Don’t be afraid of the number of garlic cloves in this recipe. They become deliciously caramelized and act as a thickening agent, adding a wonderful nutty richness to the sauce. Many stores sell peeled garlic cloves, which makes it a snap to put this together.
These days, many different chicken varieties are available. Look for air-chilled chickens, which are firmer and tastier than water-chilled chickens, which add extra liquid to the bird but less flavor. Kosher chickens also are good because they are salted, which helps keep them moist. Of course, organic chickens are always something to consider because the birds are fed organic food and given no antibiotics. It’s fun to try different varieties to discover your personal favorite.
Cook the chicken in a shallow roasting pan that can be brought to the table for a casual presentation. Use a microplaner to grate the lemon zest before squeezing the juice. If you can find Meyer lemons, use them in this dish. Serve with roasted vegetables or a vegetable rice pilaf for a hearty and satisfying fall dinner. A full-bodied California chardonnay would be nice with the chicken, as would an Australian sauvignon blanc.
Help is on the way:
• The lemon-herb mixture can be made 4 hours ahead, covered and kept at room temperature.
• Double the recipe and use for a chicken salad the next day.
• Look for green pitted olives, and be sure to rinse them before adding them to the sauce.
• Add black and green olives for color contrast.
Roast lemon garlic chicken with green olives
Makes 4 servings.
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs — any combination of rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil and oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25 peeled whole garlic cloves, ends cut off
3 1/2-pound chicken, cut up
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup pitted green olives
Combine the zest, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/4 cup herbs, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting pan and pour the lemon-herb mixture over them. Arrange the garlic cloves all around the chicken, moving them to coat with the mixture. Roast for about 40 minutes or until the chicken pieces are nicely browned and no pink color remains.
Remove chicken from oven. Add the stock and deglaze the pan on top of the stove on medium-high heat. Sprinkle on the olives and toss them around to heat through. You should have a nicely deglazed sauce. Garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons of herbs and serve right from the pan.
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