How to Cook Amazing Lemon and Chicken in a Dutch Oven

Do you love lemons, chicken, herbs, and spices that deliver divine flavors with the benefits of one-pot cooking?

If you do you are going to love this amazing lemon and chicken with potatoes recipe prepared in none other than the mighty Dutch oven. It is a great recipe perfect for a busy weeknight. If you have leftovers you can store them in an airtight container add some roasted asparagus and you have a juicy chicken meal for lunch.

To cook this lemon chicken recipe you will be preparing your fresh ingredients. Gather your flavors such as fresh chicken broth, spices, garlic, and herbs. Throwing it all in your cast-iron Dutch oven. Cooking then waiting to sit down to this loved international meal.

So pull out your cast-iron Dutch oven and make this hearty filling dish it is at the same time a quick and easy meal for any night of the week.

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Lemon and Chicken Recipe

Ingredients Breakdown for Dutch Oven Lemon and Chicken

Chicken Pieces – Fresh chicken thighs including the bone for this hearty meal.

I do not use the breast bone piece of the chicken for this recipe as I find it dries out too much.

You could also prepare this dish with fresh whole thigh chicken fillets.

Fresh Lemons – Choose fresh lemons whose peel is blemishless.

Good Fats – Pure olive oil as fresh as you can find.

Onion and Garlic – Brown onions halved and sliced. Whole smashed garlic cloves. You can use garlic powder if have no fresh garlic on hand.

Potatoes – Firm baking potatoes

How to Cook Lemon and Chicken in a Dutch Oven

Ingredient Measurements

• 6 medium potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large onion sliced
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed and kept whole
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound or 500g chicken pieces
• 2 small lemons, halved and juiced
• 1 small lemon – zested
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the conventional oven to 425 degrees.

Pat down chicken cutlets (thighs) with a paper towel.

In a mixing bowl add lemon juice. Place the chicken pieces in the juice.

Remove the chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the top side of each chicken piece with lemon zest.

Cover the bottom of the Dutch oven with a thin layer of olive oil.

Arrange potato slices and onions evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Place whole smashed garlic cloves evenly on top of the potatoes and onions.

Using half the olive oil drizzle it evenly over the top of potatoes, onions, and garlic, and sprinkle with half the paprika. Further season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the chicken pieces on top of potatoes, garlic, and onions.

Drizzle the remaining lemon juice over the top.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the last of the paprika. Add lemon halves or lemon slices to the pot.

Place lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes and onions are tender.

If you want chicken a little browner, crispier you can remove the lid 5-10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

You will need to take care not to dry the chicken out.

Serve with your favorite accompaniments.

Recipe Variations

Suggestions for herbs and spices – lemon pepper seasoning, fresh rosemary, cayenne, a small chili (seeds removed) sliced thinly and sprinkled through the dish before cooking. If you are in a hurry you can substitute herbs and spices with an Italian seasoning mix.

What Can You Serve With Lemon Chicken?

• Steamed green vegetables my favorite is green beans
• Sauteed microgreens – kale, spinach, or Swiss chard
• Sauteed or steamed Chinese greens like Bok Choy or Pak Choy complement this Asian inspired dish
• Pasta A side of your favorite freshly cooked pasta my favorite if angel hair pasta
• Rice steamed Basmati rice cooked with a slither of saffron
• Cauliflower Rice
• Extra lemon wedges
• Parmesan cheese

How Cook – RICE

Check out my recipe for the perfect fluffy steamed rice very time in a Dutch oven – here

This article shows you how to steam rice in a rice cooker – here

When Was Lemon and Chicken Invented

Research results about the origins of this dish are conflicting. It seems everyone wants to lay claim to this tried and true meal.

What I discovered tells me that the lemon and chicken we make today may have originated in Hong Kong in the 1960s possibly the early 1970s.

The world embraced this delicious combination by adding its own cultural influences.

In the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia lemon chicken can be found being served as battered chicken strips, or sometimes chicken pieces that are fried. They are then served with a Chinese-style lemon and sweet and sour sauce.

In France, lemon chicken is served with potatoes and Dijon mustard in the sauce.

Italy loves its lemon chicken and has a completely different way to present this popular dish. Fresh and classy is how I would describe this presentation. The chicken is kept whole it is roasted with white wine, fresh lemon juice, fresh thyme, and mirepoix.

In Spain, lemon chicken is similar to the Italian version again the chicken is cooked whole with lemon sauce, pine nuts, rosemary, and ham sauteéd together.

Dutch Oven Chicken Breast and Potatoes

If you want to prepare Dutch oven chicken breast and potatoes without the bone in the breast – carry out the full process as outlined above.

Then alter your cooking time.

It should be reduced to 30 minutes or until your chicken breasts are cooked. Watch them after the cooking time is up as you do not want to dry the chicken breasts out.

Serve with accompaniments of choice…

Pro-tip: when using a Dutch oven use medium-high heat when sauteing then reduce to medium-low heat to continue cooking. To ensure food safety you can also use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

F.A.Q’S – About Lemon and Chicken

Here are some concise answers to some frequently asked questions about lemon and chicken.

What does lemon juice do to chicken?

Lemon juice can be used as a marinade and helps tenderize the chicken.

How long can you leave the chicken in lemon juice?

2 hours – this is because acidic foods tend to chemically cook food. Seafood is even less at less than 30 minutes.

Does lemon dry out chicken?

Lemon should not dry the chicken out unless it is overcooked.

Ensure you use oil in your recipe, cook over medium heat and follow the cooking instructions and your chicken should not dry out…

To Finish – How to Cook Amazing Lemon and Chicken in a Dutch Oven

There you have an international favorite recipe prepared in a one-pot cast-iron Dutch oven.

If there are any leftovers they are delicious served cold with a fresh salad.

Alternatively, you could remove the chicken off the bone combine it with other fresh salad ingredients, and make a wrap, rollup, or sandwich.

To be honest I doubt there will be any leftovers.

At Ovenspot I am committed to bringing you quick and easy recipe ideas, using fresh ingredients, that are prepared “all-in-one-pot”.

SOME OF MY OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

• Dutch Oven Chicken Soup: Quick and Easy
• Dutch Oven Chicken Curry: Easy and Delicious
• Dutch Oven Chicken Provençal
• Dutch Oven Chicken Supreme
• Dutch Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

Top 5 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Ovens

• Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt.
• Staub Cast Iron Round Cocotte, 5.5-quart
• Lodge Color Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart
• Bruntmor, Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Casserole Dish 6.5 quart
• Crock-Pot Artisan Round Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 7-Quart

One-Pot Cooking Rocks