Kleftiko-Style Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Roasting chicken and vegetables like potatoes, peppers, and onion together wrapped in parchment paper guarantees a beautiful presentation and a tender and juicy chicken every time. Try it and wow your guests!

A homey whole roast chicken is a dinner classic, but this Kleftiko-Style Greek roasted chicken and vegetables is company-worthy for its bold flavors and striking presentation.

First, I dress the chicken in an herby, lemon and garlic rub that gives the chicken big Greek flavor. If you’ve been here a while you know I don’t believe there’s such a thing as too much garlic! Then I roast it in parchment paper to trap moisture resulting in the juiciest, most flavorful chicken.

I was inspired by the classic Greek lamb dish Kleftiko, where the meat and veggies are wrapped in parchment paper. The parchment traps the steam and all the meat’s juices. (There’s a long history of this style of roasting protein in the Mediterranean–the French Fish en Papillote being another example.) The seasoned juices from the chicken add loads of savory flavor to the veggies, while the steam cooks the meat gently, preventing overcooked breasts and undercooked thighs. I finish everything with big hunks of feta that get deliciously soft and golden under the broiler. 

I love this recipe so much that I included it in my second cookbook, Simply Dinner, where my goal was to bring joyful recipes that don’t require loads of fuss. At the end of the day, this Greek roast chicken and vegetable recipe is essentially a sheet pan meal wrapped like a gift for a show-stopping presentation.

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients for Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
1. For the Garlic and Lemon Rub
2. For the Chicken
2. How to Make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
1. Make the Garlic Lemon Rub
2. Prep the Chicken and Vegetables
3. Roast the Chicken and Vegetables
3. What to Serve with Roast Chicken and Potatoes
4. More Whole Roasted Chicken Recipes
5. Roasted Chicken and Vegetables in Parchment Recipe

Ingredients for Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

I bring big Greek flavors with this roast chicken and vegetable recipe using two layers. First, is the garlic lemon rub, which coats the chicken in a zippy, savory flavor. Second, a lemon and white wine sauce fills the parchment with fragrant steam and soaks into all the veggies as they roast. You’ll need:

For the Garlic and Lemon Rub

• Garlic: And a lot of it! Get your garlic mincing skills polished with this recipe, as a healthy amount of garlic provides much of this chicken’s flavor.
• Dijon mustard: Adds a rich, peppery flavor. 
• Lemons: Opt for untreated lemons as you’ll use both the zest and juice.  
• Extra virgin olive oil: Coats the chicken, allowing the skin to crisp and the spices to stick.

For the Chicken

• Whole chicken: Look for a (3 1/2 to 4 pound) bird, which will roast evenly in the same time the veggies take to get tender. 
• Seasonings: Italian seasoning adds an incredible aromatic quality to the chicken meat—you can make it yourself or use a store-bought variety. Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor. 
• Baby potatoes: Stay tender and don’t require peeling, but feel free to swap in whatever variety you have on hand. If you’re working with larger varieties, peel and cut them into smaller pieces. 
• Tomatoes: I like sweet, juicy, and firm Roma tomatoes for this recipe, but any medium-sized variety will work. Because they’re baked in the oven, they don’t need to be the perfect summer tomato.
• Bell peppers: Any color you like will bring a pop of sweetness. If you prefer more vegetal flavors, go for purple or green. For a sweeter option, red, yellow, or orange are your best bet. 
• Onion: I like the sweet and mild flavor of red onion with this recipe, plus it adds a nice bit of color but you don’t need to be too picky. White or yellow onion will work just fine. 
• Chicken stock: Homemade chicken stock is a special treat, but you can swap in a low-sodium store-bought variety if you don’t have any on hand. 
• Dry white wine: It doesn’t need to be too fancy—just something dry and drink-able. A chardonnay would work great here.
• Feta cheese: Adds a decadent creamy-tangy-melty element in the final minutes. It’s totally optional, though. Simply leave it off for a dairy-free option. 

How to Make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

This is a modern take on the 500-year-old cooking method. A group of Greek mountain rebels called the Klefts (or Klephts) used to cook their “stolen” meats (often lamb) in makeshift underground ovens, which trapped the smell of the food so they could go about their “business” undetected. Nowadays, kleftiko is cooked in parchment parcels in the oven to mimic this sneaky underground trick, which just so happened to also produce the most meltingly tender roasts. Here’s how it’s done:

Make the Garlic Lemon Rub

• Get ready. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large roasting pan with two large pieces of parchment paper going in opposite directions, making a cross shape with overhangs on all 4 sides of the pan. (I like to have about 8 inches of parchment overhang.) They should be large enough to cover the dish when finished.
• Prepare the Garlic and Lemon Rub: In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, 10 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the zest of 2 lemons. 

Prep the Chicken and Vegetables

• Spatchcock the chicken: Place a (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken on a cutting board with the breast side down and its backbone facing you. Use a pair of sturdy kitchen shears to cut out the backbone by cutting along both sides of the spine. Remove the backbone (freeze for making chicken stock). Flip the bird over and push down on the breasts to flatten the chicken. Remove the wing tips (add to freezer bag for stock). Use paper towels to pat both sides of the chicken dry. 
• Season: Rub all over (including under the skin) with a large pinch of salt and pepper (about 1 1/2 teaspoons each), followed by the garlic lemon rub. Be sure to push the seasonings underneath the skin as well.
• Prep the veggies, adding them to the prepared pan as you go. Halve 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes. Cut 3 Roma tomatoes into wedges. Core 2 bell peppers and cut them into large pieces. Cut a large red onion into large pieces, and place them into the parchment line pan. 
• Season the veggies. Season the vegetables the Italian seasoning and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and carefully toss to coat (try not to disturb the parchment layers too much), then spread the veggies into a single layer. 
• Add the chicken: Place the chicken on top of the vegetables with the breast up. Pour in 1/2 cup stock, 1/2 cup white wine, and the juice of 2 lemons over the vegetables and around the chicken (don’t pour over the chicken). 

Roast the Chicken and Vegetables

• Wrap and roast: Pull the parchment paper sides up and over the chicken and tightly crimp them together to fully enclose the chicken and vegetables in the parchment parcel. Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Finish roasting uncovered: Carefully remove the roast chicken and vegetables from the oven and uncrimp the parchment. Tuck the edges of the paper into the pan to prevent burning. If you’d like, add 4 ounces feta cheese, breaking it into large pieces as you go. Return the pan to the oven. Cook uncovered until an instant-read thermometer registers 155°F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
• Broil the chicken: Set the broiler to high. Place the pan on the middle rack and broil until the skin turns golden brown, about 5 minutes or so. 
• Rest, carve, and serve. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature so it reads 165°F, before carving and serving. I usually place the whole pan on the table and serve directly out of the pan family style.

What to Serve with Roast Chicken and Potatoes

You already have the side, veggies, protein, and starch covered, so you really don’t need to add anything more for a full meal. That said I do love a fresh salad for balance. 

This roasted chicken and vegetables recipe has so much flavor I’d hate to add something that will compete for the spotlight. I would keep it simple with something more mild and texture-rich, like Celery Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing, which will also bring a welcome tang to complement the garlic and lemon sauce.

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