If you love cooking in cast iron then this cast iron skillet roast chicken with potatoes will knock you off thanks to its amazing flavors of lemon, garlic and olive oil! Plus being a one pan roast chicken recipe, it is a total win win!
If you are looking for a weeknight meal that is right on point in terms of protein and good carb, then this delicious one pan cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes is the one for you!
This is that kind of recipe where you mix everything, shut it in the oven and then just forget it until the timer beeps!
Such one pan recipes are my savior when it comes to healthy homemade meals on hectic weekdays when I hardly get time to even get up from my chair while working from home!
What is cast iron skillet roast chicken?
Simply put, cast iron skillet roast chicken is the deliciously flavored smoky chicken and potatoes specifically roasted in a good old trusty cast iron pan!
You might be wondering what’s so special about this cast iron skillet roast chicken!
The USP of this recipe is the unique smokiness of the roast chicken and potatoes that comes particularly from roasting the chicken in a cast iron pan!
Cast iron is extremely efficient in retaining the heat once it reaches the desired temperature which essentially means it aids in roasting the chicken evenly from all sides.
That’s the very reason why you don’t even need to flip the chicken over in mid-way while roasting them in a cast iron skillet!
Which cast iron skillet to use for this recipe?
The skillet I used to make my cast iron roast chicken is 10.25 inch in diameter which is big enough to comfortably hold 4 chicken drumsticks and 4 chicken thighs with a good number of potatoes.
The above quantity was enough for 3 to 4 servings which was perfect for us; so you can use a skillet of similar size if you are looking for the same.
If you love to cook your regular meals in cast iron pans, then I am sure you will love this cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes once you give it a try!
Ingredients for cast iron skillet roast chicken
Chicken: For this cast iron skillet roast chicken recipe, my recommendation is to use chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks as these two portions taste best when roasted.
This recipe of mine is also specifically meant for thighs and drumsticks as these dark meat demands longer cooking time and more seasoning to bring out their best flavors.
I didn’t use skin-on chicken pieces as I wanted to cut down on extra fat; but if you are too fond of crispy skin of roasted chicken, then, by all means, feel free to use skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks!
Potato: Crispy roasted potatoes are everyone’s dream and I can bet on that! Is there anything tastier on earth than those crispy potatoes? I guess not!
Use the potatoes that you get locally in your nearby supermarket, nothing fancy! Keep the skin on if you like; peeling is completely optional! Just ensure to wash the skin well to remove all dirt!
Garlic: My most favorite aromatic makes its appearance in this recipe as well and it’s no surprise! No chicken recipe is complete without the flavor of garlic!
Just scatter garlic cloves as much as you like over the chicken and potatoes and you are good to go!
Lemon juice: The key flavor in this roast chicken is imparted through lemon juice. The citrusy flavor coming from lemon gives this dish an overwhelming freshness which you can feel only when you taste it!
Extra virgin olive oil: A good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must for this cast iron skillet roast chicken!
This roast chicken and potatoes accumulate beautiful gravy at the bottom of the pan which will taste incredible based on the quality of olive oil you are using!
I have been using this brand of olive oil since ages and have produced fantastic results every time in all my recipes requiring olive oil!
Italian seasoning: This is my favorite seasoning of all time since I discovered it ages ago! When I am not sure what all herbs to combine, I blindly pick up the bottle of Italian seasoning and sprinkle a generous amount over most of my food!
Not surprisingly, this seasoning works wonders on this roast chicken and potatoes too! This has the right balance of all the mixed herbs and aromas from spices.
Red chilli flakes: The kick of subtle heat from chilli flakes adds an extra dimension to your cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes.
You may also add cayenne pepper if you like. Even the red chilli powder which is our Indian kitchen staple will also work here, but the color will turn out to be more on the reddish side.
Salt & black pepper: Season your cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes generously with salt to taste and freshly crushed black pepper.
How to make cast iron skillet roast chicken?
Step 1: Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs. Keep them in a large mixing bowl and set aside while you prepare potatoes.
Step 2: Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Then you can either peel them like I did or keep the skin on. I used small potatoes which I had just halved.
Pro tip: If you are using large potatoes, cut them into smaller pieces; just make sure all the potato pieces are of the same size so that they cook evenly at the same time.
Step 3: Now take a small mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients except garlic cloves. Mix together lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning, red chilli flakes, salt and freshly crushed black pepper to taste.
Step 4: Give a good whisk and create a thick homogeneous mixture. Take time to mix this so that olive oil and lemon juice amalgamate with each other.
