Italian Baked Chicken and Potatoes

5 from 75 votes

Italian Baked Chicken and Potatoes

Italian baked chicken and potatoes with oregano, onions, garlic, and Parmigiano Reggiano makes the most comforting, and hearty meal.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

1 whole young chicken (about 4-5 pounds) cut into pieces and dried very well
6 medium potatoes cubed into 1" pieces
6 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion diced
1/2 cup parsley minced
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 cup olive oil divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375f and set oven rack to middle. Cut chicken into pieces and dry well with paper towels. You can also use pre-cut packaged pieces. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1" to 1.5" cubes and dry them off as well with paper towels.
In a large bowl combine the onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, grated cheese, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Mix well. Dry the chicken off one more time, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken into the bowl and coat well. Use your hands to really get the chicken coated!
Layer the chicken into a large baking dish skin side up. Toss the potatoes into the bowl with the remaining olive oil mixture and mix well. Season the potatoes with a bit more salt and pepper then place the potatoes around the chicken. If you can not fit it all in the same dish, use another baking dish for the potatoes.
Drizzle remaining olive oil onto the chicken and potatoes. Bake the chicken for 45 minutes. At the halfway point spoon some of the juices on top of each piece of chicken and resume baking.
After 45 minutes the chicken should be almost cooked. If desired you can broil the chicken for a few minutes to crisp up the skin, but watch carefully! The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165f.
Right when the chicken comes out, sprinkle it with a bit more kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon total). Let the chicken sit lightly tented for 10-15 minutes before serving. The chicken will reabsorb some of the pan juices and become moister. Right before serving toss the chicken and potatoes into the pan juices and serve. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Dry off the chicken pieces very well with paper towels. Whole chickens (and cut pieces) have a lot of water in them. This needs to be removed to successfully roast the chicken. Wet chicken will not roast well. Instead, it will steam.
Use a lot of olive oil! It seems like a lot but it will make the chicken moister and just so much better.
Use two pans if you can not fit everything in one. Avoid overcrowding to more effectively roast the chicken.
Broiling the chicken during the last few minutes can add a ton of crispiness and color to the skin. It's important to do this when the chicken is almost done cooking. Doing it after the chicken is already 165f could make it too dry. You only need to broil it for a few minutes.
Right when the chicken is finished cooking sprinkle it with some more kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon total). Chicken needs plenty of salt and can absorb it more easily when it comes right out of the oven.
Let the chicken sit for 10-15 minutes before eating. This will help the chicken reabsorb all the pan juices.

Nutrition