Ready for a dinner winner? Make our easy, delicious baked Turkish chicken and potatoes recipe! With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you'll have a flavor-packed meal that the whole family will love.
This easy recipe is a combination of juicy chicken thighs with flavor-packed potatoes that soak up all the good stuff from the chicken and the olive oil sauce.
Oh, and the cherry tomatoes? They become sweet and juicy, making everything taste even better.
This is one of the easiest chicken dinner recipes that tastes so good!
A Lazy Night Favorite
When we're too lazy to cook but still want something super tasty, this is what we make: Turkish Chicken and Potatoes in one pan!
Making this recipe is super easy, honestly. Similar to our baked chicken pieces recipe, but with some additional flavors.
You just toss the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and potatoes with some tasty sauce, throw them in an oven dish, and let the oven do its magic. No need to stand over the stove or use lots of pots and pans.
You'll spend just a few minutes prepping—just cutting potatoes, chopping parsley and garlic and mixing a quick sauce. Everything is easy and straightforward.
Plus, it's all made in one pan, so you won't end up with a mountain of dishes to wash.
About The Ingredients
For this Turkish chicken and potatoes recipe, we're keeping the ingredients simple but oh-so-tasty. Let's talk about what you'll need.
Main Ingredients
Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs are our favorites. They're juicy and full of taste. If you like bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs more, those are great too! You might need to roast them for an extra 5 minutes to get for that golden and crispy surface.
Potatoes: We usually grab medium-sized potatoes and slice them up. Love baby potatoes? They're perfect as well – no need to peel, just cut them in half.
Tomatoes: We use cherry tomatoes. Thick slices of regular tomatoes work beautifully as a swap.
Oil Sauce
Here's where our Turkish chicken and potatoes recipe gets its character. We prepare a flavor-packed sauce and coat the chicken thighs, potatoes and tomatoes with it.
So What’s in our special olive oil sauce?
Spices: We use paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Speaking of spices, you've got to check out our favorite Turkish spice blend and homemade chicken seasoning. Both are game-changers for simple chicken recipes.
Extra flavor: Lemon juice, garlic and fresh parsley. Together, they make everything taste just awesome.
This tasty mixture makes the simple combo of baked potatoes and chicken thighs way more delicious. It's the secret to turning an easy meal into something extraordinary!
How to Make the Recipe
Baking Turkish chicken with potatoes in oven is super easy and straightforward. Here's how:
Mix the Sauce: In a big bowl, combine olive oil with salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and lemon juice. Then, add chopped parsley and minced garlic.
Coat the Chicken: Put your dry chicken thighs in the bowl with the sauce. Gently rub the sauce all over the chicken so it's well coated.
Add Potatoes: Put the potato slices to the same bowl. Use your hands to mix them around so they get covered in the sauce too.
Arrange in Pan: Put the chicken and potatoes in a baking pan as you see in the picture above.
Add Tomatoes: Toss the cherry tomatoes in the bowl to get them coated in any sauce that's left. Then, add them to the pan with the chicken and potatoes.
Bake: Put the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes at 400°F (200°C). The chicken should come out juicy and the potatoes nice and roasted. Don't overcook!
Serve: After baking, spoon the pan juices over the chicken thighs to make them even more delicious.
(Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!)
Pro Tip: When arranging the chicken thighs unfolded in a larger baking pan, bake them for a shorter time, about 25 minutes. Afterward, check the doneness of the potatoes. If they're not tender enough, remove the chicken thighs to a plate and continue roasting the potatoes for another 5-7 minutes or until tender.
Variations
Here are some simple variations to add even more flavor and variety to your baked chicken thighs and potatoes:
More Vegetables: You can add carrots, onions and bell peppers with the potatoes. Just chop them up and mix them in before baking. It's an easy way to make your chicken dinner even more delicious and more colorful.
Extra Spices: Try different spice blends or add more spices like cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder for extra flavor. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.
More Herbs: Sprinkle chopped fresh rosemary or thyme over the dish before baking for a burst of freshness. You can also mix them into the sauce for added flavor.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving up Turkish chicken and potatoes, there are plenty of tasty options to consider. Here are some of our favorite pairings:
- Turkish Rice Pilav
- Bulgur Pilav
- Coban Salata (Shepherd Salad)
- Cacik (A refreshing yogurt and cucumber dip seasoned with garlic and mint)
- Turkish Style Green Beans
Don't forget to add some pickles for a tangy and crunchy bite. Check out our quick pickled cabbage or quick beetroot pickles.
Storing & Reheating
After enjoying Turkish chicken and potatoes, here's how to store any leftovers and reheat them for another tasty meal:
- Storage: Place any leftovers in airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking. They'll stay fresh for up to three to four days.
