Juicy lemony chicken roasted alongside crispy smashed potatoes and garlicky green beans — all on one pan. This is one of those easy dinners that feels impressive without creating a sink full of dishes afterward.
The crispy potatoes soak up all the lemony chicken juices while roasting, and the yogurt cucumber sauce on the side pulls everything together perfectly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe started as one of those “I don’t want to wash a million dishes tonight” dinners… and honestly, it turned out so much better than expected.
The chicken marinates in yogurt, lemon, garlic, and herbs which keeps it juicy and flavorful, while the smashed potatoes get crispy right on the same sheet pan. Add roasted green beans and a creamy yogurt cucumber sauce and you have a full dinner with barely any cleanup.
And yes — the potatoes might be the best part.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Potatoes
- 1.5 kg baby potatoes
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Green Beans
- 300–400 g green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt, to taste
Yogurt Cucumber Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, shredded
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh dill or mint (optional)
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
In a large bowl, mix together:
- olive oil
- yogurt
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
- garlic
- oregano
- basil
- salt
- pepper
Rub the marinade all over the chicken pieces and set aside while preparing the potatoes.
Preheat the Oven
Place a large sheet pan in the oven while preheating.
Preheat oven to:
425°F / 220°C
Starting with a hot sheet pan helps the potatoes crisp properly.
Boil the Potatoes
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add potatoes and cook for:
20 minutes
until fork tender.
Drain well and let them sit for a few minutes so excess steam can escape.
Smash and Season the Potatoes
Transfer potatoes to a bowl and toss with:
- olive oil
- salt
Lightly smash each potato using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.
You want them flattened slightly but not completely mashed.
Roast the Potatoes
Carefully remove the hot sheet pan from the oven.
Place potatoes on the tray with the smashed side down.
Roast for:
15 minutes
This gives them a crispy head start before adding the chicken.
Add the Chicken
Remove the tray from the oven.
Flip the potatoes over so they don’t burn on one side.
Arrange chicken pieces between the potatoes, skin side up.
Roast for:
45 minutes
or until the chicken is deeply golden and fully cooked through.
Prepare the Green Beans
Toss green beans with:
- olive oil
- garlic
- salt
Optional:
If you prefer softer green beans, you can boil them briefly before adding them to the sheet pan.
Add the Green Beans
Add the green beans to the sheet pan during the last:
12–15 minutes
of cooking.
You want them slightly blistered while still staying bright green.
Make the Yogurt Cucumber Sauce
While the chicken finishes roasting, mix together:
- Greek yogurt
- shredded cucumber
- garlic
- lemon juice
- salt
- dill or mint if using
Serve on the side with the chicken and potatoes.
Pro Tips
Flip the Potatoes
Flipping the potatoes before adding the chicken helps keep them from getting too dark on one side while still staying crispy.
Don’t Skip the Hot Sheet Pan
Starting with a preheated tray helps the potatoes crisp instead of steam.
Yogurt Makes the Chicken Extra Juicy
The yogurt marinade keeps the chicken tender while helping the herbs and lemon stick beautifully to the chicken as it roasts.
Want Softer Green Beans?
Boil them for a few minutes before adding them to the sheet pan.
FAQ
Can I use chicken thighs instead?
Yes! Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs work great in this recipe.
Can I prep this ahead of time?
You can marinate the chicken and boil the potatoes ahead of time to make dinner even easier.
What kind of potatoes work best?
Baby Yukon gold potatoes or any small baby potatoes work best for smashing and roasting.
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken with Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken cut into 6 pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Potatoes
- 1.5 kg baby potatoes
- 2 –3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
Green Beans
- 300 –400 g green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt
Yogurt Cucumber Sauce
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber shredded
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt
- Dill or mint optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C with a large sheet pan inside the oven.
- Pat chicken dry and mix olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Rub over chicken and set aside.
- Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until fork tender. Drain and let steam dry.
- Toss potatoes with olive oil and salt. Lightly smash each potato.
- Carefully place potatoes on the hot sheet pan with smashed side down. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove tray, flip potatoes, and arrange chicken pieces between potatoes, skin side up.
- Roast for 45 minutes until chicken is golden and potatoes are crispy.
- Toss green beans with olive oil, garlic, and salt. Optionally boil them briefly first for a softer texture.
- Add green beans to the sheet pan during the last 12–15 minutes of cooking.
- Mix yogurt sauce ingredients together while the chicken finishes roasting.
- Serve chicken, crispy potatoes, and green beans with yogurt cucumber sauce and fresh lemon wedges.
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