Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Skillet with Potatoes

When I make this oven baked lemon pepper chicken skillet with potatoes, I’m roasting the whole bird. That’s because when I make this, it’s as a holiday meal. I want a dish that stands out and I think the presentation of the whole chicken nestled among the baked new potatoes really stands out on the table.

Oven Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Skillet with Potatoes

Are you looking to step up a holiday meal from a basic ham at Easter or a turkey on Christmas? Let me present to you this recipe for oven baked lemon pepper chicken skillet with new potatoes.

This dish calls for a four- to five-pound whole chicken. However, it is easy to modify the recipe so you can use chicken breasts or even chicken thighs. Truth is, whichever kind of chicken works for your budget these days, that’s the one you should go with.

Even though the lemon pepper chicken with potatoes cooks in a skillet, you actually bake it in the oven. So make sure you’ve got an oven-safe skillet you can use. This is a great time to break out your cast iron skillet, if you have one.

Ingredients

• 2 whole lemons
• 2 medium yellow onions sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 5 pounds roasting chicken
• 4 large Rosemary sprigs torn into small pieces and divided
• 1 pounds new potatoes scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
• ½ cup chicken broth organic
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. Place the top oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400 F. Zest one of the lemons and cut the rest of it into quarters. Set the zest and lemon aside
2. Slice the remaining lemon into one quarter-inch thick slices and arrange on the bottom of a large, oven-safe skillet, along with the sliced yellow onion. Set aside
3. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the lemon zest, butter, garlic powder, onion powder and Herbes de Provence. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir with a fork to create a paste
4. Place the chicken on top of the onions and lemon in the skillet and gently massage 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon-butter mixture under the skin. Spread the remaining mixture all over the outside of the chicken in an even layer.
5. Stuff the chicken with the quartered lemon and one third of the rosemary sprigs. Secure the legs together with kitchen string or butcher twine.
6. In a large glass bowl, toss the baby red potatoes with the remaining olive oil and fresh rosemary. Season with salt and black pepper.
7. Nestle the seasoned potatoes around the chicken before adding the chicken broth and whole peppercorns. Place the skillet in the preheated oven to roast for one hour
8. After an hour, remove from oven and check for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer between the leg and breast but not against the bone. Once it has reached your desired internal temperature of 165 F, remove from the oven.
9. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Serve immediately topped with some of the juices from the skillet and the roasted rosemary potatoes on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

Watch your chicken and if necessary, loosely cover it with aluminum foil after 45 minutes to prevent over-browning of the skin.

For this lemon pepper chicken recipe, you’ll definitely want to have an instant-read thermometer on hand to check the temperature of your chicken as it roasts. That’s because actual cook time will vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the bird, and fluctuations in cooking temperatures from one oven to the next. For best results, check with your thermometer after 1 hour and adjust the final cook time accordingly.