My Favorite Childhood Meal!
My mother’s Roasted Chicken with Potatoes is one of the first recipes I ever shared on the blog 9 years ago (!), and I think it’s definitely time for this easy favorite to get an update!
I grew up eating this dish often, and I still love it so much! A comforting and family-friendly Middle Eastern dish, Seneyet Batata w Jaj translates to “potatoes and chicken casserole”.
My mom would always serve this with fresh pita bread to mop up all of the yummy sauce. She liked to add cut up squash or zucchini, carrots, and even tomato halves right to the roasting dish too, making it a true one-pan meal.
Once I cooked this dish when I was living at college – my flatmates all flocked to the kitchen to find out what I was cooking that smelled so good, and I had no choice but to share with them!
This dish features budget-friendly bone-in chicken pieces roasted with potatoes, onion, garlic, and a flavorful blend of spices. A splash of lemon juice and chicken stock keeps everything juicy and delicious.
Ingredients for One Pan Roast Potatoes with Chicken
Here’s what you need to make this easy Middle Eastern roasted chicken:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken Pieces: Any bone-in chicken pieces will work. I’m using juicy chicken leg quarters, but you could also just use drumsticks or chicken thighs. Bone-in chicken breast is another great option!
- Potatoes: Choose waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, Red Bliss, or really any red or yellow skinned variety.
- Onion: Slice a yellow onion into quarters to sit underneath the chicken in the roasting pan. Don’t have a yellow onion? Use what you have! White or red onion will work just as well.
- Garlic: Don’t skimp on the garlic here! 5 whole cloves is the perfect amount, and gives this dish so much savory flavor.
- Baharat: This is a common Middle Eastern spice blend that is typically a combination of spices including coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and cumin. It’s often called “7 spice”, and it’s delicious on everything!
- Spices: To round out the flavor of your oven roasted chicken and potatoes, add a bit of extra cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Lemon Juice: Add the juice from a fresh lemon to brighten the flavors. I like to serve this with lemon wedges on the side so that everyone can add as much lemon as they like too.
Tip!
Buy baharat at the store, or use my baharat recipe to make a fresh batch at home! You can use the extra to season mujadara, falafel, or sambousek.
Tips for Perfect Roasted Chicken
- Use a large roasting pan. For the chicken and veggies to cook evenly, it’s important that they aren’t too crowded in the pan. I like to use a roasting pan, but a large baking dish can work too.
- Layer the ingredients. Use the sliced potatoes and onions to hold the chicken pieces up off the bottom of the pan. They veggies work as an edible trivet, allowing the chicken to stay mostly above the liquid so that it can brown up.
- Try it as a marinade! Mix the chicken with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings and place it in the fridge to marinate for up to 24 hours. If you do this, the flavor of the dish will be even more amazing!
- For crispy skin, place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes after the chicken has finished cooking.
- Make cleanup easier by lining your roasting pan with foil or parchment paper. You’ll have less to scrub after dinner!
Storing Tips
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I like to pull the meat from the chicken bones and use it to make wraps or sandwiches the next day for lunch!
What To Serve Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
The main parts of your meal are already done, so all you really need to do is add a veggie side dish and some bread or pitas to soak up all of the lovely savory sauce.
Try a simple tossed green salad or a more traditional Middle Eastern salad such as Shirazi Salad or Fattoush.
A side of Muhammara Dip or classic Hummus is always a welcome addition at the table too!
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this with boneless chicken?
Boneless chicken cooks much faster than bone-in chicken pieces do, so I wouldn’t use it for this recipe. Using bone-in chicken means that the chicken and the potatoes cook at the same time, and everything will be ready together.
If you would like a recipe for baked chicken and potatoes with boneless chicken breasts, this other one is made on a sheet pan and the process and timing will give you better results.
What other vegetables go with this roasted chicken recipe?
Anything that you like! I mentioned that my mother often added zucchini (courgettes), carrots, or tomatoes to the mix. You could also try green beans, parsnips, or turnips.
How do I know when bone-in chicken is fully cooked?
Use a thermometer to check that your chicken is fully cooked. The internal temperature for chicken pieces is 165°F/74°C, so be sure to cook it until it’s at least that temp.
Do I roast chicken and potatoes covered or uncovered?
Using this cooking method, you should do both. Cover the pan for the first 30 minutes of the cooking time, then uncover the chicken for the remaining 25-30 minutes so that the skin can become golden brown.
Can I roast a whole chicken this way?
I suggest that you cut the whole chicken into pieces before using it in this recipe. If you’d prefer to roast the chicken whole, check out my Dutch oven roast chicken recipe. Use the baharat and other seasonings from this recipe in place of the ones there for a Middle Eastern twist.
Looking for more easy ways to bake chicken? Try my Baked Tuscan Chicken, Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, or Baked Boneless Chicken Thighs.
More Middle Eastern Chicken Recipes
All Levantine Recipes →
I can’t wait for you to try this recipe! It’s such a simple and flavorful way to roast chicken and potatoes, and one of my favorite dinners from my childhood. Save this recipe by pinning it for the next time you need a new and exciting way to bake chicken!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
One Pan Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
Equipment
- Large roasting pan or large baking dish
- Knife and cutting board
- Aluminum Foil
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds (680 g) chicken leg quarters or any bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
- 1½ pounds (680 g) potatoes peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon baharat
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup (180 ml) chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large roasting pan or baking dish, toss the chicken pieces, potato wedges, and quartered onion with garlic, baharat, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- Layer the vegetables evenly on the bottom of the pan, and arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Pour the chicken stock into the pan around the edges.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue roasting for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through (165°F/74°C internal temperature) and the potatoes and onions are tender.
- Optional crisping: For a crispier finish, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end.
Notes:
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces like thighs, drumsticks, or leg quarters work best.
- For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
- Baharat is a warm Middle Eastern spice blend, store-bought or homemade versions both work well.
- Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes hold their shape best during roasting.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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