Step 5: Take the chicken and potatoes in the same large mixing bowl. Then drizzle the prepared olive oil lemon juice mixture on top.
Step 6: Now either using your hands or using a spatula, start mixing the chicken and potatoes with the marinating mixture.
Step 7: Take each chicken piece and massage it well so that the mixture penetrates inside the nooks and crannies of the drumsticks & thighs.
Pro tip: Feel free to adjust the seasoning ingredients if you feel they are not enough while you mix them.
Step 8: Coat each potato piece also with the marinating mixture. Once you are good with the mixing, leave them at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Step 9: When you are ready to roast, preheat your oven to 200 C / 400 F and set the oven rack at the center of the oven.
Step 10: Now take your cast iron skillet and brush the surface with a light coating of olive oil.
Step 11: Then first arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the cast iron skillet in a single layer.
Step 12: Once all the chicken pieces are arranged, place the potatoes into the gaps between two chicken pieces.
Step 13: Finally scatter the garlic cloves over the chicken and potatoes distributing them as evenly as possible.
Step 14: Pour all the marinating liquid over the arranged chicken and potatoes as that carries most of the flavors.
Step 15: Now place the cast iron skillet with chicken and potatoes inside the preheated oven keeping it on the middle rack.
Step 16: Bake the chicken and potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through with internal temperature reaching to 165 F on an instant-read meat thermometer and potatoes become fork tender & crispy on the outside.
Pro tip: Check the doneness of the chicken by cutting the thicker part of meat with the edge of a knife; if there are no traces of pink and juice runs clear, your chicken is cooked through.
Pro tip: At half-way through the cooking time, take out the skillet once and baste the chicken pieces by spooning the cooking liquid from the skillet and drizzling it over the chicken drumsticks & thighs.
Step 17: Once done after about 40 minutes, take the skillet out from the oven and let the roasted chicken and potatoes rest for 10 minutes.
Step 18: Finally, serve the delicious cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes warm with a side of fresh salad!
More roast chicken recipes from Flavor Quotient
- Thigh Spiced Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken
- Portuguese Inspired Roast Chicken
- Garlic and Paprika Roast Chicken
- Chicken drumsticks - 4, bone-in & skinless
- Chicken thighs - 4, bone-in & skinless
- Potato - 7 to 8, halved
- Garlic - 15 to 20 cloves
- Lemon juice - ¼ cup
- Extra virgin olive oil - ¼ cup
- Italian seasoning - 2 tsp
- Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Wash and pat dry the chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs. Keep them in a large mixing bowl and set aside while you prepare potatoes.
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Then you can either peel them like I did or keep the skin on. I used small potatoes which I had just halved.
- Now take a small mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients except garlic cloves. Mix together lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning, red chilli flakes, salt and freshly crushed black pepper to taste.
- Give a good whisk and create a thick homogeneous mixture. Take time to mix this so that olive oil and lemon juice amalgamate with each other.
- Take the chicken and potatoes in the same large mixing bowl. Then drizzle the prepared olive oil lemon juice mixture on top.
- Now either using your hands or using a spatula, start mixing the chicken and potatoes with the marinating mixture.
- Take each chicken piece and massage it well so that the mixture penetrates inside the nooks and crannies of the drumsticks & thighs.
- Coat each potato piece also with the marinating mixture. Once you are good with the mixing, leave them at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- When you are ready to roast, preheat your oven to 200 C / 400 F and set the oven rack at the center of the oven.
- Now take your cast iron skillet and brush the surface with a light coating of olive oil.
- Then first arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the cast iron skillet in a single layer.
- Once all the chicken pieces are arranged, place the potatoes into the gaps between two chicken pieces.
- Finally scatter the garlic cloves over the chicken and potatoes distributing them as evenly as possible.
- Pour all the marinating liquid over the arranged chicken and potatoes as that carries most of the flavors.
- Now place the cast iron skillet with chicken and potatoes inside the preheated oven keeping it on the middle rack.
- Bake the chicken and potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through with internal temperature reaching to 165 F on an instant-read meat thermometer and potatoes become fork tender & crispy on the outside.*
- Once done after about 40 minutes, take the skillet out from the oven and let the roasted chicken and potatoes rest for 10 minutes.
- Finally, serve the delicious cast iron skillet roast chicken and potatoes warm with a side of fresh salad. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: At half-way through the cooking time, take out the skillet once and baste the chicken pieces by spooning the cooking liquid from the skillet and drizzling it over the chicken drumsticks & thighs.
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