Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you wish, you can spray the baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set it aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine the orange juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk them together until fully combined. This mixture will create a delicious marinade for the chicken.
Begin to scatter the diced potatoes over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Make sure they are cut into ½-inch or bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. If they are too large, they might not soften properly during the baking process.
Next, take the chicken quarters and add them to the baking dish, nestling them down into the potatoes so that they can soak up all the flavorful juices as they cook.
Evenly pour the orange juice mixture over the chicken and potatoes, ensuring everything is coated well for maximum flavor.
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. For dark meat, I recommend cooking it to 170 to 175 degrees for that falling-off-the-bone tenderness.
Watch the chicken closely during the cooking process. If it starts to brown too much on the outside but isn’t quite done inside, you can cover the dish with a sheet of foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
If you like extra crispy skin, you can broil the chicken for a couple of minutes at the end. Just be cautious, as the sugar in the orange juice can burn quickly. Keep a watchful eye on it!
Once fully cooked, remove the dish from the oven and optionally garnish with fresh herbs if you desire. Serve immediately and enjoy the delightful flavors of this hearty meal!
