Sheet-Pan Malai Chicken and Potatoes 

Updated May 8, 2025

Sheet-Pan Malai Chicken and Potatoes 
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(770)
Comments
Read comments

Inspired by traditional South Asian malai chicken, a warmly spiced, yogurt-marinated dish that’s usually tandoor-grilled or served as a creamy curry, this sheet-pan meal comes together in under an hour. Here, the cream, or malai, is added just before serving, combining with lemon juice and water to create a silky, tangy sauce. The yogurt marinade acts as a powerful tenderizer for the chicken, so  even a quick rest will enhance the flavors (if you have time for an overnight marinade, all the better). For this version, a sheet pan is used to maximize surface area and help the potatoes brown, but a cast-iron skillet also works.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe
  • Print Options


Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Chicken and Potatoes

    • 1½ pounds fingerling or baby potatoes  
    • 1medium yellow onion
    • 1tablespoon melted ghee or olive oil 
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
    • 4bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds total)
    • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 2tablespoons heavy cream 

    For the Marinade

    • ¼cup full-fat plain yogurt 
    • cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, torn to fit the blender, plus more cilantro for serving if desired
    • 5garlic cloves
    • 1(1½-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
    • 1 to 2serrano chiles, depending on your heat tolerance  
    • 1tablespoon ghee or olive oil 
    • 1½ teaspoons garam masala 
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

675 calories; 42 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 37 grams protein; 1010 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees.

  2. 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.

  3. 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).

  4. 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.)

  5. 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.

Tip
  • 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.)

Ratings

5 out of 5
770 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

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.

Fantastic recipe. Made extra sauce to drizzle over chicken and potatoes. Everyone loved it.

Loved it. Smelled amazing while it baked and tasted just as good. I used Morton kosher salt so I know better to adjust the quantity next time to be far less. There will definitely be a next time. Plus, the additional ingredients to the pan after taking it out of the oven made washing the pan super easy.

It reminds me of an Indian version of Chicken Vesuvio, one where the chicken stock and garlic marinade is replaced with a ginger yogurt marinade. It is good, but I prefer the flavor profile of Vesuvio to this.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.