Patates Riganates

Few can resist the lure of tender, herby Greek lemon potatoes. Often cooked in the drippings of a roasting leg of lamb or whole chicken, Greek potatoes don’t require a big roast for big flavor. Here, the lemony side dish gets its punch from a bit of chicken stock, plus plenty of garlic, oregano, and olive oil.

Recipe information

• Total Time50 minutes
• Yield4–6 servings

Ingredients

3 lb. baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½” cubes

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1½ tsp. dried oregano, crumbled

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chicken stock

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

2–3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

Preparation

Step 1

Place rack in center of oven, preheat oven to 400°F.

Step 2

Place 3 lb. baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½” cubes, in a single layer in a 13×9″ metal baking dish or roasting pan and pour ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil over. Add 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1½ tsp. dried oregano, crumbled, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste and toss well to coat with oil.

Step 3

Roast potatoes for 15 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock and toss to combine; bake 10 minutes more. Add ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, toss again, and continue to bake until potatoes are fork tender, 10–15 minutes more.

Step 4

Preheat broiler on high; broil potatoes until golden brown and turning crispy, 2–3 minutes.

Step 5

Sprinkle with 2–3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano.

TIPS:

Tomato-Chile Potatoes: Dissolve 1 Tbsp. tomato paste in the stock, and reduce the amount of lemon juice to taste. Substitute Aleppo-style pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for the black pepper.

You can use Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, and you’ll cook them in a few stages: First, with a few cloves of garlic, oil, and salt to ensure they’re well seasoned and perfectly enriched, then you’ll add a splash of chicken stock to steam them, ensuring the interior of each cut potato is nice and fluffy. Saving the lemon juice for last preserves its tartness while tempering its intensity. We like finishing the roasted potatoes under the broiler to give them some extra color and golden crispy edges before garnishing them with fresh oregano.

Serve with a big Greek salad, or use them as the base for Greek-inspired “nachos” topped with crumbled feta cheese, shredded chicken, and tzatziki.