Description
This Baked Italian Chicken with Potatoes recipe offers a deliciously hearty meal featuring tender chicken thighs baked with flavorful potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and melting mozzarella cheese. Infused with herbs like rosemary, thyme, and garlic, this dish is perfect for a comforting dinner that’s easy to prepare and packed with classic Italian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Potatoes
- 4 – 5 chicken thigh fillets, skin on and bone in (about 6oz/200g each)
- 3 medium size potatoes (around 1.5lb/750g total), peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Italian Dressing
- 1 tin (14oz/400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary and thyme (or oregano) leaves, or 2 tbsp fresh
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp red wine or white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (or any good melting cheese)
- Basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) to prepare for baking the chicken and potatoes.
- Prepare Italian Dressing: In a bowl, mix together crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, dried herbs, red or white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper to create the flavorful dressing.
- Parboil Potatoes: Boil or microwave the cut potatoes until slightly undercooked, about 5 minutes boiling or 5 minutes on high in the microwave steamer. After cooking, use a fork to rough up the potatoes slightly to help them absorb more dressing flavor, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Brown Chicken: Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and brown well on each side, about 5 minutes per side, to develop a golden crust.
- Arrange and Season: Remove the skillet from heat and pour off excess fat. Place the parboiled potatoes around the chicken pieces, then pour the crushed tomato dressing over everything. Season with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle the rest of the Italian dressing evenly over the dish. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on top.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
- Add Cheese: Remove the skillet from the oven. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the chicken and potatoes, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Rest and Garnish: Let the dish stand for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld and juices to settle. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired before serving.
Notes
- Parboiling the potatoes helps them absorb more of the Italian dressing flavors, resulting in a tastier dish, but you can skip this step if preferred.
- The recipe does not require marinating the chicken since the tomato-based sauce provides plenty of flavor; however, marinating can add an extra layer of taste.
- Using an ovenproof skillet streamlines cooking from stovetop browning to baking without transferring the food, assisting in flavor retention.
- If you skip parboiling, expect the potatoes to take longer to cook through in the oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
