Name: Chicken and Potato Skillet Dinner
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp. smoked paprika; 2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. ground pepper; 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs; 2 pounds fingerling or small waxy potatoes, cut in half; 2 small shallots, thinly sliced; Chopped dill or parsley for garnish; 1 cup Greek yogurt; 2 Tbsp. chopped dill or parsley; 1 Tbsp. lemon zest; 1 Tbsp. lemon juice; ½ tsp. kosher salt

Chicken thigh with potatoes and yogurt sauce on a blue plate.

Photo by Maren Ellingboe King

This easy, one-pan dinner was inspired by Melissa Clark’s delicious Sheet-Pan Chicken with Potatoes, Arugula, and Garlic Yogurt from the New York Times, and it’s perfect for busy weeknights and cool evenings. Fingerling potatoes have a particularly buttery flavor and texture, which pairs well with chicken. Serve with a simple salad or fresh arugula. The yogurt sauce is optional, but I like the creamy, tangy element it adds to the chicken—alternatively, try it with your favorite hot sauce and crusty bread.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Fresh Midwest' by Maren Ellingboe King. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2022.

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chicken and potatoes

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

2 pounds fingerling or small waxy potatoes, cut in half

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

Chopped dill or parsley for garnish

For the yogurt sauce

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp. chopped dill or parsley

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1
Whisk the olive oil, garlic, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Add the chicken, potatoes, and shallots to the bowl and stir well to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 3
Place the chicken skin side down in a cold ovenproof skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until very browned and the thighs don’t stick to the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Move the chicken pieces around a little and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until evenly browned.
Step 4
Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the potatoes and shallots to the skillet and stir in the pan drippings. (Careful, they might splatter!) Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it over the potatoes.
Step 5
Bake the chicken and potatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are well browned and tender and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thighs. Stir the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.
Make the yogurt sauce
Step 6
While the chicken bakes, mix the yogurt, dill, lemon zest and juice, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Step 7
Sprinkle the dill over the chicken and serve with the yogurt sauce.