Southern Baked Chicken Dinner

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Soul Food

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 45

Marinating Time: 2

Total Time: 3 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 654kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Well-seasoned chicken that's tender and juicy on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside served with buttery soft potatoes

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Equipment

Ingredients

¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4-5 pounds bone-in chicken like leg quarters, thighs, drums, etc.
1 onion preferably sweet yellow onion
2 pounds Russet potatoes
½ cup butter cut into pieces

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: Add brown sugar and spices to a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Thoroughly pat each piece of chicken with paper towels then sprinkle the seasoning mixture over top, toss, and rub the chicken until coated. Cover the container with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least two hours up to overnight.
¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 4-5 pounds bone-in chicken
Remove chicken from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Cut onion and potatoes into bite-sized pieces, then place them into roasting dish.
*Letting the chicken come to room temperature is important to ensure even cooking, as sticking cold chicken straight into a hot oven will result in the outer parts cooking far sooner than the innermost parts. This imbalance means your chicken is more likely to dry out and/or burn.
1 onion, 2 pounds Russet potatoes
Bake the Chicken: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Add chicken to roasting pan over top of the onion and potato pieces then place pats of butter on each piece of chicken. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place into the oven to cook for one hour.
½ cup butter
Remove foil covering from pan and increase heat to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue cooking chicken, allowing the skin to brown and get crispy for about 45 minutes to an hour or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If the skin starts to brown too much or burn, tent it with foil.
Finish and Serve: Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes, then baste, and serve with pan potatoes and any other side dishes.

Notes

Preparation

A secondary way to check your chicken for doneness is to cut a piece all the way to the bone and see that the juices run clear.

Modifications

Use any bone-in cut of chicken that you like. Just note that smaller cuts like wings will cook much more quickly, so adjust your roasting time accordingly.

You can make this a more fullsome meal by adding other vegetables to your pan. Aim for veggies with similar cook time, such as carrots, beets, turnips, and sweet potatoes.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to four days. To get leftovers with crispy skin, I recommend reheating uncovered in the oven or air fryer.

Nutrition