Making this dutch oven whole roast chicken with potatoes couldn’t be any easier. Marinate the chicken overnight and the rest is the breeze. This yogurt marinated roast chicken will turn out moist, tender, flavorful with roasted skin.
Whole chicken and potatoes are cooked together in one pot.
This is a perfect recipe to serve to the family at dinner time.
The dish is naturally gluten-free and made with minimal and easy-to-find ingredients.
The prep takes less than 10 minutes, and the cooking is completely hands-off.
Key Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Whole Chicken. I like to get organic whole chicken from local Aldi; these chickens are certified humanely raised, and dutch oven roast chicken turns delicious.
Yogurt. I make this chicken with whole milk plain Greek yogurt.
Lemon. You will need one lemon, or you can sub for the bottled lemon juice. If you love the lemon flavor, feel free to add the zest of the lemon too.
Garlic. I recommend using seven or more cloves to really enhance the flavor. You can either mince the garlic or use a Microplane.
Smoked Paprika. To add that smokey flavor to the chicken.
Potatoes. Red potatoes would work the best here.
Onions. If possible, use Vidalia sweet onion for a sweeter and more mild flavor.
Optional. Feel free to add different root vegetables instead of potatoes, like carrots or sweet potatoes.
Step-by-step Instructions
In a large glass mixing bowl, add the following ingredients: yogurt, paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Mix with the spoon to combine and make the marinade.
2. Add chicken to the bowl with the marinade, rub all over to cover in marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or at least for 8 hours.
3. The following day, gather the rest of the ingredients-Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Slice onions, add to the dutch oven to cover the bottom, wash and dice potatoes in half an inch cubes.
4. Add, the whole covered in marinade chicken, on top of the potatoes, cover with lid. Place the dutch oven in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake covered for 1 hour.
5. Then, take the lid off and bake for 15-20 minutes more to get the crispy skin. The chicken is done when internal temperature measures at 165C degrees at the thickest part of the chicken thigh area without touching the bone.
Recipe Tips
For the best flavor, when making dutch oven chicken don’t skip the marinating overnight step.
Adding Salt. Make sure to add salt to the marinade.
Layer onions in the dutch oven first.
Choose the right dutch oven size. Make sure the dutch oven is the right size and will fit the whole chicken and potatoes. And check that the lid will fit on top as well. I like to use Lodge or Le Creuset brand enameled dutch oven to make this recipe; it cleans wonderfully too.
Preheat the oven to 400F degrees before placing the dutch oven inside.
For moist chicken, first cook covered for 1 hour, then uncovered for 20 minutes.
The total cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken.
Once the chicken is cooked, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Save or freeze the carcass to make the chicken broth later.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When cooking chicken in Dutch Oven do I cover it?
I recommend cooking chicken for 1 hour covered to make sure it’s completely cooked. Then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes to get them crispy and roasted skin.
Making marinade. In a large glass mixing bowl, add the following ingredients: yogurt, paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Mix with the spoon to combine and make the marinade.
Marinating chicken. Add chicken to the bowl with the marinade, rub all over to cover in marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or at least for 8 hours.
Next day. The following day, gather the rest of the ingredients-Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Slice onions, add to the dutch oven to cover the bottom, wash and dice potatoes in half an inch cubes.
Bake covered. Add, the whole covered in marinade chicken, on top of the potatoes, cover with lid. Place the dutch oven in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake covered for 1 hour.
Bake uncovered. Then, take the lid off and bake for 15-20 minutes more to get the crispy skin. The chicken is done when internal temperature measures at 165C degrees at the thickest part of the chicken thigh area without touching the bone.
Notes
For the best flavor, don’t skip the marinating overnight step.Adding Salt. Make sure to add salt to the marinade.Layer onions in the dutch oven first. Choose the right dutch oven size. Make sure the dutch oven is the right size and will fit the whole chicken and potatoes. And check that the lid will fit on top as well. I like to use Lodge or Le Creuset brand enameled dutch oven to make this recipe; it cleans wonderfully too.Preheat the oven to 400F degrees before placing the dutch oven inside. For moist chicken, first cook covered for 1 hour, then uncovered for 20 minutes.The total cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting.Save or freeze the carcass to make the chicken broth later.
Natalia is a recipe developer, food photographer, and home cook. She started Flavorful Home to document her recipes and share home cooking tips. She loves creating flavorful and nutritious meals while keeping the cooking process simple and joyful!
Hi there, I’m Natalia. I’m so glad you stopped by! Here you’ll find the most useful cooking tips and answers to food questions. I focus on creating simple recipes and making sure they are extra flavorful and worthy of your time! Browse our step-by-step recipes and explore new flavors!
We definitely need these for football season around here! Can’t wait to try them!