looking for this like I was, made this twice with boneless skinless chicken thighs and it is amazing!
I have bone-in pork chops. Do you think those will work with the lemon marinade and roasted over the vegetables? How do you suggest a adjust the cooking time?