Kotopoulo skorthato – Greek baked chicken with lemon and garlic Recipe
Juicy pieces of chicken baked with plenty of garlic, lemon and oregano smell like a little Greek taverna transported straight into your kitchen. This dish often appears at Sunday lunch in Greece, when the whole family gathers around one table. The flavor is reminiscent of the classic roasted chicken known from Polish homes, combined with a light citrus note typical of Mediterranean cuisine.
This Greek classic combines the comforting feel of traditional roast chicken with bright Mediterranean flavors of lemon, garlic and herbs. Everything bakes together in one dish, so the potatoes soak up the aromatic juices from the chicken, creating a rich, flavorful sauce without any extra effort.
Chef's tips
Use good-quality, preferably waxy potatoes so they hold their shape while baking and absorb the lemony juices without falling apart. If you have time, marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes (or even a few hours in the fridge) before baking to deepen the flavor. Keep an eye on the liquid in the dish—if it evaporates too quickly, add a splash of water so the potatoes don’t dry out.
How to serve
Serve the chicken and potatoes straight from the baking dish placed in the center of the table, family-style. Add a bowl of Greek-style salad, some olives and a basket of crusty bread. A spoonful of thick Greek yogurt or tzatziki on the side also works beautifully with the garlicky, lemony sauce.
Ingredients
- chicken - 1.2 kg
- potatoes - 800 g
- garlic - 8 cloves
- lemon - 2 pieces
- olive oil - 60 ml
- oregano - 2 teaspoons
- rosemary - 2 sprigs
- salt - 1.5 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- water - 100 ml
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a large baking tray or ovenproof dish with olive oil.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick wedges or large, evenly sized pieces so they bake evenly. Spread them over the bottom of the dish.
- Peel the garlic. Finely chop 4 cloves and leave the remaining ones whole, lightly crushing them with a knife so they crack.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix 40 ml olive oil, the juice of 1.5 lemons, the chopped garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and rub thoroughly with the marinade, also under the skin if possible.
- Arrange the chicken skin-side up on top of the potatoes. Add the whole, lightly crushed garlic cloves and the rosemary sprigs to the tray. Pour the water into the bottom of the dish.
- Slice the remaining half lemon and arrange the slices over the chicken and potatoes. Drizzle everything with the remaining olive oil.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Then spoon some of the pan juices over the chicken and potatoes and bake for another 15 minutes, until the skin is well browned and the potatoes are tender. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Check if the chicken is done: when you pierce the thickest part, the juices should run clear and the meat should come away from the bone easily. Serve immediately, spooning some of the pan juices over each portion.
Storage
Kurczaka i ziemniaki przechowuj w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku pod przykryciem z odrobiną wody lub bulionu, aby mięso nie wyschło. Do mrożenia lepiej nadaje się sam kurczak niż ziemniaki.
