cooking chicken and potato bake

Why This cooking chicken and potato bake Beats Every Other Version

Restaurant versions of this usually taste bland. I ordered one at a casual place last month for $16.47 and the chicken was dry and the potatoes were underdone. Sauce was watery.

Online recipes add cream or cheese that has no place here. This stays simple. Chicken thighs. Potatoes. Fresh peppers. Tomato paste. The oven does the work so everything gets soft and the top gets golden.

I tried it with chicken breast once. Dried out in thirty minutes. Thighs are the only way. 400 degrees. About 50 minutes total in a big metal tray.

And cleanup is one pan. I used to hate scrubbing. This fixed that.

What You Need

• 2 lbs chicken thighs (the Erpiliç pack or any bone-in from Costco for about $8.47)
• 4 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper or a handful of green beans
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or mixed herbs

Don’t use boneless skinless if you can help it. They dry out. And skip the canned tomatoes. Fresh ones break down better.

I tried frozen potatoes once. Watery mess that made the whole tray soggy. Fresh only.

External link for chicken safety: USDA poultry guidelines

How I Actually Make cooking chicken and potato bake

1. Grab a big metal baking tray. Lay the chicken thighs in a single layer.
2. Scatter the potato wedges around and on top of the chicken.
3. Add the diced tomatoes, red pepper slices, green pepper or beans, and minced garlic.
4. In a small bowl mix the tomato paste, olive oil, salt, paprika, and herbs until it looks like a thick sauce.
5. Pour the sauce all over the chicken and veggies. Use your hands to toss everything so it gets coated.
6. Cover the tray with parchment paper or foil.

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes covered.
8. Pull the cover off and bake another 15 minutes until the chicken is golden and the potatoes are soft.

The sound of the sauce bubbling when you take the cover off is the best part. Smell of garlic and roasted tomato hits first. Texture of the chicken is juicy if you didn’t overcook it.

First time the parchment stuck to the sauce and ripped. I scraped it back on and kept going. Second time I oiled the paper lightly and it came off clean.

Mid-article CTA

If you make this tonight leave a comment with how brown the top got. I keep track of oven differences.

Leftovers, Storage, and Random Stuff

Day-two cooking chicken and potato bake is still solid if you reheat it right. Fridge it in a sealed container. Next day warm in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes covered. Microwave makes the potatoes mushy.

I usually chop the leftovers and stuff them into a tortilla from my basic quesadilla post. Or pile them over leftover rice from my rice method.

The bake holds up better than expected. Just drain a little liquid before storing so it doesn’t get watery.

External link on leftover chicken: FDA leftover rules

Another solid reference: Wikipedia potato

cooking chicken and potato bake FAQs

How long does cooking chicken and potato bake keep in the fridge?

Three days max. After that the texture starts to soften too much.

Can I use chicken breast in cooking chicken and potato bake?

You can but it dries out faster. Drop the time to 40 minutes total and check early.

Why is my cooking chicken and potato bake watery?

Tomatoes release liquid. Next time roast them a few minutes alone first or drain a bit before serving.

Do I need a special pan for cooking chicken and potato bake?

Any big metal tray works. Mine is an old one from Target that cost $12.99 years ago.

Go make the cooking chicken and potato bake tonight. Set the timer and don’t open the oven early. Comment if the sauce amount felt right.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• 4 medium potatoes, wedged
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper or green beans
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried herbs

Instructions

1. Place chicken in a big tray.
2. Add potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, garlic.
3. Mix tomato paste, oil, and spices into a sauce.
4. Pour sauce over and toss.
5. Cover and bake at 400 for 35 min.
6. Uncover and bake 15 more min.

Notes
(Yes the sauce looks thick. It needs it.)
(Don’t skip the uncover step. Top needs color.)
(Yes it looks messy when you toss it. Keep going.)