- Reheating: When you're ready to enjoy your leftovers, simply reheat them in the microwave or oven (covered with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying) until heated through. You can also add a splash of water or broth to the chicken to help keep it moist while reheating.
Should You Cover Chicken Thighs When Baking?
No need to cover the chicken thighs when baking in this recipe.
Do You Put Water in the Pan When Baking Chicken?
No, you don't need to add water to the pan when baking chicken. We tried it before, and while the chicken was still delicious, it didn't have that desired roasted flavor.
The moisture from the oil sauce we coat the chicken and potatoes with will be enough to keep them from drying out during cooking.
Should Chicken Thighs Be Room Temperature Before Baking?
Yes, chicken thighs cook better that way. Before baking, remove the chicken thighs from the fridge and let them sit for 10 minutes. During this time, you can prepare the sauce and gather other ingredients.
When you massage the chicken thighs in the sauce, the warmth from your hands helps them reach room temperature more quickly as well.
Can I use Chicken Breast?
Certainly! Chicken breast tends to cook faster than thighs. So if you choose to use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs, you can bake them at 400°F (200°C) for approximately 25 minutes. Adjusting the cooking time ensures that the chicken breast remains juicy and tender.
As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!
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📖 Recipe
Turkish Chicken and Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium potatoes
- 7 pieces chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 150 g cherry tomatoes halved
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Use a bit of olive oil to grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch (33 x 23 cm) baking pan.
- For the potatoes: Peel one potato, cut it in half the long way, then cut each half into 3 or 4 long pieces. Do the same with all the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels.
- For the chicken: Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels to take off any extra water.
- For the sauce: In a big bowl, mix olive oil, salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and lemon juice until it's all blended. Add chopped parsley and minced garlic to mix in the flavors.
- Put the chicken thighs in the bowl and gently rub them with the sauce, making sure they're well coated.
- Next, add the potato slices to the bowl and mix them by hand so they're covered in the sauce, too.
- Place the chicken and potatoes in your greased baking pan, but don't add any leftover sauce just yet.
- Toss the cherry tomatoes in the sauce bowl to coat them with any remaining sauce, then put them in the pan with the chicken and potatoes.
- Bake for 40 minutes. After baking, spoon the juices from the pan over the chicken.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
NOTES
- Pat dry the chicken thighs before placing them in the olive oil sauce.
- If you arrange the chicken thighs unfolded in a larger baking pan, bake them for a shorter time—about 25 minutes. Afterward, check the doneness of the potatoes. If they're not tender enough, remove the chicken thighs to a plate and continue roasting the potatoes for another 5-7 minutes.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Allison says
A wonderful weeknight menu! I added some peas and we all enjoyed it!
Rebecca says
This looks simple and hearty! ❤️
Zerrin says
Thank you so much Rebecca!
Lorna Moravec says
What beautiful pictures of the snow. I am fascinated by the recipes too, they all look so delicious.
Most of all I am fascinated by the picture of yourself. This is really cool. I know nothing about Turkey. The only Turkish women I have met in Texas were dressed like Catholic nuns. Suits with long skirts and a short veil to match.
I formed the idea that all people in Turkey, both men and women, wear suits and are very serious.
No one I know in Texas knows anything about Turkey or any of the countries in that part of the world. They don't really tell you anything in school. The magazine and news articles emphasize armed conflict in any articles they print about other countries.
They make the entire world seem sad and scary.
People around the world must think Americans are stupid and they are not far wrong. But the best remedy for this is sites like yours that tell about the everyday good things that we all share, all over the world.
Everyday people are not enemies. It's wrong for the people in the governments to start these wars and they do it by keeping people in ignorance and making people scared.
The American news media is the worst worst worst about that.
It is controlled by a few very powerful corporations.
It's lies.
We can go around this by talking directly to each other online about food and the good things we all hold in common.
Thanks!
Zerrin says
Hi Lorna, thanks for this sincere comment and glad to hear that you like my blog. People outside Turkey might have prejudice about my country as they don't know much about it. Some even think that we ride camels here 🙂 It may be because Turkey is not a big country or as you mention, media and their owners could be blamed for this. Well, I started my blog with these thoughts 4 years ago, so at Give Recipe I'm trying to tell about my country, along with its food and culture. Nice to 'meet' you here!
Magic of Spice says
Beautiful comfort food for the cold weather...love the photos!
Corina says
What a great dish for the cold weather! It snowed for the first time this winter in London yesterday and so today I've woken up with lots of snow on the ground. It looks pretty but I'm planning to stay inside in the warmth all day and maybe cook something nice later on.
Marina@cowboycountryvegetarian says
How great! And those winter shots are so perfect!