Garlic Scape Chicken with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
One Pan, One Hour, Dinner on the Table
Real food, real simple. Feeding the people you love.
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Chicken thighs were thawed. A pound and a half of fingerling potatoes sat in the bowl on the counter. And that morning I’d gone out and cut a big handful of garlic scapes, because late spring means scape season, and if you grow garlic, you already know: they come up fast and they don’t wait.
That was Tuesday. Everyone was home, everyone was hungry, and I had about an hour.
Here’s what I did.
The spread. Equal parts softened butter and olive oil, mashed together with minced garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and smoked paprika. That’s it. Loosen the skin on each chicken thigh and push some underneath. Rub the rest over the top and across the cut sides of the potatoes. This is the step that makes the whole thing taste like you planned it.
The pan. Chicken thighs in first, skin side up. Fingerlings halved and tucked alongside. Garlic scapes chopped into two-inch pieces and scattered over the potatoes. Into a 425°F oven for an hour.
The scapes roast down into something tender and slightly caramelized — a mild, green flavor that sits between garlic and onion. It’s specific to this time of year, and it’s worth using them while you have them.
While the pan was in the oven, I put together a green salad with a simple vinaigrette. Nothing involved. Just something fresh to cut the richness.
That was dinner. Crispy skin, garlicky potatoes, a bright salad on the side.
Garlic Scape Chicken with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 4–6 | About 1 hour, mostly hands-off
4–6 skin-on chicken thighs
4 tbsp softened butter and olive oil, mixed
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, pepper, rosemary, smoked paprika
1–1½ lbs fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
A large handful of garlic scapes, cut into 2-inch pieces
Mixed greens and vinaigrette, for serving
Instructions
Prepare the garlic butter: In a small bowl, mix the softened butter and olive oil with the minced garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and smoked paprika until you have a spreadable paste.
Season the chicken: Loosen the skin on the chicken thighs and tuck some of the garlic butter mixture underneath. Rub the rest over the tops of the thighs.
Prepare the potatoes: Toss the halved fingerling potatoes with some of the remaining garlic butter mixture so they’re evenly coated.
Assemble the dish: Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs and potatoes in a single layer in a large baking dish or sheet pan. Scatter the cut garlic scapes over and around the potatoes.
Roast: Place the pan in a preheated 425°F oven and roast for about 1 hour, until the chicken skin is deeply golden and crisp and the potatoes are fork-tender. Give the pan a gentle shake or stir the potatoes once halfway through if you like.
Rest and serve: Let everything rest for a few minutes. Serve with a pile of mixed greens dressed in a simple vinaigrette to balance the richness.
No scapes? Fresh chives or scallions will work. But if you’re growing garlic, cut them now — they’re only here a couple of weeks.
A Few Notes
Scapes have a short season — two to three weeks, depending on your weather. If yours are thick, they’ll still soften during roasting; just give them a bit more time. Leftovers reheat well and hold up for lunch the next day. Swap in whatever dried herbs you have. Fresh rosemary from the garden is especially good here.
Cari Ann Carter is the best-selling author of Are Your Roots Right? Rightsize Your Space. Reclaim Your Life. and a multi-faceted entrepreneur with a passion for intentional living, design, and home.
She leads the Cari Ann Carter Group, bringing over 28 years of experience in real estate, design, build, and renovation, and is the creative voice behind DIY Designer Homestead.
Through Fresh Roots Living, she shares practical ideas for cooking, gardening, entertaining, and creating a home that supports your next chapter.