Sheet-Pan Malai Chicken and Potatoes
Updated May 7, 2025
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN AND POTATOES
1½ pounds fingerling or baby potatoes
1 medium yellow onion
1 tablespoon melted ghee or olive oil
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds total)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons heavy cream
FOR THE MARINADE
¼ cup full-fat plain yogurt
⅓ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, torn to fit the blender, plus more cilantro for serving if desired
5 garlic cloves
1 (1½-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 to 2 serrano chiles, depending on your heat tolerance
1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
1½ teaspoons garam masala
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Preparation
- Step 1
Arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees.
- Step 2
Start the chicken and potatoes: As the oven heats, halve potatoes lengthwise (quarter and cut any larger ones). Halve the onion lengthwise and cut each half into quarters. Transfer potatoes and onion to a sheet pan, add the ghee and season with 1½ teaspoons salt. Transfer to the preheated oven, and roast for 10 minutes while you prepare the marinade.
- Step 3
Make the marinade: Using a blender, mini food processor or immersion blender, combine the yogurt, cilantro, garlic, ginger, chiles, ghee, garam masala and 1½ teaspoons salt. Blend until the mixture is mostly smooth. If needed, add a tablespoon of water to help the blender along. Transfer the marinade to a medium bowl or resealable bag, and add the chicken. Massage marinade into chicken and let marinate while the potatoes cook (see Tip).
- Step 4
When the vegetables have roasted for 10 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and nestle chicken on top, skin side up, scraping any excess marinade from the chicken skin onto the vegetables. Return sheet pan to the oven and adjust heat to 450 degrees. Roast until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through and the chicken skin is browned and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. (If the potatoes aren’t fork-tender yet, remove the chicken from the pan and continue to roast the potatoes for another 5 to 10 minutes.)
- Step 5
Carefully transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the vegetables in the pan. Add the lemon juice, cream and 3 tablespoons hot water to the sheet pan and toss with a metal spatula, carefully scraping up any browned bits, until the potatoes are coated in sauce. Transfer chicken back over top and serve immediately, garnished with more cilantro if you like.
If you like, the chicken can marinate for up to 2 hours on the counter, or ideally, overnight in the refrigerator. (If marinating overnight, remove the chicken from the fridge at least 30 minutes before roasting to ensure it cooks evenly.)
Private Notes
Comments
You know it's good when everyone crowds around the sheet pan after dinner to scrape up whatever sauce got left behind with their fingers! Definitely marinate overnight for full flavor. And, the hint about scraping the sauce off the skin and putting it on the vegetables helped the skin crisp up better. This one's a keeper Thanks, Zaynab!
can I use more yogurt instead of heavy cream at the end?
This was delicious! Will definitely make it again! I used 8 boneless skinless thighs and marinated for 5 hours since I just found the recipe today. Definitely tempting to just stand over the pan and keep snacking, but will refrain in order to have leftovers.
A friend who said she didn't like spicy food loved this!
Have only tried marinating overnight, but this comes out perfect every time. The only complaint is that the chicken tends to run out too soon--it's just too good, everybody wants more than one thigh.
This has quickly become a family favorite at our house - husband and kids all ask for "green chicken" regularly.

