This is my weeknight version of the potatoes my grandmother’s Amish best friend used to make for Sunday dinners. Thick slices of russet or Yukon gold potatoes are baked low and slow in chicken broth and butter until they’re browned on the edges, glazed in a savory, reduced broth, and so tender they practically melt in your mouth. It’s a true 4-ingredient, pantry-friendly recipe that feels special enough for company but simple enough to throw together after work.
These Amish-style melting potatoes are hearty enough to be the star of the plate with a simple green salad, but they’re especially good next to roast chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf to soak up all the extra juices. Spoon some of the buttery broth from the pan over the potatoes and your main protein. Add steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or a bag of frozen mixed veggies for an easy, balanced dinner. They also reheat well, so I like to make a double batch and serve the leftovers with fried eggs for breakfast or alongside a quick skillet sausage or rotisserie chicken on busy nights.
Oven Baked Amish Melting Potatoes (4 Ingredients)Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch thick rounds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus a little more for greasing the dish, optional)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly butter or oil a 9x13-inch white ceramic baking dish or similarly sized oven-safe dish so the potatoes don’t stick.
Peel the potatoes and slice them into thick rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Try to keep the slices roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly and get that tender, almost creamy texture.
Arrange the potato rounds in the baking dish in a single, snug layer. It’s okay if they overlap just a bit, but keep them mostly flat so each piece can soak up the broth and brown on top.
Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with the kosher salt. Drizzle the melted butter all over the tops of the potato slices, making sure each one gets a little. This butter is what helps them brown and gives you those gorgeous, glazed edges.
Pour the chicken broth into the baking dish around the potatoes, not directly on top of each slice. You want the broth to come about halfway to three-quarters of the way up the sides of the potatoes. If your dish is very large and it doesn’t reach that level, you can add a splash more broth or water.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to soften and the broth is hot and bubbling.
Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam). Use a spoon to gently baste the tops of the potatoes with some of the buttery broth from the bottom of the dish. Return the uncovered dish to the oven.
Continue baking, uncovered, for 25 to 35 minutes, basting once or twice more, until the potatoes are very tender, the tops are golden-brown, and the broth has reduced into a glossy, slightly thickened sauce that clings to the potatoes. The edges of the potatoes should look lightly browned and almost caramelized in spots.
If you want extra browning, move the dish to the top rack for the last 5 minutes of baking, keeping an eye on it so the broth doesn’t reduce too much or burn.
Let the potatoes rest for 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven. The broth will thicken a bit more as it cools, giving you that rich, buttery glaze. Spoon the potatoes onto plates, then ladle some of the reduced chicken broth and browned butter from the bottom of the dish over the top before serving.
Variations & Tips
Use this as a base and keep the spirit of the recipe—simple, cozy, and minimal ingredients. If you want to stay close to the traditional feel but tweak it a bit, you can swap in vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, just know you’ll miss a little of the chicken richness. For a slightly richer flavor, use half chicken broth and half beef broth, which deepens the color and adds a more savory note. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt and taste the broth before baking uncovered. For smaller households, cut the recipe in half and use a smaller baking dish; just keep the broth level about halfway up the potatoes and check a little earlier. To make ahead, slice the potatoes and keep them submerged in cold water in the fridge for up to a day, then drain and dry well before baking so they’ll still brown nicely. Leftovers reheat best in a small baking dish in a 350°F oven with a splash of extra broth or water, covered with foil until hot, then uncovered for a few minutes to re-crisp the tops.
