Roast Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Green Olives

Recipe by: Diane Rossen Worthington | from Seriously Simple: Easy Recipes for Creative Cooks

Cookstr

Course: Main Course

Total Time: Under 1 Hour

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

roast-lemon-garlic-chicken-with-green-olives

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Garlic cloves become deliciously caramelized and act as a thickening agent in this favorite of mine. Use a pan that can be brought to the table for serving, bistro style. Use a microplaner, a great time-saving gadget, to quickly grate the lemon zest before squeezing the juice.

Yield: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil, and/or oregano
Salt and freshly, ground black pepper to taste
1 1/3-pound fryer chicken, cut up
25 garlic cloves, peeled
¾ cup chicken broth
1/3 cup pitted French green olives, rinsed

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, ¼ cup of the herbs, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting pan that can be brought to the table and pour the lemon-herb mixture over. Arrange the garlic cloves all around the chicken, stirring them to coat with the mixture. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are nicely browned and opaque throughout.

3. Remove the chicken from the oven. Add the broth to the pan and place on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the olives and stir; cook a few minutes to heat them through. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons herbs and serve from the pan, or transfer to a platter. Serve immediately.

Advance Preparation:

The lemon-herb mixture can be made 4 hours ahead, covered, and kept at room temperature.

The clever cook could:

1. Double the recipe.

2. Use half black olives for a contrast of color.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Nutritional information is based on 1/8 teaspoon added salt per serving.

Calories 451kcal (23%)

Calcium 70mg (7%)

Vitamin C 20mg (33%)

Vitamin A 68mcg RAE (2%)