Oven-Roasted Chicken Legs
Crispy Potatoes
Tender, juicy chicken legs roasted over a bed of crispy seasoned potatoes. The rich chicken drippings perfectly flavor the golden potatoes as they bake.
Oven-roasted chicken is a comforting specialty that transforms simple ingredients into a spectacular meal. By arranging the marinated chicken legs directly over the potatoes, the rendered chicken fat drips down to flavor and crisp the potato bed. This method ensures perfectly cooked, crispy-skinned chicken alongside deeply savory, golden potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh)
- 3-4 medium potatoes
- 1 batch herb marinade (pre-made)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- to taste salt
Instructions
- 1Peel the potatoes
Carefully peel the raw potatoes using a peeler or a small knife. Work over a tray or container to collect the peels cleanly, ensuring all skin is removed before cutting.
Tip: Peeling over a designated container keeps your workspace clean and makes disposal easy. - 2Cut into bite-sized chunks
Place the peeled potatoes on a cutting board and cut them into evenly sized, bite-sized chunks. This ensures they cook uniformly when roasted in the oven.
Tip: Try to keep the potato chunks uniform in size so they all finish cooking at the same time. - 3Season the potatoes
Arrange the chopped raw potato chunks evenly across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle salt uniformly over the potatoes from a small container and add a drizzle of olive oil to season them thoroughly before roasting.
Tip: Spread the potato chunks out into a single layer without overcrowding the pan to ensure they roast evenly and achieve a crispy texture. - 4Drizzle with olive oil
Pour a generous amount of olive oil over the seasoned potato chunks in the baking sheet. The oil helps the potatoes get crispy on the outside while staying tender inside.
Tip: Dont skimp on the oil; its key to achieving that perfect golden, crispy texture on the roasted potatoes. - 5Toss to coat uniformly
Using a gloved hand, thoroughly mix the potato chunks directly in the baking tray. Ensure every piece is evenly coated with the salt and olive oil for consistent flavoring.
Tip: Mixing by hand ensures the seasoning gets into every nook and cranny of the cut potatoes. - 6Prepare the marinated chicken
Lift the raw chicken legs from the green herb marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off slightly. Place them onto the prepared bed of seasoned potatoes in the baking tray.
Tip: Make sure the chicken legs are placed skin-side up first to start getting that skin nice and crispy. - 7Arrange the chicken legs
Carefully place the raw marinated chicken legs skin-side up on top of the seasoned potato chunks in the baking pan. Arranging them this way ensures the skin renders beautifully during the initial roast, while the flavorful juices drip down to season the potato bed below.
Tip: Make sure the chicken legs are spread out evenly so they cook uniformly and the potato bed isnt completely smothered. - 8Roast and flip the chicken legs
Roast the chicken and potatoes on the upper rack of the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes, skin-side up. Carefully remove the baking tray and use a pair of chopsticks to flip each chicken leg over. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes to ensure the meat cooks through completely.
Tip: Work quickly but carefully to prevent too much heat from escaping the tray, and watch out for hot grease splatters. - 9Check chicken doneness
To ensure the chicken legs are fully cooked, pierce the thickest part of the meat with a chopstick. If the juices run clear without any trace of blood, the chicken is perfectly done; otherwise, return it to the oven for a few more minutes.
Tip: If you are still unsure after poking, you can use a meat thermometer to verify the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F).