Greek Chicken With Lemon & Olives

Simple roasted chicken is always welcome on my dinner table. This golden-brown, crispy and juicy chicken is spiked with a punchy hit of lemon, oregano and garlic. Briny olives give the pan sauce a delicious saltiness. The sunny flavors of Greece make this dish a hit in our home. It's not complicated to cook either. Serve it with my Ultra Creamy Hummus with Greek Salsa  and my Rice Pilaf with Toasted Orzo, for a delicious Eastern Mediterranean meal.   


     

Greek Chicken With Lemon & Olives Recipe

Serves 2

Some Notes:

To make juicy, flavorful and tender roast chicken you must start with the best brand. I have been purchasing Bell & Evans chicken for a long time. It's my favorite, surpassing fresh chicken that I've bought at farm markets. Bell and Evans recently earned Cooks Illustrated's highest recommendation. 

I use a microplane zester to mince the garlic.

Adding the sauce toward the end of cooking prevents it from burning and keeps it fresh tasting.

Ingredients

• 1 package of bone-in split chicken breasts halves weighing 1.75 pounds. I use Bell & Evans Brand.
• 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon of  honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8-10 olives, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking pan with foil.

Make the lemon-oregano sauce by zesting the lemon and squeezing half of it into a small bowl. Stir in the oregano, garlic, honey, olives (if using) and olive oil. Salt to taste. Set aside. (You can also make this sauce while the chicken is cooking.) 

Salt and pepper the chicken and place it in the foil lined baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook it for another 8-12 minutes. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the chicken and serve with the pan sauce.

Bon Appetit!