Chicken and potatoes may sound basic, but our magical Middle Eastern-inspired marinade takes this dish up a level! Both of us are obsessed over just how easy and hands-off this Middle Eastern Chicken and Potatoes recipe is and we’re confident that you will be too.
Table of Contents
What type of potatoes to use for this dish
We love to use Yukon gold potatoes, also called yellow potatoes, in this recipe. We find that they are easy to cook and have a great texture. Unlike some potatoes that can get dry or gummy when baked, Yukon golds are super versatile!
If you don’t have, or can’t find, Yukon gold potatoes, you can use fingerlings or russet potatoes as a substitute. All three of these varieties are great for this recipe! They will stay firm and maintain moisture when cooked.
The magic marinade for this dish
We cannot get over the flavors of the marinade we have created for this dish. All of these ingredients are inexpensive, and most of them you likely already have in your pantry.
With a dish like this that has only a couple of main ingredients, the seasoning is super important. Our marinade is what makes this simple recipe so irresistible!
The dry components of the marinade
- Cinnamon is most commonly used for desserts, but keep an open mind! In savory cooking, cinnamon is a great way to add an extra layer of warmth to a recipe.
- We are big fans of smoked paprika, and you will find it in many of our spice blends and marinades. Paprika, which is also sometimes referred to as “pimenton”, is a rich seasoning made from dried peppers. There are many varieties, ranging from sweet to spicy, but our personal favorite is smoked! Smoked paprika adds the perfect amount of bite to this dish.
- Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. In its whole form, turmeric is a bright orange root in the same plant family as ginger. It is said to have incredible health benefits!
- Salt and Pepper are a basic component of every recipe we have here at Food Dolls! Salt is pure magic, making each flavor shine while pepper rounds out the flavors of the dish. Note: If you are observing a low-sodium diet, feel free to adjust or omit the salt.
The wet components of the marinade:
- Garlic is the very best! Need we say more?
- Pomegranate Molasses, also sometimes called pomegranate sauce, is a thick tart syrup commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is the perfect flavor to balance the starch in the potatoes.
- Lemon juice is a beautiful complement to the dry ingredients in this marinade. It brings out the vibrant flavors of the spices!
- Olive Oil is a staple in all of our marinades. With the acidity from the lemon juice and tanginess of the pomegranate sauce, it’s important to have a rich fat to even out the flavor and texture!
How to make Middle Eastern Chicken and Potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges.
- Note: you can cut the potatoes to any size or shape you want. Just make sure to be consistent. The exact size is not as important as it is to make sure that all the pieces are roughly the same size and shape. This will help the potatoes cook evenly!
- Add the potatoes to an oven-safe baking dish, followed by thinly sliced onions.
- Separately, combine the cinnamon, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the garlic, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and olive oil to the spices. Thoroughly mix the ingredients to make the marinade.
- Pour half of the marinade over the potatoes and onions and mix it together.
- Separately, slice into the skin of the chicken diagonally. This will help you get an even distribution of the marinade.
- Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and pour the remaining marinade over the top of it.
- Bake in the oven covered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until skin is crispy and chicken is cooked through. Feel free to place it on broil for a few minutes to really crisp up the skin.
- Serve immediately. Feel free to garnish with fresh herbs to add a pop of color to the plate!
How to store Middle Eastern Chicken and Potatoes
This recipe will last for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you’d like to freeze it, we recommend storing it for up to 3 months. This is a great recipe for meal prepping and can be easily frozen in portion sizes.
What goes well with this dish?
Want to add some more variety to your dinner? We have some great recipes that are the perfect sidekick to our chicken and potato dish!
- Our Air Fryer Sesame-Crusted Feta is an incredible appetizer to serve ahead of Chicken and potatoes. It is light, crunchy, and truly hits the spot!
- If you need to have a salad with your meals, we recommend trying our Whipped Feta Chicken Salad. Chicken on chicken is a lot, so feel free to remove the chicken from the salad recipe and serve it with dinner!
- To make this meal even heartier, you have to try our Stuffed Pepper Rice Bake! It is our play on classic stuffed peppers. Similar to this chicken and potato recipe, it is hands-off and super easy to make. You can assemble both recipes and bake them alongside each other!
Middle Eastern Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 yukon gold potatoes
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 2 whole lemons
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or feel free to use drumstick and thighs
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges.6-8 yukon gold potatoes
- Add the potatoes to an oven safe baking dish, followed by thinly sliced onions.1 small yellow onion
- Separately, combine the cinnamon, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the garlic, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, lemon juice, and olive oil to the spices. Thoroughly mix the ingredients to make the marinade.2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground turmeric, 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika, juice of 2 whole lemons, 4 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Pour half of the marinade over the potatoes and onions and mix it together.
- Separately, slice into the skin of the chicken diagonally. This will help you get an even distribution of the marinade.1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or feel free to use drumstick and thighs
- Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and pour the remaining marinade overtop of it.
- Bake in the oven covered for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until skin is is crispy and chicken is cooked through. Feel free to place it on broil for a few minutes to really crisp up the skin.
- Serve immediately. Feel free to garnish with fresh herbs to add a pop of color to the plate!
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So easy to make an delicious. I need easy and quick to make, and this is it.
Thank you, Trish! We’re so glad you enjoy it!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Another success! I ate it with applesauce and it was so tasty :). On the other hand, next time I will do it with thighs, drumsticks and wings already cut because I had to fight with cutting the whole chicken and I lost quite a few pieces
one of my Palestinian husband’s favorites!
We’re so happy to hear this!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
It was the best tasting chicken I have ever made. Picky family loved it. Wished I would have made 2 x. I Will make again. I didn’t have or could find any pomegranate molasses, had pomegranate juice, so I just reduced some to keep the same taste. Worked out great
Where can I buy pomegranate molasses? Is there something else I can substitute, like regular molasses? Thank you. I love trying new recipes from around the world and this looks delicious~~
You can purchase off of Amazon. Otherwise, you can substitute with a little bit of honey + lemon juice! Let us know how it turns out!
Pomegranate molasses can be purchased at any Middle Eastern specialty market or in some large supermarkets with a well-stocked International section. Or, you can make your own by reducing 4 cups pomegranate juice, 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar,
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, pulp strained. Heat over medium-high heat to dissolve sugar. Lower heat to low and simmer until reduced to 1- 1 1/4 cups. Allow to cool and place in a clean glass container and refrigerate for up to a month.
It does say to bake covered for 45 minutes at 400 and an additional 15 minutes uncovered.As far as the lemon, it depends on what size you use. I used small lemons and hand squeezed them. Even my picky eater ate leftovers and I didn’t expect he would even try it.
I’m usually so impressed with your recipes but this one was unfortunately a miss. Way too much lemon juice, it should have been either at 400 instead of 375 OR baked longer at the recommended temp. The potatoes in wedges meant that some were undercooked in the middle. I had to toss much of the dish and was just super disappointed.
Pretty flavorless! Usually love their recipes and was super excited about this one but it was not good!!!
Salamat Alia & Radwa,
is it ok if I marinate the chicken with all ingredients (minus lemon juice) the day before then finish it off and bake next day?
TIA❤️
Yes, absolutely! The longer it marinates, the better!