Baked Parmesan Chicken

Looking for a dish that makes your kitchen smell like a five-star restaurant but does not require a culinary degree? Say hello to this Baked Parmesan Chicken recipe — a cozy, one-dish wonder that combines crispy, golden chicken with tender, flavor-packed potatoes. With tangy yogurt tenderizing the chicken, an aromatic blend of spices, and a grated Parmesan crust, it will seem like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen. The truth? Just 5 minutes of prep and the oven does the rest.

What stands out

We love a recipe that’s straightforward to prep but tastes like we've spent serious time cooking. This Baked Parmesan Chicken 5 minutes to prep and only uses one dish! The Parmigiano Reggiano on top of the chicken gives the ultimate crust and flavor while the yogurt marinade tenderizes it and makes it incredibly juicy. The potatoes melt in your mouth and the sauce at the bottom of the dish is suited to dipping into with a warm loaf of crusty bread. This meal pairs incredibly well with some feta on the side, grilled veggies, or a nice green salad.

How to Prepare

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Wash and peel the potatoes using a sharp knife. Cut each potato in half, place each half flat side down cutting right down the middle and then across making equal cubes (or small quarters).

Add the potatoes and the chicken to the baking dish.

Add the olive oil, seasoning, and yogurt, and then massage everything together well.

Arrange the chicken and potatoes nicely into the baking dish making sure the potatoes are at the bottom and the drumsticks are nestled in sitting on top so they can crisp up.

Drizzle on a touch of olive oil on top and dust the top of the chicken and potatoes with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Cover with foil (or a lid) and bake for 45 minutes covered and 40 minutes uncovered. The timing will depend on the oven so keep an eye on it. The chicken is ready when it’s golden and a meat thermometer reaches the temperature of 175F (80C)

Take it out of the oven, let it cool for 10-15 minutes, and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

To help make clean-up easier, line your baking dish in parchment paper or lightly grease the bottom with olive oil or avocado oil before adding any ingredients.

Swaps

1. Feel free to use chicken thighs, legs, or drumsticks for this recipe. You can even make this with a whole chicken if you wish as well.
2. If you want to use chicken breast only you will have to bake the chicken for a LOT less time so the potatoes may not be ready simultaneously. We suggest you cook the breast and potatoes separately in this case as white meat will dry out if overcooked.
3. We didn’t marinate this chicken at all or let it sit but you can. Our mom likes to marinate it for a few hours before baking it. It’s just as good regardless so don’t stress.
4. Play around with the seasonings. You can use any YOU love in this recipe.
5. If you need a substitute for yogurt sour cream is lovely as well.
6. We love Balkan-Style yogurt but Greek or any PLAIN variety, even non-dairy, will work.

Secrets to Results

Although yogurt is not a secret ingredient to many cultures, it may be new to you! Our family and we have been cooking and tenderizing meat with yogurt for generations and it’s by far our favorite way. Marinating with yogurt is totally foolproof for tenderizing meat and will give you a great outcome every time Other alternatives that we love besides yogurt for marinades are sour cream or even mayo so feel free to experiment and make it your own.

If you’re looking for more yogurt-marinated recipes be sure to check out our Juicy Yogurt Lemon Chicken our Juiciest 6 Ingredient Chicken or our Juicy Lemon Pepper Yogurt Chicken.

Serve it with

• Serve this Baked Parmesan Chicken dish with any fresh side salad, such as our Panzanella SaladSimple Green Salad or Lemon Parmesan Salad.
• Serve with a grilled vegetable side dish like our Grilled Zucchini Recipe or Roasted Bell Peppers.
• Serve with a loaf of crusty bread. Our No Knead Feta BreadNo Knead Olive Bread or No Knead Bread would be!

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
• 10 chicken drumsticks, or thighs
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus a drizzle on top
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ tablespoon dry oregano, to taste
• ½ cup plain yogurt, I use Balkan-style
• finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top, measure with your heart
• chives or lemon thyme for garnish, optional

Equipment

• Baking Dish
• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Meat Thermometer

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut each potato in half, place each half flat side down cutting right down the middle and then across making equal cubes (or small quarters).
3. Add the potatoes and the chicken to the baking dish.
4. Add the olive oil, seasoning, yogurt and massage really well.
5. Arrange the chicken and potatoes nicely into the baking dish making sure the potatoes are at the bottom and the drumsticks are nestled in sitting on top so they can crisp up.
6. Drizzle on a touch of olive oil on top and dust the top of the chicken and potatoes with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
7. Cover with foil (or a lid) and bake for 45 minutes covered and 40 minutes uncovered. The timing will depend on the oven so keep an eye on it. The chicken is ready when it's golden and reaches an internal temperature of 175F (80C)
8. Take it out of the oven, let it cool for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
9. Perfect pairings: Feta cheese, fresh bread, green salad, or grilled veggies.

Kitchen notes

• Cuts of meat: Feel free to use chicken thighs, legs, or drumsticks for this recipe. You can even make this with a whole chicken if you wish as well.
• A note on chicken breast: If you want to use chicken breast only, you will have to bake the chicken for a LOT less time so the potatoes may not be ready simultaneously. We suggest you cook the breast and potatoes separately in this case as white meat will dry out if overcooked.
• Marinating time: We didn’t marinate this chicken at all or let it sit but you absolutely can. Our mom likes to marinate it for a few hours before baking it. It’s just as good regardless so don’t stress.
• Yogurt substitutes: If you need a substitute for yogurt, sour cream is lovely as well. We love Balkan-Style yogurt but Greek or any PLAIN variety, even non-dairy, will work.

Questions

can we use chicken breasts instead of thighs in this recipe?

You certainly can, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time. If only using chicken breast, bake for a LOT less time so the chicken doesn’t dry out. In this case, we suggest cooking the potatoes separately so they can cook longer.

What can we use instead of yogurt?

You can substitute plain yogurt with sour cream, Greek yogurt, or a non-dairy yogurt alternative if needed.

What can we use instead of parmigiano?

Any hard, aged cheese like Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano will work. Alternatively, you can skip it or add nutritional yeast for a dairy-free option (let us know in the comments if you try this!).

can we add additional vegetables to this dish?

Yes, you can add carrots, zucchini, turnips, or sweet potatoes as well.

strong Can we prepare this b aked parmesan chicken strong ahead of time?

Yes, you can marinate the chicken and potatoes in the yogurt and spices a few hours or overnight, which will also enhance the flavor.

how do we know when the chicken is fully cooked?

We always use a mark meat mark thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked. The internal temperature should be 175°F (80°C) when fully cooked.