Grecian Formula #16,000 - Greek Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Olives

For the first time since last tax season, I was totally on my own on a Saturday.  Robert and Cory headed out early morning to drive to Bradenton to participate in an all-day martial arts clinic.  So what did I do with all this freedom?

I spent the whole day cooking and cleaning up after my cooking and washing my hands more often than Lady Macbeth because I cannot stand to have my hands dirty from cooking.

And I had a fan-frack-tastic time!  Except when I got the club-hand while breading the Scotch eggs.  Hated that.  But loved when the boys got home, and the dishwasher was humming while I sat on my couch, in my spot, blogging and watching Doctor Who.  It's not the most exciting life, but it's mine and I like it.

This was the weekend I prepped the Scotch eggs and the stuffed cabbage but I still needed something chicken for the week.  There was a recipe for a Greek marinade that had caught my interest, a package of chicken thighs in the refrigerator, and a single baking potato.  So I made it up as I went along, and it made a very nice dinner.

Greek Baked Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes and Olives

6 skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

Greek Marinade:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 small garlic cloves, put through a garlic press 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoon parsley flakes (dried parsley)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 large Russet baking potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch by 1/2 inch pieces

Handful each of: pitted Kalamata olives and pimento-stuffed green olives

Handful of grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

Whisk the marinade ingredients together and pour into a gallon zip top plastic bag.  Add the chicken, seal well, and turn the bag so that all of the chicken gets covered with the marinade.  Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the potatoes, olives, and tomatoes in an 8 x 12 baking dish (yes, of course I use the aluminum tins).  Remove the chicken from the bag and place on top of the potato mixture in the baking dish.  The chicken will be covered in marinade and herbs, which is what you want.  Drizzle any remaining marinade in the bag over the potato mixture.  Bake for an hour, and remove the dish from the oven.  With tongs, carefully remove the chicken to a platter.  Spoon some of the juices in the baking dish over the chicken.  Cover and set aside.

Raise the oven heat to 425 degrees.  Gently toss the potato mixture with the remaining juices in the baking dish.  If you wish, sprinkle on a little salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.  Place back in the oven for 15 minutes.  Turn over the potato pieces, season if you wish, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.  Place the chicken back on top of the potato mixture and drizzle any chicken juices collected on the platter over the whole dish.

The Greek marinade made the chicken so tender and delicious!  I'm sure it would also work beautifully with fish or pork.