Ingredients
Scale
The Chicken
- 3–4 lbs (1.4–1.8kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (6–8 pieces)
The Marinade/Braising Liquid
- Zest of 2 large lemons
- Juice of 2 large lemons (about ½ cup / 120ml)
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (120ml) chicken broth
- 5–6 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
- 1½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey (optional)
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
The Potatoes
- 2 lbs (900g) Yukon Gold potatoes or baby potatoes, cut into large wedges
For Serving
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh oregano, roughly torn
- Tzatziki alongside (optional but specifically recommended)
Instructions
- Score and marinate the chicken. Using a sharp knife, make three to four shallow cuts through the skin and into the flesh of each chicken piece. In a large bowl or zip-lock bag, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, Dijon, honey (if using), salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight for best results.
- Prepare the potatoes. Cut the Yukon Gold potatoes into large, even wedges. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
- Build the slow cooker. Arrange the potato wedges in an even layer across the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Pour any remaining marinade liquid over the potatoes. Add the chicken broth.
- Add the chicken. Place the marinated chicken pieces skin-side up on top of the potato layer, fitting them snugly. Pour any remaining marinade from the bowl over the chicken pieces. The liquid should reach approximately halfway up the potatoes; add a small amount of additional broth if needed.
- Cook. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is completely tender and reads 165°F (74°C) internally and the potatoes are fully cooked through and have absorbed the braising liquid. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
- Broil the chicken. Preheat the broiler to HIGH. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Using tongs, carefully transfer the chicken pieces skin-side up to the prepared baking sheet. Spoon two tablespoons of the braising liquid over each piece. Broil 5 to 6 inches from the element for 4 to 6 minutes, watching constantly, until the skin is golden, blistered, and beginning to char at the thinnest edges.
- Broil the potatoes. Transfer the potato wedges to the baking sheet alongside the chicken or to a separate foil-lined sheet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are golden and slightly crisp.
- Reduce the braising liquid. While everything is under the broiler, pour the remaining braising liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly concentrated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Serve. Arrange the broiled chicken and potatoes on a large platter or board. Scatter fresh herbs over everything. Add lemon wedges around the edge. Squeeze fresh lemon over the entire platter immediately before serving. Serve the reduced braising liquid in a small pitcher alongside. Bring to the table.
Notes
- Marinate overnight if possible. The scoring and overnight marination are the preparation steps that most improve the finished dish. The marinade penetrates deeply into the scored chicken, producing meat that is seasoned all the way through rather than just at the surface. If overnight is not possible, even thirty minutes produces a measurably better result than cooking immediately from the packet.
- Score the chicken — it matters. Shallow cuts through the skin and into the flesh allow the marinade to penetrate below the surface during marinating and allow the braising liquid to enter the meat during cooking. Unscored chicken has a marinade-on-the-surface, braising-liquid-on-the-outside quality; scored chicken absorbs from both directions.
- Potatoes on the bottom — always. The potatoes need to be in contact with the braising liquid that accumulates at the bottom of the insert. They absorb it continuously throughout the cook, becoming the most flavorful element on the plate. The chicken on top sits above the liquid level and maintains slightly more skin texture than if it were submerged.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest — not bottled. The zest is the most important form of lemon in this recipe. The essential oils in the lemon peel are more intensely lemon-flavored than the juice and produce the aromatic quality that defines the dish. No bottled lemon product contains lemon zest. Use fresh lemons and zest them before juicing.
- The broiler is not optional. Slow cooker chicken emerges pale and soft-skinned regardless of how well it was seasoned. The broiler — five to six minutes — produces the golden, blistered skin that makes the dish look as good as it tastes. Without the broiler, this is excellent food. With it, it is a dish that makes people say it tastes like a restaurant.
- Squeeze fresh lemon at the table. The lemon note in the braising liquid has mellowed and rounded during the long cook. A squeeze of fresh lemon over the finished plate at serving is the sharp, vibrant note that makes the dish taste specifically alive. Do not skip this final touch.
- Tzatziki alongside is specifically correct. The cool, creamy, cucumber-dill tanginess of tzatziki against the warm, lemony, garlic-forward chicken is the contrast that makes the Greek flavor profile complete. A spoonful of tzatziki over a piece of the broiled chicken, with a bite of lemon potato alongside, is one of the great simple combinations in Mediterranean cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6–7 hours (on LOW)
- Category: Dinner, Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free