Greek green beans baked with chicken and potatoes (Φασολάκια στο φούρνο με κοτόπουλο και πατάτες)

A classic Greek one pan meal of fresh green beans baked alongside chicken and potatoes in a rich tomato sauce. This is rustic and humble, traditional Greek home cooking. Serve it with some feta, olives, fresh bread and wine for an experience like you would find in a village in Greece.

My parents’ garden is full of delicious things to eat, including a large section devoted to a few varieties of green beans. Growing tall, these plants are secured by using things like long bamboo shoots, old broken hockey sticks (because, Canada) and thin planks of wood that my dad has found, somewhere. Perhaps not the most elegant set up, but certainly functional. Like many things in their garden (old feta buckets as planters) practicality and availability supersede beauty, always.

But still, beauty in their garden abounds. There is nothing quite as lovely as seeing a pretty flower turn into a glossy, deep purple eggplant. Or watching bright delicate zucchini blossoms open up and greet the day early in the morning. Or following the gradual transition of vine ripened tomatoes, from earthy green to unbelievable red. And the beans. Searching through the leaves to find beans dangling like earrings from the vine; nature’s gems. My mother has always been the bean picker in our family. I’m not sure how she assumed that role, given that gardening is a joint venture for my parents. But the beans are hers, and she so enjoys walking out with an empty bowl and returning with a pile of fresh fasolakia.

When Helen’s and my girls were little, they would accompany Yiayia. They would be responsible for picking the beans off the lower part of the stalk while my mother reached for the beans higher up. I can still picture them; chubby little hands and babbling toddler excitement, and my mom, standing tall and proud, working together to harvest what would contribute to a delicious meal.

There are so many ways to enjoy green beans in Greek cooking. One way is on the stove top, with the green beans cooked alongside potatoes and maybe some zucchini and carrots in a rich tomato and olive oil sauce. You can find the recipe for fasolakia me patates lathera here. This is a delicious vegan meal that showcases the simplicity and rustic nature of Greek food.

Another way to enjoy green beans is as they are prepared here, baked in the oven with chicken and potatoes. A hearty, rich and incredibly flavorful meal that I can’t help but love. I think that if you try it, you’ll love it just as much. Just be sure to serve this meal with some fresh bread (the sauce is made for being sopped up) and feta cheese. This is Greece on a plate, and it is near perfection.

Key ingredients

Green beans The best green beans to use in this recipe are fresh green beans that are slightly flat and wide. These are the ones I prefer, but if all you can find are the thinner French beans, then that is fine too.

Chicken thighs and drumsticks I like to use brown meat for this recipe because it remains tender and moist during the cooking.

Tomato sauce I use homemade tomato sauce, although you can use a good quality jarred passata as well.

Potatoes Any potatoes will work well here, but I prefer the yellow fleshed potatoes. They are creamy and delicious.

Olive oil I use olive oil in the roasting pan to help bake and roast the chicken and vegetables.

Lemon I usually season the chicken with lemon juice before browning it in the pan.

Vegetable oil I brown the chicken and potatoes in vegetable oil; it is lighter than olive oil and easier to fry with.

Salt & pepper The basics, and most essential seasonings!

How to make it

Making this one pan meal does require a bit of stovetop prep, but it is quite straightforward and easy.

Prepare the chicken and potatoes

Step 1
Cut away any excess fat from the chicken and pour the juice of the lemon all over it. Season with salt.

Step 2
Heat enough vegetable oil in a medium sized frying pan so that there is approximately 1/4 inch oil in the pan. Once the oil is hot reduce heat to medium and add the chicken pieces; you will likely have to do this in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate as it is cooked and season with pepper.

Step 3
Fry the potatoes in the same oil and pan that you used to fry the chicken. Fry for approximately 5 – 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the potatoes have started to brown. As the potatoes are ready, remove them from the pan and set aside.

Blanche the green beans

Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. You should have already washed and trimmed the ends of the green beans. Any very long beans can be cut in half.

Step 2
Boil beans for approximately 2 minutes and then remove them from the boiling water and immerse them immediately into a bowl of ice water. Let them cool for a few minutes until chilled. Drain the blanched and cool green beans in a colander and pat them dry before using.

Assemble and bake

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the green beans in a large roasting pan (I use a 12 x 16 inch roasting pan). Top with the chicken and the potatoes.

Step 2
Pour in the tomato sauce, water and olive oil. Shake your pan to disperse the liquid.

Step 3
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the bottom rack of your oven for 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. At this point if your baking pan appears too dry, add 1/4 cup more water.

Cooking tips and helpful hints

When cooking with green beans it is important to wash them well and to remove the stem ends. If there is a fibrous thread running down the green bean, it is helpful to pull that off too.

If you want to remove the skin off of the chicken, I would suggest you do that right before eating it. I would pan fry the chicken with the skin on, and bake it that way too, for the added flavour.

Browning the chicken before baking it really does help enhance the flavour. It is not a step I would skip.

Pin this recipe if you like it!

Recipe substitutions

Instead of chicken thighs and drumsticks, you can use chicken breast. I would recommend that you use bone in, skin on chicken breast however, in order to keep the meat moist and tender.

Instead of potatoes you can use turnip. You can also add carrots cut into chunks to the roasting pan.

We love hearing from you!  If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!,  please leave a comment below!

Related recipes

If you love this meal, I think you will also love these recipes. All of them are traditional, Greek, rustic meals you will surely love:

Greek chicken with chickpeas (Kota me revithia kokkinista) A protein packed meal that is filling, nutritious and utterly delicious!

Stewed rooster with okra and potatoes A unique meal, this is true village (horio) food! The rooster is tender and goes so well with the textures and flavours of the okra and potatoes.

Hilopites with chicken A Greek classic! Nothing like this comforting meal on a cool day.

Serving size

This meals serves 4 generous portions with each person getting one drumstick and one chicken thigh.

Storing and reheating

You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat either use the microwave or place, covered with aluminum foil, in a 350 degree F. preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Thanks for sharing!